Frosted Fir Tree, Wentworth

I got a few new puzzles from Wentworth, and in need of a relatively short solve, I pulled out the 240-piece “Frosted Fir Tree”, with artwork credited to “Alexandru Davidenco”. When I went to see more about this artist, I figured out this is actually AI-generated art. See the licensing shop, where this user has […]
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Dowdle Brooklyn Bridge, Elms

Finished this 121-piece Elms hand-cut puzzle of an Eric Dowdle image, “Brooklyn Bridge“, cut by “Kristin”. It was part of a Hoefnagel pack, both of which were fun fast solves.
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Bloomington Gothic, Press Puzzles

“Bloomington Gothic“, based on “American Gothic” by Grant Wood, derivative work by Joe Lee, in Indiana. Hand-cut by Press Puzzles, and in a puzzle pack from Hoefnagel. This was a speedy solve, with a nice hand-feel.
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Autumn Tea Time, Meredith Dillman, Mosaic

Mosaic, “Autumn Tea Time“, art by Meredith Dillman, 500 piece. First, I loved the art by Meredith Dillman. Tea! Kitsune! Like Disney’s animated Maid Marian in a kimono. So I enjoyed spending time with this image. A few little criticisms of the puzzle itself, though. The print, directly onto wood, sadly had already begun to […]
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Stave, Purrsian Rug

Beautiful cat and Persian rug puzzle from Stave, via Hoefnagel — “Purrsian Rug” (art by Candy Thun), 100-piece trick puzzle. Not the typical puzzle — you can’t solve from the image, because there are multiple identical connectors, and if you assemble to make a continuous image, you can’t assemble the pieces into a single continuous […]
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Vibrant Village, CraftHub

I ordered a bunch of puzzles from “PuzzlesUp”, which was closing, and it turned out they were all labeled “CraftHub”. Hmm. Anyway, I liked the image. The pieces were pretty interlocking. This puzzle is called “Vibrant Village”.
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Whisker’s Spell, Adolfo Valle, Lighthouse

Ash and I finished a Lighthouse Puzzles puzzle today, the adorable “Whisker’s Spell” by Adolfo Valle.
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River Otter, Adolfo Valle, Lighthouse Puzzles

“River Otter” by Adolfo Valle, a 62-piece puzzle, 5.6″ x 6.25″, from Lighthouse Puzzles.
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Falling by Mandy Budan, Stumpcraft

460 pieces, puzzle design by Jasen Robillard of Stumpcraft, artwork “Falling” by Mandy Budan. Rental from Hoefnagel. There is a “deep dive” blog post discussing the puzzle and its cut. Like all Stumpcraft puzzles, this one was beautifully cut, and based on beautiful art. I pulled out the whimsies for the photo, and flipping them […]
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Cats and Birds, Miko, BCB

Brookie Biglands (BCB) hand-cut this puzzle, with art by Miko, “Cats and Birds”, and I got it via Hoefnagel. Beautiful wood, beautifully cut, and with fun art. A pleasant solve!
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That’s What I Do ….

I got this puzzle for Ash a couple of years ago, and Ash did it partly, then it was disassembled, separated into two boxes, and I just found the second box …. Astonishingly, only three pieces are missing (and I have hopes I will find them amongst stuff). This puzzle was hard as hell. The […]
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Chestnut & Hemlock, tree snuggle

This was a beautiful birthday gift from Michele …. Ash did it. (-:
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Chestnut & Hemlock pocket owl

My partner got me a couple of very sweet handcut puzzles from Chestnut & Hemlock, in Alabama. Ash and I did the “pocket owl”, which was beautiful.
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Ravensburger wooden, “Mysterious Owl” wooden owl

Ash and I did a little wooden puzzle from Ravensburger — “Mysterious Owl” — 150 pieces, “Have a hoot of a good time piecing together our 150-piece “Owl” Shaped Wooden puzzle and watch the hours fly by!” – 6.3″ x 8.7″ x 1.8″ I loved that it came in a paper bag. The whimsies were […]
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Mandala Effect, Loubud

My second Loubud Puzzle, “Mandala Effect” (labeled Mandela on the box). A fast, pleasant solve. Such a beautiful image! We loved the cattiness of the mandala, and the multi-piece dog and unicorn whimsies. (Plus the little seahorse.)
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Sprung by Coral Bourgeois, from AreYouGame

“Sprung” was one of two puzzles in a pack from AreYouGame — both by Coral Bourgeois. I really liked this image!
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Shroom Town, Kristian Adam (Artifact)

When I saw this puzzle, “Shroom Town” (art by Kristian Adam), it reminded me so much of Ash’s little sculptural mushroom villages, that I had to get it. We had fun assembling it today — I was more challenging than one would expect from a 211-piece puzzle. The irregular edge really added to the challenge! […]
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Coral Bourgeois, “Elephants”, from AreYouGame

Ash and I enjoyed this — it was a little more challenging than you would think from a grid image — but it was beautiful, a nice laser-cut feel. And elephants! Coral Bourgeois is the artist — I wonder if she’s a relation to Louise Bourgeois? and the puzzle maker is “Are You Game“, which […]
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Samuel Hayward “Cat in Garden”, Artifact

We three did this nicely cat-whimsy-filled “Cat in Garden” puzzle from Artifact today, with art from Samuel Hayward. Please note that Zeniba is in a very similar pose and attitude as the titular “Cat in Garden”. Artifact’s description:
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Brawlin’ Betties from LouBud Puzzles

I learned about LouBud from Rebecca Tushnet, of course, and was immediately drawn to this “Brawlin’ Betties” benefit puzzle — benefiting the Brawlin’ Betties, a Santa Barbara-area roller derby team. LOVED this puzzle — so cute with the cut-outs for the roller skate eyelets, and the quite elegant “BB” logo. A keeper! Not hard, at […]
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