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Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are a fun activity for an
individual, a family, or group of friends
no matter what their ages. Traditionally
made from cardboard, wood, and/or plastic,
a jigsaw puzzle is a single image laminated
or etched into backing and that has then
been cut into interlocking pieces and the
pieces jumbled up. The objective is use the
shape of the pieces and any identifying colors,
patterns, or other information on the face
of each piece to reassemble the original
picture.
There is a wide variety of subjects, styles,
and difficulties available. In additional
to traditional two-dimensional puzzles, there
are "3-D" puzzles that re-assemble
into famous buildings and other structures.
There are even computer jigsaw puzzles for
those who enjoy doing them either online
or downloaded for later use.
Puzzles are usually divided into categories
by size, number of puzzle pieces, and what
the picture is. Quality puzzles have a strong
backing, pieces that fit easily together,
and pieces cut to discourage the connection
of the wrong pieces. When looking for a puzzle,
here are some ideas to consider:
- Children and beginners usually like small
sized puzzles with fewer pieces because they
do not have the patience or attention span
to assemble a large puzzle.
- For those who enjoy a challenge, consider
puzzles that:
- have irregular borders
- have a large number of pieces
- have pictures on both sides
- are a 3-D model of a building
- are all one color such as a paint splotch
or spilt milk puddle
- are photo mosaics where smaller pictures
form the large picture
- If the puzzle is a gift, consider giving
a custom made puzzle. Puzzles can be made
from photos, children’s artwork, and maps
with a variety of options on size, piece
count, borders and such.
- If you are uncertain what type of puzzle
to get someone, consider a gift certificate.
These sometimes are a puzzle themselves for
even more fun.
It's important to carefully disassemble
and
store a puzzle when you are finished.
Nothing
is more frustrating then to assemble
a puzzle
only to find some of the pieces missing.
If you have a favorite puzzle but are
missing
a piece or two, some puzzle websites
have
a replacement piece service where you
may
purchase the missing piece(s). They
also
may offer accessories like puzzle mats
and
carriers for working and storing your
puzzles,
puzzle glue to preserve the puzzle
when done,
and display frames with permanent or
changeable
puzzle display options.
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