A Bright Christmas Night by Graham Thompson – Jumbo (Wasgij)was – 1000 pieces
There’s a Wasgij puzzle on the board, which means NO SPOILERS. So although I can’t show you how the puzzle is going, I am sharing with you the image shown on the box, which is not the image being assembled. For this puzzle you have to assemble the image as it would look from the point of view of the owl that’s flying just above the tree in the yard.
It seems ridiculous to say on October 25th, but this is my last larger Christmas puzzle of the season. With the advent calendars taking up the first 24 days of December and all the puzzles currently in the queue, this last one that I’m currently assembling will be posted on Dec. 30th. I will be putting together the advent puzzles daily in December, but they are each only 56 pieces and nowhere near as challenging (hopefully) as this one is.
There are still wintery puzzle images I have here at the house that aren’t holiday specific, so there are still chilly puzzles to do this winter. Thankfully though, this is my last big Christmas puzzle this year!
A Very Merry Holiday! by Neil Easton – Jumbo (Wasgij Original) – 1000 pieces
Suddenly a few days ago I remembered all the Wasgij puzzles I have here to do, and I also remembered how exceptional the quality is and how much fun they are. Of course it was time to grab one of them and put it together. This was the first one I got my hands on, and it looked perfect for this time of year – lots of sun and sand and people at the beach.⛱
If you’re new to Wasgij puzzles (jigsaw spelled backwards), you do not puzzle the image shown on the box, in the original series of puzzles you are shown a character on the box image and told to puzzle what that person/character sees. There are a few hints, you can see people or things in front of them and for the rest you have to just go where the puzzle takes you. It isn’t as difficult as it sounds, you will find colors or patterns when sorting or laying out the pieces – just grab some pieces and get puzzling!
Another hint is that there is one person or character shown on the box that will be in the finished image. That is the only part of the completed puzzle that I show here, I never want to spoil the fun for anyone – it’s more fun to figure it out yourself. At least I think it is.
I had the best time with this puzzle; in fact I told both Penny and my hubby that it was dangerous. It was so enjoyable for me that I couldn’t stop myself from working on it and sat in front of the board for WAY too long. I should have taken many more breaks to give my poor hip a rest, but I just didn’t want to stop! Even after I went to bed, when I didn’t fall asleep right away I got myself out of bed and had to put more pieces in. Maybe it was just me, but if that isn’t the case I feel it’s my duty to warn you that assembling this puzzle may be addictive.
If a Wasgij puzzle seems like something you might want to try, this one is most definitely recommended. 😎
Childcare! by Bill Houston – Jumbo (Wasgij Mystery) – 1000 pieces
As per my usual routine I don’t show the entire finished image for these puzzles that don’t have the solution on the box top (Wasgij, What If?, Puzzle Twist, etc.); so you’re only seeing the character shown on the box as one of the hints.
With this Wasgij, there is an image on the box showing the two adults taking care of the children in what looks to be a sort of playroom. The hints tell you that “Children can be so unpredictable and sometimes they can drive you mad! The two childcare assistants are doing their best to look after all these children, but what’s the worst that could happen?” That’s the scene you have to puzzle. You can see from the box image what clothes everyone is wearing, what the carpeting and walls looks like, etc. Starting with a shirt color, or any part of the image that stands out – you can get going on piecing together the finished image.
I’m always intrigued by what the finished artwork will look like and how greatly it does or doesn’t differ from the box image. They’re fun and entertaining, and always so colorful and interesting. (If you couldn’t tell already, I love these puzzles!)
After putting together the border and finding extra pieces I was worried that perhaps this puzzle might also be missing some pieces, but thankfully it was complete. In total there were four extra pieces; three in the border and one interior – all from the same section…
I always feel bad when this happens, because I know there’s someone out there missing four pieces of their puzzle. Missing pieces are such a disappointment with new puzzles, and although I had nothing to do with it I feel guilty because their pieces ended up with me. 🤷♀️
I thoroughly enjoyed this assembly, as usual, so I don’t know why it’s been so long since I’ve put together a Wasgij puzzle. According to my blog it’s been almost four years since I’ve done one! November of 2019 was the last Wasgij assembled – how is that possible?
There’s still a stack of Wasgij puzzles at least four feet high in my bedroom closet, the fact that they’re not in the puzzle room is probably why it’s been so long. Out of sight, out of mind perhaps?
Whatever the reason, I need to get to whittling down that pile of puzzles – they’re too much fun to be sitting un-assembled in my closet!
Childcare! by Bill Houston – Jumbo (Wasgij Mystery) – 1000 pieces
It looks like whatever poor soul bought the Wasgij Mystery puzzle printed just before mine ended up with several missing border pieces – because they found their way into my box instead. I’m hoping that doesn’t mean that there may be missing pieces with my puzzle, this one looks like so much fun!
The box says “The two childcare assistants are doing their best to look after all these children, but what’s the worst that could happen? That is the scene you have to puzzle.”
Gesundheit! How am I going to disinfect this puzzle now?
These are interesting times we’re living in, that’s for sure. Many of us are in our homes most of the time now; and when we’re not disinfecting doorknobs and drawer handles we have plenty of extra time for puzzling. It’s the “newest” thing, have you heard?
Those of us who aren’t new to this fabulous indoor activity and have large stashes of puzzles to do are very lucky indeed; the demand has increased mightily as housebound families look for activities to keep themselves occupied. On my last trip out to stock up on puzzles, the bookstore where I normally feed my puzzle addiction had really been picked over; there were still puzzles on the shelves, but not nearly as many as there usually were.
Our beloved jigsaw puzzles are becoming hard to come by, as many online retailers have stopped taking orders, some have hiked up prices, and many retail stores that carry puzzles are not considered “essential businesses” and are now closed in places with stricter quarantine rules. There are still some online retailers with reasonable prices taking orders, and a few places you can sneak a puzzle into your cart if you are shopping for groceries, but those are becoming fewer by the day as everyone is getting in on the latest puzzle craze.
So I hope you’re well stocked and ready for plenty of puzzle time; perhaps your family might be interested in helping you with your next puzzle. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing for you or not, as many people prefer to puzzle in solitude. I’m good either way, puzzling with my loved ones makes me happy, as does quiet alone time with my puzzle pieces – and luckily I have a stockpile that should last me roughly 3 to 4 years. Or more.
I think it’s wonderful that more people are coming to appreciate the hobby that we PADS sufferers and puzzle addicts know and love. It’s a wonderful way to pass the time, and helps keep our minds occupied with shapes and colors rather than the latest bad news.
They’re good for our overall health too, which is some good news that we dyed-in-the-wool dissectologists and puzzle newbies all need to remember. Each little success that working on a jigsaw puzzle brings – completing a section, or just finding that piece we’ve been searching for – encourages the production of dopamine in our brains. Dopamine regulates your mood, and studies have shown that a positive mood can enhance your immune system; I think all of our immune systems could use a boost these days, don’t you? So turn off the tv, put down your phones, and puzzle on my friends – it’s good for you! 🧩
Happy puzzling!
*The picture above is from the back of the box of the current puzzle I’m working on, a 1500 piece Jan van Haasteren shaped puzzle called “Hotel”. It isn’t part of the image; it’s just a cute little drawing by JVH on the back of the box, and it seemed oddly appropriate for today’s post. 🙂
