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.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Matisse's Studio, Damien Elwes

 Liberty, 483 pieces. Near color-line cutting on the side panels (pictures within the picture) is the standout here. 3/5








Aaron Wolf, Twilight Treehouse of the Phosphorescent Forest

 Artifact, 426 pieces. This one took a while longer than I expected because the color transitions were subtler when the image was not assembled, which combined with the split-tendril shape and repetition in the details of the image. 3/5





The Old Line State

 Stave, 65 pieces. Hello neighbor! Feels a little generic in the whimsies (no Old Bay!), but fine. 6/10





Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Methane Studios, Dragon Moon

 Artifact, 258 pieces. The clever near-tesselating wolves are great, but it took a while to do because differences between the areas of darkness only emerged slowly. 3/5




paw prints




The Royal Hunt, Olga Suvorova

 Twigg, 671 pieces. Probably too big for my maximum laser-cut enjoyment, but rich in detail and with an impressive multipiece castle enabled by the size. 3/5





The Aloha State

 Stave, 65 pieces. I've never been (the first of my Stave states for which this is true), but it was charming nonetheless. 6/10





Monday, October 13, 2025

Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Children's Games

 Peaceful, 250 pieces. A dark image for my tastes, but a pretty interesting cut. 3/5