Artifact, 310 pieces. Most notable for unusual dimensions, plus the large thematic pyramid outlined by the pieces. 3/5
closeup on pyramid |
Waterford, 619 pieces. This makes a good puzzle with areas of color that only slowly become distinguishable during assembly. 6/10
Fathom Puzzles, 200 pieces. This is an extremely promising puzzle from a new maker. The acrylic pieces didn't quite work for me, although they weren't as bad as I feared when I looked at them. The butterfly pieces were varied in ways that did allow me to inspect for fit rather than just trying every single one and hoping for tiny deviations, but I think I would have preferred all-wood construction to make the process a bit less trial-and-error-ish--the shiny acrylic just wasn't as much fun for me. The internal wood pieces often change color slightly so that color is not super helpful in assembly, making this much harder than its size suggests. Recommended for anyone looking for something a bit different and seriously challenging. 4/5
FoxSmartBox, 350 pieces. Design is clearly a priority with this cutter and they're doing very fun things. I can't say the ones I've done so far hit perfectly for me but I am excited to keep going through their offerings because I enjoy the way they incorporate lots of whimsy-like pieces/repeating elements. 4/5 lots of cats
repeating cat edging |
cat and cat-like pieces |
Zen, 298 pieces. Standard laser strip-cut with some whimsies. The colors were more varied in each stone than you might have thought--as is often the case, juxtaposition can really change from how a color comes off in a single piece to when it is fully assembled. 3/5
CrowPrints, 288 pieces. A nice image in the CrowPrints style, with strip-cut-ish pieces and a stylized photo turned jewel-like in coloring. 3/5