It’s getting too hot to be outdoors in the coming dog days of summer. Jigsaw puzzles, then, are a perfect lazy day activity. With their fragmented, kooky shapes they are a craft project that’s more paint-by-numbers than repurposing old neck ties into a skirt. Low stakes, clear instructions and a beautiful image (and words!!) will draw me in anytime.
When I went walking with my neighbor Lee a few months back we started talking about puzzles. I guess I’d never really thought that people tackled puzzles in different ways. My dad and my daughter always start with the edges. My husband doesn’t look at the cover image. What-the-what? I group letters or certain colors.
I was not really a puzzle person until I discovered that one of my nieces LOVES puzzles and always wants me to help her. It's so fun to do one with her.
Now I am having to up my puzzle game! So far, I like to start with the edge pieces.
Look at box cover, turn over all pieces, start with edges. I love puzzles with animals/nature of some kind. Would rather puzzle with others than puzzle alone :)
a few thoughts are: a) I try to circle the puzzle/change perspectives a few times. 2) I try to assemble a group with different skills--an edge person, a big picture person, a detail person, a shape person. 3) I look at the box/pic waaaaay less than I should. 4) Puzzling can solve most of my attention, anxiety, and distraction problems. It is better than all the drugs (that I've never done).
I like to puzzle by shape, by pattern, and often with little urgency to complete. The puzzle is the ultimate process-oriented activity for me!
I look once at the box. Turn over all of the pieces. Start with the edges. Group by color. Try to keep unconnected pieces out of the middle. Listen to music. Have yet to solve the problem of glare. I bet there's some kind of special puzzle light.
I was not really a puzzle person until I discovered that one of my nieces LOVES puzzles and always wants me to help her. It's so fun to do one with her.
Now I am having to up my puzzle game! So far, I like to start with the edge pieces.
Look at box cover, turn over all pieces, start with edges. I love puzzles with animals/nature of some kind. Would rather puzzle with others than puzzle alone :)
I start with the edges. And I try not to look at the box. A few years ago we had a puzzle with skiers. Just snow and some trees. That was something.
I could write a master's thesis on this...
a few thoughts are: a) I try to circle the puzzle/change perspectives a few times. 2) I try to assemble a group with different skills--an edge person, a big picture person, a detail person, a shape person. 3) I look at the box/pic waaaaay less than I should. 4) Puzzling can solve most of my attention, anxiety, and distraction problems. It is better than all the drugs (that I've never done).
I like to puzzle by shape, by pattern, and often with little urgency to complete. The puzzle is the ultimate process-oriented activity for me!
I look once at the box. Turn over all of the pieces. Start with the edges. Group by color. Try to keep unconnected pieces out of the middle. Listen to music. Have yet to solve the problem of glare. I bet there's some kind of special puzzle light.