Jigsaw Puzzle stuff again
May. 17th, 2012 11:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moominmuppetI've been doing jigsaws at a ridiculous pace recently, and that seems to be my current obsession. This is a post I've been working here and there for a few days now. Lots of puzzle recs and notes down below.
From my previous post, since I'm using this terminology below:
Piece Shape: I consider the most "Basic" piece shape to be the traditional "two tabs opposite each other" that we tend to imagine as a default. Some puzzles have nothing but these (and are damned hard as a result!) Most, though, have what I'm calling "Standard Varied" shapes -- they're still basically meant to fit within a grid, and have four sides with pretty clear innies and outies in various combinations. That leads to six basic piece shapes, if I'm counting correctly. When I'm working with these kinds of puzzles I tend to sort them first by basic piece shape. Then there are puzzles with "Unusual Varied" pieces that don't fit this basic format, and puzzles with some "Representational" pieces (known as Whimsies in the puzzling world). In my tracking of my puzzles I'm using "Basic/Standard Varied/Unusual Varied/Representational" as my categories.
I'm thinking about and window-shopping puzzles largely because it's hard to sort the wheat from the chaff in finding good puzzles without knowing something about their piece shape and arrangement (since that's a big factor of the enjoyment). It's frustrating to buy an awesome-looking puzzle and discover that it's entirely composed of Basic pieces. Very rarely is this clarified on puzzle-selling sites, so instead I try to take note of which manufacturers use creative dies, and which manufacturers tend to use the kinds of images I enjoy most. Even though specific puzzles below may no longer be available (they tend to go "out of print" quickly), I'll still be better off in finding good stuff overall.
On the puzzle front, I also forgot the other day to note one of the central things I enjoy about doing jigsaw puzzles! I really love the process of having to study a single image so closely and for so long; it gives me practice looking at things in different ways, noting their tiny characteristics, things like that. And I've always been particularly good at most spatial stuff, so I enjoy that element of mentally rotating and matching.
My favorite are puzzles with a lot of intricate detail; I don't like the long slog of trying piece after identical piece in a spot (the worst was a 1000-piece map of the world where the entire ocean was the same exact shade of blue and there was almost no piece shape differentiation). I much prefer having to think more intensely about what that little detail might be, and where it might logically fit. My favorites in that regard are the series of shaped puzzles with all sorts of little thematic details within them.
I just did Hummingbird Garden (Bits & Pieces) yesterday and enjoyed it immensely. Along with the fun detail and shape, it had lots of interesting piece shapes, too, and is a good example of my favorite type of puzzle, as is this Russian Dancer (another one I've done -- I believe it's Bits & Pieces too, although it's out of print).
Fionavar Tapestry Jigsaw Puzzle -- This is one I really enjoyed and found substantially challenging, although I'm not entirely positive I still have it. Sadly, it's also out of print, and I can't find any info on the manufacturer.
A comment from a post long ago, last time I got all puzzle-obsessed: I'm really liking Educa's puzzles, and that they have a lost piece service, and even include a packet of puzzle glue in the box, although I wish they were more creative with piece shape. Ah well; can't have it all.
Puzzle Manufacturers:
This isn't any kind of exhaustive list, just some notes about those I'm aware of, and what I know about them so far:
Bits & Pieces: From the colorful printing to the ultra heavy weight board, to the two piece presentation box, we make our puzzles to the highest standards. We design random cutting dies for more interesting puzzle pieces and rotate the dies to minimize duplication from puzzle to puzzle. -- They're not lying. I love their stuff when I can find images I like. Too bad they seem to mostly do country/nostalgia/cheesy stuff.
Here are a few I find interesting:
Bits & Pieces: Set Of 2 : Comic Chaos 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzles Len Epstein 20x27 Rectangular
Bits & Pieces: Black Bear Mountain 750 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle Jack Williams 25x25 Shaped
Bits & Pieces: Wandering From The Den Skunk 750 Piece Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle Russell Cobane 20x27 (all of these shaped animal puzzles are pretty cheesy, but I'll suck it up when it's for my favorite sorts of animals)
Maybe surprisingly I'm not all that fond of Photomosaic jigsaws. I dislike the disconnect between the tiny images I'm trying to match to each other and the overall image itself.
Eurographics
Amazing cosmological, scientific, and artistic puzzle images. Unfortunately, I don't currently know anything about their piece shapes and cuts. Their puzzles also tend toward lots of small items against a solid background, which isn't my ideal sort of image, but on the flip side, those small items are often things like bats and inventors and spiders and musical instruments! If they turn out to have good piece shapes I might as well order stock in the damned company, but if they're boring shapes I'll be much less interested in the future.
Buffalo Games
PhotoSeek 750 Piece Rectangular Puzzles
Side by side they look the same, but look again! The image on the package and the fold out poster have 15 differences from the actual puzzle image. Be warned - most differences will take a sharp eye and careful scrutiny to find. Are you ready for the challenge of Photo Seek? -- Sounds fun, although I wish the images were more interesting to me overall.
Buffalo Games Signature Collection: "La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat 1000 pc matte finish 27x20
Buffalo Games Sistine Chapel 2000 pc 38x26
Buffalo Games Written Images Collection: Timber Wolf 1000 pc 27x20 -- Interesting idea, although it doesn't look like they're making that line anymore, and this is the only one that interested me thematically.
Pomegranate Jigsaws -- Absolutely gorgeous high-end art puzzles. I have two of them, although I last did them a few years ago, so my memory is fuzzy. I'm pretty sure they're standard puzzle piece shape and layout -- not as exciting as the really variable stuff that's out there, but a far sight better than Culturenik's "nothing but basics" approach to piece shape.
Pomegranate: Neighborhood Watch by Kathy DeZarn Beynette 300 pc 18x24
Pomegranate: Fairies, 2010, by Michael Hague 300 pc 18x24
Pomegranate: The Addams Family by Charles Addams 300 pc 18x24
Pomegranate: Biosphere: Hydrographers Canyon, 1994 by Alexis Rockman 1000pc 20x25
Pomegranate: Edward Gorey: Frawgge Mfrg Co 1000 pc 20x27 -- I have this one
Pomegranate: Dracula in Dr. Seward’s Library, by Edward Gorey 500-piece 24x18
Pomegranate: Diego Rivera: Detroit Industry 1000 pc 29x20 -- and also this one
Solar System
Da Vinci's World -- I have this one, and really want a lot of these: Scroll down to see all the art themes by artist
Alice In Wonderland, Cheshire Cat - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Culturenik
Maurice Sendak: Sleeping - 700pc Large Format Jigsaw Puzzle by Heye
Little Red Riding Hood - 500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Educa
Where the Wild Things Are - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Culturenik (if it's like the other Culturenik puzzle I've done, they make great designs, but their piece shape is really basic -- given that there are other Sendak puzzles out there from other manufacturers, I'd probably start with them).
Map of the Sky - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Eurographics
Sunsout Swimming Lesson Shaped 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle (turtles)
White Mountain Puzzles Tapestry Cat 1000 Piece
White Mountain Puzzles Painted Cat 1000 Piece
White Mountain Puzzles Tropical Cat 1000 Piece
White Mountain Puzzles Cats Galore 1000 Piece
Sunsout Fairy Tales James Christensen 1500 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle (identify the fairy tales)
Maps Puzzles
Alex Beard Puzzles (these look fun and tough)
San Francisco, CA - 1000pc Suitcase Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
London - 1000pc Suitcase Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
Proverbidioms IV: Who Rocked the Boat - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Sunsout
College of Magical Knowledge - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Sunsout
Pomegranate Frank Lloyd Wright: Saguaro Glass Designs 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Pomegranate Exquisite Creatures: Insect Art 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Charley Harper Monteverde 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Tree of Life by Gustav Klimt 1000-Piece Puzzle
Ravensburger Vintage Flora - 500 Piece Puzzle
Joseph Stella - The Voice of the City Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Pomegranate Tibetan Buddhist Mandala 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Chris Hardman's ECOlogical Seasons (Pomegranate Artpiece Puzzle)
Pomegranate M.C. Escher Ascending and Descending 1000 Piece Puzzle
Tibetan Wheel of Life Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Edward Gorey Frawgge Manufacturing Co Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Biodiversity in the Burbs Puzzle: 300 pc
New Perspectives Four-Sided Puzzle - Four Seasons: 550 Pcs
New Perspectives Four-Sided Puzzle - Krysla's Gardens: 550 Pcs
From Educa's Miniatures Series, connect the pieces of "Collage" inspired by Antoni Gaudi, as you immerse yourself in this 1000 piece puzzle featuring an image of varying towering buildings guarded by quite the leaping lizard! Each piece measures approximately .5" x .75".
MC Escher Day and Night Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Enchanted Evening - Philip Straub: 1000 Pcs (Mushrooms)
Dragon Dreams - Shaped Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Harry Potter Marauder's Map Jigsaw Puzzle by Neca 1000 piece
Harry Potter Hogwarts School Grounds and Castle 550 Piece Puzzle
Harry Potter Family Puzzle 260 Piece
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 300pc. Mystery "Fluffy" Puzzle
Harry Potter Sorcerer's Stone Mirror of Erised 250 Piece Puzzle
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone 300 Piece Mystery Puzzle (with magic decoder)
Harry Potter 260 Piece Puzzle with Magic Decoder
Harry Potter 400 Piece Family Puzzle - The Great Hall
Wizards of the Coast Fantasy Puzzle by Jeff Easley
Mystic Series Two SIded Jigsaw Puzzle Wizard of Odd, 513 pieces
The Lord of the Rings: Evil Forces 500 pieces
Lord of the Rings Jigsaw Puzzle 1000pc
Moominmuppet: This is getting to be an expensive habit.
Puzzles, Games, and Old Links from Links for Home folder (locked post, for my reference only)
Diego Rivera Detroit Industry Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Kandinsky puzzles
Architects Riddle - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Serendipity
Merlin and Arthur - 400pc Family Style Jigsaw Puzzle By Cobble Hill
Ancient Dragon Scholar - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Cobble Hill
Ice Dragon King - 500pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Cobble Hill
Return of the Fablemaker - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Sunsout
Creature Of The Myth - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Serendipity
Wizards Gallery - 500pc Glow in the Dark Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
Ravensburger Fire Dragon 1000 piece shaped
Jigsaw Puzzle - 225 Pieces - Camy Puzzle : Cartoon Egypt Pyramid
Buried Blueprints: An Egyptian Chronicle 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints Lost City of Atlantis 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints: The Last Flight Amelia Earhart 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints The Legends of King Arthur 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints: The Adventures of Robin Hood 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints - Dracula's Castle 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints - The Great Wall of China 1000 Pieces
Shaped Puzzle 750 Chinese New Year Dragon Elizabeth Atlas Weinberg
Sunsout Dragonfly Shape SOI95208 850 pc
Ravensburger Ice Dragon 1000 piece shaped
Castle Life 1000-Piece Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle
Ravensburger Earth Dragon - 1000 piece Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle
1000 pcs - Dragon's castle (by Schmidt)
Dragon Storm - 500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Melissa & Doug
Dragon Maiden - 500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Sunsout
Confabulation Of Dragons - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Sunsout
Dragon of Fire - 500pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Buffalo Games
500 pcs - Dragon Charmer - Josephine Wall (by Masterpieces)
Map of Canada - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Cobble Hill
Old Farmer's Almanac - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By White Mountain
Mysterious Island - 513pc Jigsaw Puzzle
Wind of Change - 500pc Glow in the Dark Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
Flight of the Fablemaker - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Sunsout
Alice in Wonderland - 1000pc Story Book Box Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
Lily - 500pc Glow in the Dark Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
The Dream - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Sunsout
Woodland Fairy - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Sunsout
Spirits of Summer - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Holdson
Shakespearean Fantasy - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Sunsout
Time in a Bottle - 700pc Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle By Sunsout
Spirits of Autumn - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Holdson
Spirits of Winter - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Holdson
A Busy Shopping Day - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Ravensburger
Spirits of Spring - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Holdson
Merlin and Arthur - 400pc Family Style Jigsaw Puzzle By Cobble Hill
Hidden Lake - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
Great American Puzzle Factory Vibrant Vistas 550-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle - From Dusk like Candlesticks
Great American Puzzle Factory Vibrant Vistas 550-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle - Lighthouse of Guiding Light
Educa Nafea Faa Ipoipo, P. Gauguin 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle
1000 pcs - TUTANKHAMUN - (by Educa)
James Hamilton Grovely British Birds of Prey Jigsaw Puzzle 1000pc
SunsOut Visions of Atlantis Jigsaw Puzzle 500 Piece
SunsOut Greg Hildebrandt The WizardS Den 500Pc Jigsaw Puzzle
SunsOut Adrian Chesterman Canadian Odessey 1000Pc Jigsaw Puzzle
SunsOut Pollyanna Pickering On Top Of The World 1000Pc Jigsaw Puzzle
SunsOut Grateful Dead Backstage with the Grateful Dead Jigsaw Puzzle 1000pc
White Mountain Puzzles American Maritime History Jigsaw Puzzle 1000pc
Great Shipwrecks - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by White Mountain
Eurographics Da Vinci - Chart Jigsaw Puzzle 1000pc
Famous Scientists 1000-Piece Puzzle
Da Vinci: Vitruvius Man - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Eurographics
New and Accurate Map of The World - 1000 Piece Puzzle
The Stars 1000-Piece Puzzle
Periodic Table (Illustrated) 1000-Piece Puzzle
Map of The Ancient World 1000-Piece Puzzle
Evolution The Tree of Life 1000-Piece Puzzle
Skeletal System (Chart) - 1000 Piece Puzzle
Solar System Details Jigsaw Puzzle (Panorama) - 750 Piece Puzzle
Sunsout Superstitions Jigsaw Puzzle
White Mountain Puzzles Birds of the Backyard
Space Explorers 1000-Piece Puzzle
Minerals of The World 1000-Piece Puzzle
Evolution of Life 1000-Piece Puzzle
Great Composers 1000 Piece Puzzle
White Mountain Puzzles Music Room
Instruments of The Orchestra 1000-Piece Puzzle
Famous Writers 1000 Piece Puzzle
Famous Inventors 1000-Piece Puzzle
Rock 'N Roll 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Birds of Prey and Owls 1000-Piece Puzzle
Turtles 1000-Piece Puzzle
SunsOut Sea Turtle World 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Lewis T. Johnson
Cobble Hill Barn Owls
Ceaco Hidden Images - 11 Owls
World's Most Beautiful Birds
Birds 1000 Piece Puzzle
Coastal Birds 1000-Piece Puzzle
White Mountain Puzzles Trees of North America
White Mountain Puzzles American Wildflowers
The World of Bees 1000-Piece Puzzle
Freshwater Fish 1000-Piece Puzzle
Fish Shellfish Mollusks 1000-Piece Puzzle
Sea Fish 1000-Piece Puzzle
Prehistoric Marine Life 1000-Piece Puzzle
The Planets 1000 Piece Puzzle
Coral Reef 1000-Piece Puzzle
Vintage Fire Engines 1000-Piece Puzzle
The Tropical Rain Forest 1000-Piece Puzzle
Snakes 1000-Piece Puzzle
Bats 1000-Piece Puzzle
The Atom 1000-Piece Puzzle
Wolf Lair 550pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Linda Thomspson -- Psychedelic baby wolves? Sure, why not!
Puzzle Sites:
http://www.eurographics.ca/en/prodtype/jigsaw-puzzles.aspx
http://www.pomegranate.com/
http://www.puzzlesandbeyond.com
http://www.babylonpuzzles.com/en/110-pieces
http://www.ugames.com/bepuzzled/default.asp
http://www.puzzlesusa.com
http://www.whitemountainpuzzles.com
http://www.americanpuzzles.com
http://www.bitsandpieces.com
http://www.puzzlewarehouse.com
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&redirect=true&me=A2S9K8GPTM4RNH
Smithsonian Merlin, Native Skateboarders
Audible (past post update)
I Am a Pole (And So Can You!) Stephen Colbert
Miss Nelson is Missing Harry Allard
'Mama Gone' and Other Stories to Trouble Your Sleep
Go The Fuck To Sleep Adam Mansbach
What's Under My Bed? James Stevenson http://www.amazon.com/Could-Be-Worse-James-Stevenson/dp/0688070353/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337138722&sr=8-1
Noisy Nora Rosemary Wells
Green Eggs and Ham Dr Suess
Where the Wild Things Are and More
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1164&bih=783&q=jigsaw+puzzle+piece+template&revid=846581097&sa=X&ei=QA2zT--WFKbc2AWv_KDpCA&sqi=2&ved=0CGUQ1QIoAg
http://www.englishforums.com/English/JigsawPuzzlePieces/mlhjm/post.htm
http://puzzles.about.com/od/glossary/Glossary_of_Puzzle_Related_Terms.htm
http://imaginatorium.org/shop/mfrs.htm
http://www.jigsawjungle.com/code/jigsawpuzzletips.htm
Jigsaw Puzzle Tips, Techniques and Gluing for Puzzling People.
http://www.puzzlehistory.com/best.htm
http://www.brainsbreaker.com/
http://www.simplepastimes.com/jigsaw_puzzle_manufacturers.cfm
From my previous post, since I'm using this terminology below:
Piece Shape: I consider the most "Basic" piece shape to be the traditional "two tabs opposite each other" that we tend to imagine as a default. Some puzzles have nothing but these (and are damned hard as a result!) Most, though, have what I'm calling "Standard Varied" shapes -- they're still basically meant to fit within a grid, and have four sides with pretty clear innies and outies in various combinations. That leads to six basic piece shapes, if I'm counting correctly. When I'm working with these kinds of puzzles I tend to sort them first by basic piece shape. Then there are puzzles with "Unusual Varied" pieces that don't fit this basic format, and puzzles with some "Representational" pieces (known as Whimsies in the puzzling world). In my tracking of my puzzles I'm using "Basic/Standard Varied/Unusual Varied/Representational" as my categories.
I'm thinking about and window-shopping puzzles largely because it's hard to sort the wheat from the chaff in finding good puzzles without knowing something about their piece shape and arrangement (since that's a big factor of the enjoyment). It's frustrating to buy an awesome-looking puzzle and discover that it's entirely composed of Basic pieces. Very rarely is this clarified on puzzle-selling sites, so instead I try to take note of which manufacturers use creative dies, and which manufacturers tend to use the kinds of images I enjoy most. Even though specific puzzles below may no longer be available (they tend to go "out of print" quickly), I'll still be better off in finding good stuff overall.
On the puzzle front, I also forgot the other day to note one of the central things I enjoy about doing jigsaw puzzles! I really love the process of having to study a single image so closely and for so long; it gives me practice looking at things in different ways, noting their tiny characteristics, things like that. And I've always been particularly good at most spatial stuff, so I enjoy that element of mentally rotating and matching.
My favorite are puzzles with a lot of intricate detail; I don't like the long slog of trying piece after identical piece in a spot (the worst was a 1000-piece map of the world where the entire ocean was the same exact shade of blue and there was almost no piece shape differentiation). I much prefer having to think more intensely about what that little detail might be, and where it might logically fit. My favorites in that regard are the series of shaped puzzles with all sorts of little thematic details within them.
I just did Hummingbird Garden (Bits & Pieces) yesterday and enjoyed it immensely. Along with the fun detail and shape, it had lots of interesting piece shapes, too, and is a good example of my favorite type of puzzle, as is this Russian Dancer (another one I've done -- I believe it's Bits & Pieces too, although it's out of print).
Fionavar Tapestry Jigsaw Puzzle -- This is one I really enjoyed and found substantially challenging, although I'm not entirely positive I still have it. Sadly, it's also out of print, and I can't find any info on the manufacturer.
A comment from a post long ago, last time I got all puzzle-obsessed: I'm really liking Educa's puzzles, and that they have a lost piece service, and even include a packet of puzzle glue in the box, although I wish they were more creative with piece shape. Ah well; can't have it all.
Puzzle Manufacturers:
This isn't any kind of exhaustive list, just some notes about those I'm aware of, and what I know about them so far:
Bits & Pieces: From the colorful printing to the ultra heavy weight board, to the two piece presentation box, we make our puzzles to the highest standards. We design random cutting dies for more interesting puzzle pieces and rotate the dies to minimize duplication from puzzle to puzzle. -- They're not lying. I love their stuff when I can find images I like. Too bad they seem to mostly do country/nostalgia/cheesy stuff.
Here are a few I find interesting:
Bits & Pieces: Set Of 2 : Comic Chaos 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzles Len Epstein 20x27 Rectangular
Bits & Pieces: Black Bear Mountain 750 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle Jack Williams 25x25 Shaped
Bits & Pieces: Wandering From The Den Skunk 750 Piece Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle Russell Cobane 20x27 (all of these shaped animal puzzles are pretty cheesy, but I'll suck it up when it's for my favorite sorts of animals)
Maybe surprisingly I'm not all that fond of Photomosaic jigsaws. I dislike the disconnect between the tiny images I'm trying to match to each other and the overall image itself.
Eurographics
Amazing cosmological, scientific, and artistic puzzle images. Unfortunately, I don't currently know anything about their piece shapes and cuts. Their puzzles also tend toward lots of small items against a solid background, which isn't my ideal sort of image, but on the flip side, those small items are often things like bats and inventors and spiders and musical instruments! If they turn out to have good piece shapes I might as well order stock in the damned company, but if they're boring shapes I'll be much less interested in the future.
Buffalo Games
PhotoSeek 750 Piece Rectangular Puzzles
Side by side they look the same, but look again! The image on the package and the fold out poster have 15 differences from the actual puzzle image. Be warned - most differences will take a sharp eye and careful scrutiny to find. Are you ready for the challenge of Photo Seek? -- Sounds fun, although I wish the images were more interesting to me overall.
Buffalo Games Signature Collection: "La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat 1000 pc matte finish 27x20
Buffalo Games Sistine Chapel 2000 pc 38x26
Buffalo Games Written Images Collection: Timber Wolf 1000 pc 27x20 -- Interesting idea, although it doesn't look like they're making that line anymore, and this is the only one that interested me thematically.
Pomegranate Jigsaws -- Absolutely gorgeous high-end art puzzles. I have two of them, although I last did them a few years ago, so my memory is fuzzy. I'm pretty sure they're standard puzzle piece shape and layout -- not as exciting as the really variable stuff that's out there, but a far sight better than Culturenik's "nothing but basics" approach to piece shape.
Pomegranate: Neighborhood Watch by Kathy DeZarn Beynette 300 pc 18x24
Pomegranate: Fairies, 2010, by Michael Hague 300 pc 18x24
Pomegranate: The Addams Family by Charles Addams 300 pc 18x24
Pomegranate: Biosphere: Hydrographers Canyon, 1994 by Alexis Rockman 1000pc 20x25
Pomegranate: Edward Gorey: Frawgge Mfrg Co 1000 pc 20x27 -- I have this one
Pomegranate: Dracula in Dr. Seward’s Library, by Edward Gorey 500-piece 24x18
Pomegranate: Diego Rivera: Detroit Industry 1000 pc 29x20 -- and also this one
Solar System
Da Vinci's World -- I have this one, and really want a lot of these: Scroll down to see all the art themes by artist
Alice In Wonderland, Cheshire Cat - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Culturenik
Maurice Sendak: Sleeping - 700pc Large Format Jigsaw Puzzle by Heye
Little Red Riding Hood - 500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Educa
Where the Wild Things Are - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Culturenik (if it's like the other Culturenik puzzle I've done, they make great designs, but their piece shape is really basic -- given that there are other Sendak puzzles out there from other manufacturers, I'd probably start with them).
Map of the Sky - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Eurographics
Sunsout Swimming Lesson Shaped 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle (turtles)
White Mountain Puzzles Tapestry Cat 1000 Piece
White Mountain Puzzles Painted Cat 1000 Piece
White Mountain Puzzles Tropical Cat 1000 Piece
White Mountain Puzzles Cats Galore 1000 Piece
Sunsout Fairy Tales James Christensen 1500 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle (identify the fairy tales)
Maps Puzzles
Alex Beard Puzzles (these look fun and tough)
San Francisco, CA - 1000pc Suitcase Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
London - 1000pc Suitcase Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
Proverbidioms IV: Who Rocked the Boat - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Sunsout
College of Magical Knowledge - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Sunsout
Pomegranate Frank Lloyd Wright: Saguaro Glass Designs 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Pomegranate Exquisite Creatures: Insect Art 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Charley Harper Monteverde 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Tree of Life by Gustav Klimt 1000-Piece Puzzle
Ravensburger Vintage Flora - 500 Piece Puzzle
Joseph Stella - The Voice of the City Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Pomegranate Tibetan Buddhist Mandala 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Chris Hardman's ECOlogical Seasons (Pomegranate Artpiece Puzzle)
Pomegranate M.C. Escher Ascending and Descending 1000 Piece Puzzle
Tibetan Wheel of Life Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Edward Gorey Frawgge Manufacturing Co Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Biodiversity in the Burbs Puzzle: 300 pc
New Perspectives Four-Sided Puzzle - Four Seasons: 550 Pcs
New Perspectives Four-Sided Puzzle - Krysla's Gardens: 550 Pcs
From Educa's Miniatures Series, connect the pieces of "Collage" inspired by Antoni Gaudi, as you immerse yourself in this 1000 piece puzzle featuring an image of varying towering buildings guarded by quite the leaping lizard! Each piece measures approximately .5" x .75".
MC Escher Day and Night Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Enchanted Evening - Philip Straub: 1000 Pcs (Mushrooms)
Dragon Dreams - Shaped Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Harry Potter Marauder's Map Jigsaw Puzzle by Neca 1000 piece
Harry Potter Hogwarts School Grounds and Castle 550 Piece Puzzle
Harry Potter Family Puzzle 260 Piece
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 300pc. Mystery "Fluffy" Puzzle
Harry Potter Sorcerer's Stone Mirror of Erised 250 Piece Puzzle
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone 300 Piece Mystery Puzzle (with magic decoder)
Harry Potter 260 Piece Puzzle with Magic Decoder
Harry Potter 400 Piece Family Puzzle - The Great Hall
Wizards of the Coast Fantasy Puzzle by Jeff Easley
Mystic Series Two SIded Jigsaw Puzzle Wizard of Odd, 513 pieces
The Lord of the Rings: Evil Forces 500 pieces
Lord of the Rings Jigsaw Puzzle 1000pc
Moominmuppet: This is getting to be an expensive habit.
Puzzles, Games, and Old Links from Links for Home folder (locked post, for my reference only)
Diego Rivera Detroit Industry Puzzle: 1000 Pcs
Kandinsky puzzles
Architects Riddle - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Serendipity
Merlin and Arthur - 400pc Family Style Jigsaw Puzzle By Cobble Hill
Ancient Dragon Scholar - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Cobble Hill
Ice Dragon King - 500pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Cobble Hill
Return of the Fablemaker - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Sunsout
Creature Of The Myth - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Serendipity
Wizards Gallery - 500pc Glow in the Dark Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
Ravensburger Fire Dragon 1000 piece shaped
Jigsaw Puzzle - 225 Pieces - Camy Puzzle : Cartoon Egypt Pyramid
Buried Blueprints: An Egyptian Chronicle 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints Lost City of Atlantis 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints: The Last Flight Amelia Earhart 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints The Legends of King Arthur 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints: The Adventures of Robin Hood 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints - Dracula's Castle 1000 pc
Buried Blueprints - The Great Wall of China 1000 Pieces
Shaped Puzzle 750 Chinese New Year Dragon Elizabeth Atlas Weinberg
Sunsout Dragonfly Shape SOI95208 850 pc
Ravensburger Ice Dragon 1000 piece shaped
Castle Life 1000-Piece Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle
Ravensburger Earth Dragon - 1000 piece Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle
1000 pcs - Dragon's castle (by Schmidt)
Dragon Storm - 500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Melissa & Doug
Dragon Maiden - 500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Sunsout
Confabulation Of Dragons - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Sunsout
Dragon of Fire - 500pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Buffalo Games
500 pcs - Dragon Charmer - Josephine Wall (by Masterpieces)
Map of Canada - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Cobble Hill
Old Farmer's Almanac - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By White Mountain
Mysterious Island - 513pc Jigsaw Puzzle
Wind of Change - 500pc Glow in the Dark Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
Flight of the Fablemaker - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Sunsout
Alice in Wonderland - 1000pc Story Book Box Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
Lily - 500pc Glow in the Dark Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
The Dream - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Sunsout
Woodland Fairy - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Sunsout
Spirits of Summer - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Holdson
Shakespearean Fantasy - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Sunsout
Time in a Bottle - 700pc Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle By Sunsout
Spirits of Autumn - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Holdson
Spirits of Winter - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Holdson
A Busy Shopping Day - 1500pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Ravensburger
Spirits of Spring - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle By Holdson
Merlin and Arthur - 400pc Family Style Jigsaw Puzzle By Cobble Hill
Hidden Lake - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Masterpieces
Great American Puzzle Factory Vibrant Vistas 550-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle - From Dusk like Candlesticks
Great American Puzzle Factory Vibrant Vistas 550-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle - Lighthouse of Guiding Light
Educa Nafea Faa Ipoipo, P. Gauguin 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle
1000 pcs - TUTANKHAMUN - (by Educa)
James Hamilton Grovely British Birds of Prey Jigsaw Puzzle 1000pc
SunsOut Visions of Atlantis Jigsaw Puzzle 500 Piece
SunsOut Greg Hildebrandt The WizardS Den 500Pc Jigsaw Puzzle
SunsOut Adrian Chesterman Canadian Odessey 1000Pc Jigsaw Puzzle
SunsOut Pollyanna Pickering On Top Of The World 1000Pc Jigsaw Puzzle
SunsOut Grateful Dead Backstage with the Grateful Dead Jigsaw Puzzle 1000pc
White Mountain Puzzles American Maritime History Jigsaw Puzzle 1000pc
Great Shipwrecks - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by White Mountain
Eurographics Da Vinci - Chart Jigsaw Puzzle 1000pc
Famous Scientists 1000-Piece Puzzle
Da Vinci: Vitruvius Man - 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Eurographics
New and Accurate Map of The World - 1000 Piece Puzzle
The Stars 1000-Piece Puzzle
Periodic Table (Illustrated) 1000-Piece Puzzle
Map of The Ancient World 1000-Piece Puzzle
Evolution The Tree of Life 1000-Piece Puzzle
Skeletal System (Chart) - 1000 Piece Puzzle
Solar System Details Jigsaw Puzzle (Panorama) - 750 Piece Puzzle
Sunsout Superstitions Jigsaw Puzzle
White Mountain Puzzles Birds of the Backyard
Space Explorers 1000-Piece Puzzle
Minerals of The World 1000-Piece Puzzle
Evolution of Life 1000-Piece Puzzle
Great Composers 1000 Piece Puzzle
White Mountain Puzzles Music Room
Instruments of The Orchestra 1000-Piece Puzzle
Famous Writers 1000 Piece Puzzle
Famous Inventors 1000-Piece Puzzle
Rock 'N Roll 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Birds of Prey and Owls 1000-Piece Puzzle
Turtles 1000-Piece Puzzle
SunsOut Sea Turtle World 1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Lewis T. Johnson
Cobble Hill Barn Owls
Ceaco Hidden Images - 11 Owls
World's Most Beautiful Birds
Birds 1000 Piece Puzzle
Coastal Birds 1000-Piece Puzzle
White Mountain Puzzles Trees of North America
White Mountain Puzzles American Wildflowers
The World of Bees 1000-Piece Puzzle
Freshwater Fish 1000-Piece Puzzle
Fish Shellfish Mollusks 1000-Piece Puzzle
Sea Fish 1000-Piece Puzzle
Prehistoric Marine Life 1000-Piece Puzzle
The Planets 1000 Piece Puzzle
Coral Reef 1000-Piece Puzzle
Vintage Fire Engines 1000-Piece Puzzle
The Tropical Rain Forest 1000-Piece Puzzle
Snakes 1000-Piece Puzzle
Bats 1000-Piece Puzzle
The Atom 1000-Piece Puzzle
Wolf Lair 550pc Jigsaw Puzzle by Linda Thomspson -- Psychedelic baby wolves? Sure, why not!
Puzzle Sites:
http://www.eurographics.ca/en/prodtype/jigsaw-puzzles.aspx
http://www.pomegranate.com/
http://www.puzzlesandbeyond.com
http://www.babylonpuzzles.com/en/110-pieces
http://www.ugames.com/bepuzzled/default.asp
http://www.puzzlesusa.com
http://www.whitemountainpuzzles.com
http://www.americanpuzzles.com
http://www.bitsandpieces.com
http://www.puzzlewarehouse.com
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&redirect=true&me=A2S9K8GPTM4RNH
Smithsonian Merlin, Native Skateboarders
Audible (past post update)
I Am a Pole (And So Can You!) Stephen Colbert
Miss Nelson is Missing Harry Allard
'Mama Gone' and Other Stories to Trouble Your Sleep
Go The Fuck To Sleep Adam Mansbach
What's Under My Bed? James Stevenson http://www.amazon.com/Could-Be-Worse-James-Stevenson/dp/0688070353/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337138722&sr=8-1
Noisy Nora Rosemary Wells
Green Eggs and Ham Dr Suess
Where the Wild Things Are and More
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1164&bih=783&q=jigsaw+puzzle+piece+template&revid=846581097&sa=X&ei=QA2zT--WFKbc2AWv_KDpCA&sqi=2&ved=0CGUQ1QIoAg
http://www.englishforums.com/English/JigsawPuzzlePieces/mlhjm/post.htm
http://puzzles.about.com/od/glossary/Glossary_of_Puzzle_Related_Terms.htm
http://imaginatorium.org/shop/mfrs.htm
http://www.jigsawjungle.com/code/jigsawpuzzletips.htm
Jigsaw Puzzle Tips, Techniques and Gluing for Puzzling People.
http://www.puzzlehistory.com/best.htm
http://www.brainsbreaker.com/
http://www.simplepastimes.com/jigsaw_puzzle_manufacturers.cfm
