Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Puzzle Strategy

 I know there are other puzzlers out there who read my blog.  

Here's a question:  How do you complete your puzzles?


Here's what I do.  First I'm limiting myself to 500-550 pieces.  The 1000 piece ones were too time consuming and frustrating because they have to have such tiny pieces.

I first go through the box to get the edge pieces.  As I do this I also pick out a predominate color to put in a pile.  In this puzzle it was the blue sky.


Once I have most of the edge pieces and have assembled what I can, I look for other distinguishing colors or patterns or faces or words.  

Like the red and white awning.


Words on signs.


or flowers.


I assemble what I can and place them in about the spot in the puzzle.



I then work out from those or look for lines that cut across the puzzle.  In this one there will be the line where the sky meets the trees to look for.  There will be the roof line.  I also can pick out all the cow colors or all the greens.  You get the idea.

What do you do?


3 comments:

Deb J. in Utah said...

I have a similar strategy. I am working on a 300 piece puzzle right now. Like you, I am sticking with 300 -500 + piece puzzles instead of 1,000 pieces. I find I don't have room on the card table where I assemble the puzzle for more than that. I find that spending a few minutes with my puzzle at the end of a busy and stressful day can be quite relaxing. Thanks for sharing your strategy. I will look forward to seeing a picture of your completed puzzle. See you again soon!

Tom said...

...years ago I did one puzzle each year with out kids at Christmas time. Today I don't have the patience for puzzles.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

It's a mighty long time since I did a jigsaw puzzle, but everything you say sounds very familiar. My father did a lot of them when he first retired, I recall, and there was a whole group of puzzle-addicts in the village who used to pass them around till they'd all done them.