Cottages By The Sea

 Maridale, 350 pieces. Maridale puzzles are cut very similarly and on thin wood, but I like the fact that it's wood and not MDF (I may be edging into the minority on this one). 3/5

Hawaii Up Close

Maridale, 350 pieces. Hand-cut with thin wood and some delicate whimsies. Fairly colorful image with some areas of low contrast for a little difficulty. 3/5

Bristle Cone Pine

Maridale, 350 pieces. I am attracted to the naive art quality of Maridale puzzles; the experience is not too much like a very high quality wood puzzle, but it has pleasures of its own.  And the pictures are nice, if you're into photography. 3/5

Golden Gate Salute, William Hockins

Maridale, 350 pieces. I find the Maridale puzzles quite charming--they're crudely cut by the standards of higher-end makers, but they have the feel of naive art.  3/5

William Hockins, City by the Bay

Maridale, 350 pieces. Another nice, very thin puzzle. 3/5

William Hockins, Golden Hind Comecoming

Maridale Products, 350 pieces.  The very thin wood makes for some delicate pieces, but the whimsies don't shy away from spiky edges--a pleasant change.  3/5

Inexplicable, Blogger--why turn the photo?

William Hockins, If Barns Could Talk

Maridale Products, Masterpiece Wooden Puzzle, 350 pieces.  A new hand-cutter for me. Very thin, light pieces, lighter even than Wentworth. The hand-cutting is pretty good, though there are a few not-quite-cut-through bits and pieces with such sharp points that they splinter easily.  Worth doing other puzzles from the same line.  3/5