About my ratings

Perhaps because of my day job, I'm a tough rater. Everything 3/5 and above I consider worth the time and money. If I purchase on Etsy or a similar platform and the puzzle is as expected, I will give a top rating on the platform because of how seller ratings work, but here "as expected" is probably a 3/5 in most cases.

Monday, November 11, 2024

Potomac Days

 Stave, 660 pieces. Great puzzle (from Hoefnagel) with a beautiful blue sky and a lot of small details. 7/10





the rebus (photo swapped so it's in the correct order)



I love the beer stein 





Google, why do you do this to me?


Bad Hair Day

 Fathom, 200 pieces. Another extremely fun, challenging puzzle with lots of tricks for the eye--the closest one can get to hand-cut from a laser cutter. 4/5


lots of snake parts



Kite-Eating Tree (Peanuts)

 Liberty, 419 pieces. The Peanuts kids are left largely intact, and there's also other color-line cutting here, making for an unusual and enjoyable Liberty. 4/5






I love the Pigpen cloud, confined to a few pieces around him; repeated flower whimsies on the bottom too

leaf whimsies

and of course kite whimsies and jagged outlines around the "chomp"s


Thursday, November 7, 2024

Summer Swans, William Ireland

 Liberty, 584 pieces. Some interesting stuff going on here, along with the flower whimsies that showed up in the previous puzzle as well. 3/5



rare whimsy with a cut going through the bottom; the piece in the middle is still completely surrounded, but there's a line between the heel and the fishing rod, which is unusual for Liberty

fishing close up


flowers centered on flowers in the image

fish story


Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Birds, Flowers and Eggs, Sarah Campbell

 Liberty, 487 pieces. Because of all the details and consistent color, this wasn't a puzzle where you could go section by section; it had gaps all the way through to the end. Interesting whimsies. 3/5






interacting whimsies


whimsies extending to edge, unusual for Liberty


Every Witch Way

 Stave, 125 pieces. A three-sword teaser on the easier side, with very colorful and charming pieces. 6/10






Marie Amalia, Pride of Peacocks

 Artifact, 224 pieces. Small, with curving pieces but a straight border. 3/5