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, March 25, 2022

Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Triumph of Death

 Artifact, 361 pieces. Dark in color and dark in subject matter--lots of skulls! Note two-piece Death figure in top right of finished puzzle. 3/5


closeup on Vitruvian-esque man



Wassily Kandinsky, Houses at Murnau

 Anthology, 320 pieces. Strip-cut, so less fun than other Anthology cuts, and a lot of similar color for a very traditional challenge. 3/5




Thursday, March 24, 2022

Lucas Cranach the Elder, Hunting near Hartenfels Castle

 Artifact, 349 pieces. Lots of little details and non-modern perspective add to the challenge, along with the similarly dressed huntsmen scattered throughout. 3/5




Kite Flight

 Anthology, 150 pieces. Great colors, nice multipiece kite whimsies. 3/5




Friday, March 18, 2022

Roch Urbaniak, Unexpected Visitor

 Artifact, 303 pieces. Not sure what's going on in this picture, but it is A Lot. Really nice dropout stars in the shape of well-known constellations at the top; darkness and significant areas of similar color make for more challenging assembly. 4/5 for the dropouts


big dipper

Orion (always makes me think of this song)



Red Shrimp

 DaVici, 165 pieces. Charming image. 3/5





Oceana, Howard Robinson

 Wentworth, 250 pieces. A standard, colorful Wentworth. 3/5





Friday, March 11, 2022

World Wonders, Maria Rabinsky

 Wentworth, 250 pieces. Ok, by comparison to the previous world map, this is not much, but it's got nice colors and enough visual interest for its size. 3/5




The World Map

 Liberty, 1017 pieces. Wow. At points I was convinced that I didn't have all the pieces, but fortunately that was wrong. I believe the cut mimics the tectonic plates, with a ruffled/frilled type cut distinct from the ordinary interlocks. Also lots of whimsies, of course. 5/5 high challenge because of limited colors, but a lot going on in the detail if you look.


partial elephant in Africa

buffalo, North America

Sphinx

mostly done


note whimsy touching edge

some of the tectonic plate detail, tracing the left edge of South America

Australia and kangaroo

multipiece swordfish

dragon-headed ship (from the image)

another ship

lobster


Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Seville

 Jardin Puzzles, 382 pieces. Very impressive and difficult because there were big patches of near-darkness with only the subtlest of clues to distinguish them. Unusual curvy cut in lots of places. 7/10 Stave scale


bullfighter and bull whimsies