I tend to do most of my reading at the start or end of the day, and when I’m at home during the day there’s nothing better to while away the hours if you don’t want to read than to do a jigsaw puzzle. You can have the telly on in the background of course. I’ve always loved doing jigsaws, but as I’ve got older, my enjoyment of twee scenes or those WASGIJ ones is not what it was. I have always liked doing arty ones – ancient or modern art, photography, graphic design – and nowadays stick almost exclusively to those. I tend to do 1000 piece puzzles – they fit on my dining table around my stuff and can be suitably tricky.
I find that jigsaw puzzles are a great mind-cleanser. I should set a timer really, as often I can get completely in the zone doing the puzzle and hours go by. They’re also good for keeping your brain active, in areas such as shape and pattern recognition.
My current love of arty jigsaws really took off during lockdown, when I discovered some Pomegranate brand puzzles as stocked then by Georges of Whitstable (now available elsewhere). These were taken from Mike Wilks’ Ultimate Alphabet – which had a picture for each letter of the alphabet – sometimes with hundreds of items in. There was a prize for the person who found the most … it was published in 1986, while the public appetite for competitions was high after Kit Williams’ Masquerade (more on that here).
The top three below are letters ‘B’, ‘S’ and ‘A’ respectively, plus three more Wilks artworks as puzzles I found later. I had ‘P’ as well, but didn’t take a photo when completed. These were the only letters that they did 1000 piece puzzles for.
I next went in search of other puzzles from Pomegranate, and other art puzzles and found these. Top left: An Edward Gorey, Bottom Left: A Map of Fairyland, Middle: The Fairy Teller’s Masterstroke by Richard Dadd (in Tate Britain) all from Pomegranate, and Botticelli’s Primavera and The Lady of Shalott by Waterhouse which if I remember are from Eurographics range.
One more lot to share with you this time. Also during lockdown I discovered the New York Puzzle Company’s ‘New Yorker’ puzzles via ebay. I’ve got nine now (one no photo) plus one on order via ebay. They tend to be rather expensive new – there is no UK major stockist – so I pick them up as I see them used and cross fingers that they are complete as stated. My favourite New Yorker covers are those by Adrian Tomine, but sadly none of his have been made into puzzles, the eagle-eyed amongst you may spot a Tom Gauld though (bottom right).
I have plenty more great puzzles to share another time, but for now that’s your lot.
I do hope you enjoyed this non-bookish interlude.
I haven’t done a jigsaw for years but I remember losing myself in them. Very good for relieving stress! I should have bought one for Election week. Do you keep them when you’ve finished?
I have a cupboard full of ones I’d do again, the rest I ebay.
I might embark on a 500- or 1000-piece jigsaw every three or four years but I’m in the mood to be obsessive about something other than everyday things (the Richard Dadd one would be ideal!). I tend to be as philosophical about them as with crossword puzzles – great to have something where there are only correct answers when life itself is so complex, arbitrary and prone to wrong choices seen in retrospect…
Ironically, the finished Dadd puzzle is larger than the real painting. It’s a very strange painting – but then he was a very strange man (and murderer). This was a hard one to get hold of and I had to pay a bit more than usual for it – but once spotted, I had to have it.
I love a good puzzle though I don’t do them so much any more. Did a lovely Agatha Christie one I’d borrowed last Christmas when I was going through Covid and it definitely saved my sanity. Those are some lovely ones though – particularly the New Yorker ones!!
The New Yorker ones are super to do – the same cut but a tricky one with irregular pieces. I did the Agatha Christie one too!
I love Pomegranate Puzzles, they used to rather evilly stock them in the Barber Institute Shop at the University when I worked at the University and specifically in the Barber Insititute (an art gallery) so I had to walk past the display at least four times a day. I have their coloured pencils one and their beetles one. Sadly I’ve not really had the opportunity to do puzzles since we got the new (ish) cats as Willa is a fiend for picking things up and running off with them …
My cats love helping, by flicking pieces off the table or sitting in the box, luckily I nearly always find the missing pieces. The Yorkshire Jigsaw Co is a major Pomegranate stockist, my main source now.
I also enjoy jigsaw puzzles.