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.

Friday, July 30, 2021

Suisse politique

 Penelope, 200 pieces. Not as distinctive a cut as in my favorite Penelopes, but there's something comforting about a classic map puzzle. 3/5




Childe Hassam, Allies Day

 Carol Ottenberg, 212 pieces. Nice hand-cut image with some interesting interactions between color and cut that I wouldn't call color line cutting exactly since it's still interlocking. 4/5




Lovers, Muktair Oladoja

 Liberty, 504 pieces. Nicely challenging image with multipiece animal whimsies that mostly stand up (I imagine this could be done with a lot of the table-and-chairs ones too). 4/5




















Thursday, July 29, 2021

Across the Ferry

 Chad Valley, 203 pieces. Classic Chad Valley style with very round connectors and often some cutting that disguised the holes they fit into. 3/5




Christmas Sophisticate

 Carol Ottenberg, 78 pieces. Small but detailed hand-cut puzzle with color line cutting around the dog. Plywood that is a little friable with age. A fun treat! 3/5




Vines Amongst the Rockies, Brad Gorman

 Liberty, 526 pieces. Another lovely image with Colorado nature-themed whimsies. 3/5












trampling on the Liberty eagle?


Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Tropical Fish

 Wooden City, 1000 pieces. Trades on Etsy as Mobimods; Polish produced. Smells exactly like Wentworth and seems basically identical in quality, which is impressive for a new producer, though there was some darkening on the yellow edge pieces of this puzzle. 3/5


multipiece mermaid


a closer look at one section; you can see a little burning at the top right edge



Neptune's Horses, Walter Crane

 Nautilus, 404 pieces. Another puzzle with slightly unusual proportion, with the Nautilus style of sort of jagged/interpenetrating whimsies. 3/5




Neptune

multipiece mermaid and turtle

ship on the waves


It's Raining Cats and Dogs, Rebecca Campbell

 Liberty, 470 pieces. Cute image with some subtle color variations in the background and tons of dog & cat whimsies! 4/5





so many dogs being walked, this one confronting a cat

kids playing with dog



frisbee game

cat and dog playing

cat on table

another walker with dog chasing cat on bike

and a fire hydrant



campfire with dog