Neverending Stories, Wentworth

By Colin Thompson, 1000 pieces.  I love this picture--this is my third puzzle with it, though one was only cardboard.  1000 pieces is pretty much the maximum I can do for Wentworth because the sheer space required to manipulate all the pieces gets uncomfortably big for me, but I enjoyed putting this together.  Also, are Wentworths adding more multi-piece whimsies, or am I just noticing more? 5/5

So many pieces

Apatosaurus skeleton, multiple pieces

some progress

all done

Egg-Stra Difficult, Wentworth

260 pieces. Repeating bunny pattern--cute, and a nice short challenge. 4/5

starting out

in progress, working from bunny heads

all done

Fuyune by Haruno Morita, Wentworth

750 pieces.  Nice colors; plenty big.  4/5

starting out with what I thought was the sky

more progress

finished

Stained Glass Quilt Pattern, Wentworth

230 pieces. Lovely swirly pieces in a repeating pattern made for a nice challenge. 5/5

starting out

partly there

finished

The Welcome Hills, by David Newton, Wentworth

750 pieces.  This size might be the perfect Wentworth size--beautiful colors and just the right amount of challenge, never tedious. 5/5

starting out

in progress

all done

Peonies and Cerisiers, by Eugene Cauchois, BCB

170 pieces. Solidly constructed with great hand feel. The print is high quality too, which is something I was a bit dissatisfied with in a previous puzzle. 4/5

Starting out, with feline company

in progress

finished

Mr Gogo, custom Escher puzzles

~300 pieces.  Two Escher puzzles in one box (new box, with no breakable hinges, yay!).  These are beautifully constructed, heirloom-quality puzzles--highly recommended.  Because Escher poses such a challenge with the patterns, I'm grading on the Stave scale.  8/10.

new box

starting out

snakes on a  puzzle

lizards

Alfredo Arreguin Kahlo de Coayoacan, Wentworth

500 pieces. Possibly my favorite Wentworth I've done. Beautiful details and colors, keeping visual interest the entire time. 5/5

starting out

close up on pieces--lots of birds

making progress

all done

Springtime, Jigsaws by Jarvis

572 pieces.  A vintage rental club puzzle--incredibly tight!  I like this style of cut, very curvy, makes patterns a bit harder to see.  5/5.

starting out

some progress?

finished

J.K. Straus, Etching

500 pieces.  This puzzle was not in as good shape as my previous Straus, with a number of pieces with peeling paper/broken knobs.  It is about 80 years old, so that's not a huge surprise, but it did interfere with assembly.  3/5

Lavender Fields by Timothy Easton, Optimago Gold Box

500 pieces.  Optimago does figurals--and they're a fun change, though the loose Optimago cut means that the figurals can't be very detailed compared to what other makers do.  Nice colors on this one as well.  3/5

starting out

much progress

all done

Optimago, Celestial Globe

600 pieces. Pleasant Optimago with nice colors. 3/5

on the way

finished

Joseph K. Straus, Sea Witch

500+ pieces.  In better condition than the upcoming Straus; still a few flaking heads--it is roughly 80 years old and hard to criticize for that!  Color fading probably increased the difficulty just slightly, but it looks like it was probably a challenge even new.  4/5

starting out

mostly done

finished

Thomas G. Mangelson's Images of Nature, Catch of the Day

Approximately 350 pieces. Hand-cut, but the thinness of a Wentworth. I'm not sure how to explain this: it wasn't well-cut--you could definitely tell that the cutter was not all that experienced--but it was interesting, maybe even for that reason. 3/5

starting out

continuing

finished--note  large whimsies in white area

Sunflower, Sibbett Studio

196 pieces. Handmade cedar puzzle, surprisingly difficult for its size. Smells good and nicely priced--would make a nice gift puzzle. 4/5

starting out--pieces a little like Artifact in shape

done with the center

all done

 

Stave, School's Out

40 pieces, very cute. 6/10

starting out

In progress

Kata Kissoczy, Untitled

This is very much like a one-sword Stave Teaser; there are no gaps in the pieces, so each piece guides you to place the next ones.  I'm not sure Stave makes any naked Teasers though.  3/5

starting out: the three on the circle are flxed in place

Progress!  A color pattern is emerging

finished