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Showing posts with label Picture Frame Puzzle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Picture Frame Puzzle. Show all posts

Bike Shed Puzzle

Posted on Sep 3, 2019 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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The Bike Shed Puzzle is the second of four different Picture Frame puzzles made by Jean Claude Constantin and distributed by Recent Toys.

In this Transport Arrangements series, each with a different theme, Constantin chose four transportation vehicles, and this time, it's an eco-friendly one, the bike. Five different bike models have to be arranged within the frame, which itself has the shape of a vintage bike model. The pieces have to be arranged in a way so that they can hardly move, but not overlapping and outside the frame boarders.

This type of puzzle is a little different from the usual packing puzzle, where the pieces have straight lines and geometric shapes. In a Picture Frame puzzle, however, the pieces are irregular and the thinking process is different, where you need to see how the empty spaces can be used.

For a typical Picture Frame puzzle, the Bike Shed is quite challenging. There are lots of circular shapes to maneuver around the frame, which makes it quite difficult to do in a small area. It's a level 8/10 puzzle and I believe it's an accurate rating.

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Closing Comments:

Picture Frame puzzles are quite fun to do, since the pieces are not abstract, like squares or other geometric shapes. You can actually feel the shape of the bikes in your hands and the overall experience is much more fulfilling than a regular packing puzzle.

Availability: You can find the Bike Shed Puzzle at PuzzleMaster. All four puzzles of this series are also available.


The Harbour Puzzle

Posted on Jun 25, 2019 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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It's been a while since I reviewed a Framed Picture Puzzle. I always loved these, though. It's a packing puzzle, but the pieces don't get to be all neatly packed with straight angles. Since there are empty spaces in between, you also need to carefully plan where every piece should go.

Jean Claude Constantin has a new series with Transport Arrangements as the main theme, with four puzzles like this, all distributed by Recent Toys. Each puzzle has its own theme and the one featured in this review is all about vessels you can dock at a harbour. The Harbour Puzzle has nine pieces, each with a different shape and color.

One negative side about this puzzle is that it comes in its solved state, which I completely disagree. What were they thinking? The moment you see the puzzle, you can't avoid not seeing it completed, which will surely affect the way you solve it later, since you will probably remember how some pieces were packed. You can ask someone to unpack it for you, though, which I highly recommend.

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The puzzle itself, however, is well built and despite being made from laser-cut wood, its quality is really good. The different wood colors give it a sophisticated look and elegance you can't get from using the same wood color. Compared to other Picture Frame Puzzles I have, the size is on the small side, but still quite enjoyable to play with.

As for difficulty, it's exactly how you would expect it with a puzzle of this type - quite challenging. You can't avoid being at the mercy of trial and error, but not as much as a convencional packing puzzle, since you do need to carefully think how each piece can be packed without wasting too much space inside the frame. The frame itself is irregular which will make it even more difficult.

Closing Comments:

Solving these puzzles is a quite enjoyable and rewarding. The replay value is low, since there's usually only one solution, but for less than $20, you get quite good value for your money, because it's still a rather challenging puzzle. There are four different puzzles in this series.

Availability: You can find the new Constantin puzzles and The Harbour Puzzle at PuzzleMaster for just $17.99 CAD. Check out dozens of other interesting puzzles from the German designer.


Cat Lovers

Posted on Nov 11, 2015 by Gabriel | 3 comments
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If you're a cat lover, like myself, you're in for a treat, as Creative Crafthouse's new Picture Frame Puzzle designed by Dave Janelle, the Cat Lovers, promises to deliver a good dose of fun and feline puzzling. Ten different breeds of cats are represented in this puzzle in various sizes and poses, and one unlucky little mouse, which found himself trapped among this clowder. Your task is to find a way for all of these little pranksters to get along inside the tight space of the frame. There's only one way to do this, so get creative...

Made from at least four different types of hardwood, which results in several different colors, the puzzle is a beautiful showcase of the craftsmanship achieved at Creative Crafthouse's shop in Florida. Each cat is a close representation of its living counterpart, made with spots and stripes by delicately carving the wood with subtle lines. Their Picture Frame Puzzles are also quite big and look great on display, measuring about 19.3cm (7.6") in diameter. The puzzle also comes with its own lid so you won't run the risk of losing any piece - it will only close when completely solved.

The Cat Lovers puzzle features a total of 10 different cat breeds, some of them quite exotic and rare, which I even didn't know existed. These are: Maine Coon, Korat, Kao Manee, California Spangled, Nebelung, Bengal, British Shorthair, Aegean, Persian, Peterbald. The rest are kittens, and of course there's the lonely mouse for a total of 12 pieces.

As expected from this type of puzzle the level of difficulty is very high, so you can be sure to be challenged to the limit of your skills and then some... The cats, and mouse, won't occupy the entirety of the frame's area, but the empty spaces between them will be very small. The trick here is to maximize the waste of space by finding parts of pieces that can be joined together as much as possible, as if you were solving a jigsaw puzzle. Leave the mouse for last, since it won't have any real impact in the solving process and can be fitted in one the remaining empty spaces.



Closing Comments:

Picture Frame Puzzles can be easily picked up by anybody, since the concept is very easy to understand. However, few will be able to solve one of these, as their high level of difficulty can bring along some frustration. If you happen to solve one, then you'll experience a great rewarding feeling. The Cat Lovers puzzle is the ultimate gift for all cat lovers out there.

Availability: I got the Cat Lovers puzzle from PuzzlesdeIngenio.com, in Spain.


Galop

Posted on Apr 29, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Continuing with themed puzzles, this week the horse lovers get a treat with Galop, a packing puzzle from the family of Picture Frame Puzzles, designed by Jean Claude Constantin from Germany. What seems like a simple puzzle at first sight, is actually a very difficult challenge, trying to pack all five pieces in the frame.

The puzzle is beautifully made with different shades of laser-cut wood (plywood), each piece designed with great detail, and complemented with a horseshoe-shaped tray. The horses are cut in different poses, adding extra complexity to an already difficult puzzle. It comes unsolved and without a solution, so you're on your own to try and find out how to neatly pack all the pieces in the frame. The puzzle is a bit small, measuring 12.2cm x 8.4cm (4.8" x 3.3").

I love Picture Frame Puzzles but they're usually quite challenging. What I find fascinating about this type of puzzles is how you need to study each piece, its curves and indentations, and trying to figure out how they can interact with other pieces in order to save the most space in the frame. It's a very immersive process, which few other puzzles are able to offer.

The difficulty of the puzzle is rated as a level 8/10, but this is very subjective. I agree with the difficulty, but it can be even harder if you've never solved one of these. It took me about 20 minutes to find a solution, and even so I'm not sure if it's the ideal solution, as the pieces seem too tight. One thing to be aware of is that you can only use the top side of the pieces - no flipping allowed - because the engraved marks are on one side only. Also be careful not to chip the pieces, since many of the edges are very small and fragile (e.g. the horses' hooves and ears). This happened to me on a couple of pieces, unfortunately.


Closing Comments:

Galop is a nice little puzzle, a bit challenging for a beginner, but its cute design will surely captivate the attention of any horse lover. If anything, it's a Constantin puzzle, which in itself is a guarantee of quality.

Availability: Galop is available at PuzzleMaster for $19 CAD. There's a wide selection of Constantin's puzzles, all great choices.

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Ich Bin Ein Bärliner

Posted on Nov 19, 2014 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Ich Bin Ein Bärliner - a mouthful - is a very interesting packing puzzle by Marcel Gillen that plays very well with the concept of Picture Frame Puzzles (one of my favorite types of puzzles). It is manufactured by the German company Philos, which specializes mostly in wooden puzzles.

If you're fluent in German you'll probably notice right away that there's something wrong with the name of the puzzle. It should read Berliner, not Bärliner, but actually, the name is a clever play on words with the design of the puzzle, featuring bear-shapes pieces (bär = bear). Comprised by 9 bears and a rectangular piece, the puzzle consists of two challenges, one easy and one hard. The first challenge requires you to place the 9 pieces flat in the frame; the second challenge is to add the extra piece, the rectangle to the already tight frame. Can you solve these two challenges?

At first sight, the puzzle looks like it's made of plastic, but a close inspection reveals that it's in fact painted wood, both frame and pieces. In my opinion, it's not the best choices in terms of presentation, especially the chosen colors, which look a bit pale and washed out. Other than that, though, the puzzle is nicely built and the pieces are well cut, despite not being laser-cut. The oval frame measures about 14cm x 12.5cm (5.5" x 4.9").

The first challenge is quite easy to solve, with the pieces being placed a little haphazard inside the frame. I believe there's multiple solutions for this one, since there's more space for the pieces to move around. The second challenge requires a little more finesse playing with the pieces in order to find the extra space to pack the rectangle. If you've played other Picture Frame Puzzles before, you'll certainly love this one.

The solution to the second challenge may be unique, excluding rotations or flipped pieces, and it's somewhat symmetrical, more elegant. The puzzle is rated by the manufacturer as a difficulty level 3/4, but considering how the pieces should be packed in challenge 2, I reckon it's a little harder than that, maybe a 3.5/4.



Closing Comments:

Ich Bin Ein Bärliner is a great packing puzzle and a welcome addition to my Picture Frame Puzzle family. The presentation could've been better with natural and contrasting wood colors, but it's still a worthy purchase.

Availability: Ich Bin Ein Bärliner is available at PuzzleMaster for just $13 CAD. You can also find other puzzles from Philos.


The Orchestra Pit

Posted on Oct 15, 2014 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Dave Janelle from Creative Crafthouse may very well be the best craftsman at creating stunning Picture Frame puzzles. His portfolio features almost 50 designs already, and choosing the best looking one is a near impossible task. At any rate, The Orchestra Pit is a serious contender for the most beautiful Picture Frame puzzle yet.

Dave chose to include in this design 13 different instruments that you'll probably find an any orchestra pit. Some of them I didn't even knew their names: Bass, Cello, Drum, French Horn, Harp, Oboe, Piano, Sax, Timpani, Trombone, Trumpet, Violin and Xylophone. The pieces are made in different hardwoods, displaying this way a multitude of colors which gives it a more elegant look. 

Each piece is cut very carefully and precise, and features very fine details that otherwise wouldn't be possible. Only one side of the pieces is etched with the characteristic details, so you can only use that side when you're solving the puzzle. This version of the puzzle comes with a protective wooden cover, and measures 19cm in diameter (7.5") - A nice feature of Dave's puzzles is that they're quite large, which enhances their overall presentation.

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As you may already know, the difficulty of any of these Picture Frame puzzles can be rather challenging, and The Orchestra Pit doesn't disappoint in that regard. In Fact, this is one of the hardest I've tried so far, and as of writing this review I haven't been able to solve it on my own. You can see the solution below that I had to photograph, but even if you see the solution and attempt to solve it later on, it may prove to be a pretty frustrating task. Please, note that the puzzle comes shrink-wrapped in its solved state. If you don't want any spoilers of the solution, be sure to unwrap it upside down.

One of the main features of Picture Frame puzzles is the way the pieces interact with each other. Some pieces are quite big, so more difficult to pack; others are small and slim, which make them easier to cram in smaller spaces. Since there'll always be empty spaces in the frame, even when all the 13 pieces are tightly packed, you need to make the most out of every sharp edges and crevices on each piece, connecting them like a jigsaw puzzle - A very difficult jigsaw puzzle, I might add.


Closing Comments:

Picture Frame puzzles are perfect coffee table puzzles. Put them visible on a table at any social gathering and see everyone eager to try their luck. The Orchestra Pit is a beautiful work of art in its own right, even if you're not into puzzles, so this one is highly recommended.

Availability: The Orchestra Pit is available at PuzzleMaster for $32.99 CAD. Click here to browse other puzzles by Dave Janelle.




Alles Für Die Katz

Posted on Sep 2, 2014 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Picture Frame Puzzles are among my favorite type of Packing Puzzles. Yes, most of them are quite difficult to solve, but they're also the type of puzzle that gives a lot of room for creativity. You can do just about anything with a laser cutter and any theme will make a perfect Picture Frame Puzzle. Jean Claude Constantin, once again, does not disappoint and gives us, cat lovers, a stunning puzzle with nine of these lovely felines in all sorts of cute positions, the "Alles Für Die Katz", which literally means "Everything for the Cats". Can you put a stop to the chaos and rearrange all of the cats in the frame?

The design, starting by the frame itself, is in the shape of a cat's head. The contours of the frame are irregular, which makes it even more challenging, and the area is just enough to pack all nine cats inside with almost no wiggle room left. Each cat shape is made from a different kind of wood, so the end result is a colorful mix of cat breeds that just stands out from many other wooden puzzles. The size is a little small for a Picture Frame Puzzle standard, about 16cm x 13.8cm (6.3" x 5.4"), but still big enough to comfortably play with it.

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Like every Picture Frame Puzzle, there's all sorts of subtleties in the design of each piece that should get the most out of the little space you have in the frame, by joining the pieces at specific positions. These little tricks are what makes Picture Frame Puzzles so fascinating. It's the way the pieces seamlessly fit with one another - Like a perfect harmony between design and functionality, that so few craftsmen can achieve. What do you get from this fine art? A gorgeous puzzle, but also a devilishly difficult one.

As far as difficulty goes within the Picture Frame Puzzles I've tried so far, and there have been a few, Alles Für Die Katz is among the most challenging ones. I've dedicated about two hours now, trying to solve this one, but so far no luck in succeeding getting all cats in the frame. I'd like to warn you that the puzzle comes already solved out of the box - or wrapper - so I'd advise you to unwrap it upside down or just ask someone to do it for you. Honestly, it doesn't matter much, because once the cats are all outside the frame you'll have trouble to remember all of their original positions. And if you attempt to solve it a few hours or even days later, you'll be wishing to remember how they were arranged in the first place, because it will be one very tough nut to crack - or to pack...


Closing Comments:

If you know someone that loves cats, you can't go wrong with this puzzle as a present. It's a wonderful puzzle, although extremely challenging, but a perfect center piece in any coffee table or desk...or collection.

Availability: Alles Für Die Katz can be found at Brilliant Puzzles for $25.95. If you fancy Constantin's puzzles, you can check out other designs by him here.

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Cook's Cupboard

Posted on Nov 27, 2013 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Picture Frame Puzzles are always a joy to play with. These are some of my favorite packing puzzles and I'm proud to own several different designs in my collection. Dave Janelle, from Creative Crafthouse, makes some of the best puzzles in this category with such varied themes as animals or music instruments. The Cook's Cupboard, unsurprisingly, is a superbly designed puzzle with gastronomy as its main theme.

All the pieces in the puzzle are essential objects a cook must have in his cupboard, from the cleaver to the whisk. There are 11 unique objects with different sizes and shapes, all made from precision cut high-quality hardwood. All puzzles from Creative Crafthouse are quite big in comparison with other packing puzzles, measuring 17.8cm (7"). Holding and packing bigger pieces feels much nicer and more pleasant than tiny ones.

A word of advice for when you unpack your puzzle: do it upside down or ask someone to remove the pieces from the frame for you, because it comes packaged in its solved state. Since there's only one possible solution, excluding rotations, it would be a bummer if you were to see the puzzle already solved. When you have all pieces nicely scattered try to put them all back in the frame. Note that you should only use the side of the pieces that's marked or engraved.

The key to solve any Picture Frame Puzzle, as I've been saying in previous reviews, is to look out for possible matches between some of the pieces' edges. You should always try to pack them as tightly as possible so you don't waste too much space. There will always be some empty spaces between the pieces, but you'll see that once it's solved it has the most optimal arrangement for all the pieces.

These Picture Frame Puzzles are among the hardest in the packing puzzles family. Since there is no clear visual aids as to how each piece should be placed, solving them can fast become a arduous task of trial and error. The Cook's Cupboard is classified as a difficulty level 9/10, and I mostly agree with it. It actually took me less time than I was expecting - about 30 minutes - but I believe it's only because I'm more experienced in these now that I've solved several of them. I still think it's still among the hardest I've tried from Creative Crafthouse, but it's just not as frustratingly difficult as it once was...



Closing Comments:

The Cook's Cupboard may be a difficult puzzle, but it's one of the best works by Dave Janelle. There are still so many that I don't have in my collection, but if I had to recommend a couple of them this would certainly be a great choice. It's a perfect gift for a cook or gastronome.

Availability: The Cook's Cupboard puzzle is available from PuzzleMaster for $24 CAD. Check out other designs by Dave Janelle.


Bermuda

Posted on Nov 1, 2013 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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One of the best things about Siebenstein-Spiele is that their designs are so varied you can pretty much find any type of puzzle you like. A type of puzzle I particularly like very much is the Picture Frame Puzzles, which are a special kind of packing puzzles. What makes them so appealing are the pieces themselves, with irregular shapes and special features, that need to be taken full advantage in order to save space in the frame to pack all the pieces. Bermuda, designed by Jürgen Reiche, is one of such fascinating puzzles, and I reckon you'll love this one.

Like most of Siebenstein's puzzles, Bermuda is made with a combination of contrasting colors that beautifully enhances its appearance. However, unlike all the other Picture Frame Puzzles I currently own, this one is actually pretty small in comparison, measuring only 11.5cm x 9cm (4.5" x 3.5"). This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and looking at the puzzle, I think it's perfect this way.

The puzzle is comprised of seven unique pieces, representing animals from the ocean, all made with laser-cut wood. It comes with six pieces already packed and an extra one, the whale, in a special slot. The challenge is to get that extra piece to fit in the same space provided.

Another cool feature of the Bermuda puzzle is the oval shape of the tray, also different from the regular square ones. It doesn't make it much more challenging though, just different in a nice way. Here, you'll want to study each piece thoroughly and find parts that can be combined with other pieces to save the maximum space. For example, the curved shape of the star will easily fit with the belly of the seahorse. Don't worry about spoilers, you'll still need to figure out which part of the star goes with the seahorse and where exactly they belong in the tray.

Difficulty-wise, I found the Bermuda to be a littler easier than the other Picture Frame Puzzles I've tried before. The main reason, basically, is that the Bermuda has less pieces than the majority of Picture Frame Puzzles I know, cutting down the difficulty to a much less stressful level. Regardless, it was still challenging, taking about 15 minutes to be solved. I wouldn't bet the Bermuda puzzle has multiple solutions, mainly because the design was thought out to have a unique and optimal solution. Note that you shouldn't force a piece down. If it doesn't fit it's because it's not meant to be placed that way.



Closing Comments:

What can I say more about the Bermuda puzzle to convince you? It's a great packing puzzle, built with high quality wood and a gorgeous design worthy of an award. Definitely one of the best from Siebenstein-Spiele and highly recommended.

Availability: You can find the Bermuda puzzle at Sloyd, in Finland, for €16. Worldwide shipping available.


Animals of Australia Puzzle

Posted on Jun 13, 2012 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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If you're a fan of Puzzle Crafthouse's Picture Frame Puzzles, like me, the Animals of Australia is another great design and challenging puzzle designed by Dave Janelle.

Represented in the puzzle are 10 native animals from Australia, which can all be packed into a 18cm square wooden frame (7"). The pieces are cut from a wide selection of different thick woods and the contours are deep-cut in one of the sides with perfect detail. Since several different woods are used in one single puzzle with a unique mix, yours might be a little different from the one pictured.

Being the fourth Picture Frame Puzzle that I have reviewed so far, I think this one is a little harder than the Noah's Ark and easier than the Wine Lovers Puzzle or even much easier than the Flower Garden - Hawaii. As a level 3 puzzle, you might expect to solve it within half an hour or so, but it may easily be between 1 and 2 hours. I took almost an hour to get them all inside the frame.

As with all puzzles from the Picture Frame category, there's just one possible arrangement to fit all pieces inside the frame... At least, in theory, because they were designed with that characteristic in mind. Note that the pieces are to be used with only one of their sides, so no mirror images possible. Last time, I had found an alternative solution for the Noah's Ark, but it wasn't the designer's intention to have more than one solution. After that review, the puzzle design was revised with new piece sizes and it's now back to one solution. In the event that you find a second solution for any of these puzzles, contact Dave to let him know so that he can fix it.

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Solution: In case you want to check how the puzzle looks like in its solved state, click here.

Closing Comments:

The Animals of Australia is yet another great theme for a Picture Frame Puzzle. Since it's not extremely difficult, it can be bought as a present for a casual puzzler, and it will make for a nice addition to any puzzle collection. Also great for display use.

Availability: The Animals of Australia is an exclusive puzzle from Puzzle Crafthouse and it's available for $25 USD. To browse through other puzzles in the Picture Frame category, check out their special page.


Noah's Ark Puzzle

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Today, I present you with another great Picture Frame Puzzle design, produced exclusively by Puzzle Crafthouse. Created by Dave Janelle, the Noah's Ark Puzzle is a beautiful interpretation of the Bible's narrative and is the latest addition to their Picture Frame series.

Depicted in the puzzle are Noah himself and five animal species, for a total of 11 pieces. Each piece is thoroughly detailed with perfect deep-cut lines, and the frame measures about 17.7 x 19.5cm (7" x 7.7"). Dave had a great idea of having six different woods in the puzzle, giving each animal species and Noah their own identity, creating this way a stunning visual effect. Note that each puzzle will have a different wood mix. Another design choice worth praising is that the traditional squared frame was dropped over a more original one, a boat-shaped frame.

The puzzle is rated at a level 3/5+, and judging by the difficulty I encountered with previous puzzles, I'd say it's about right. It's definitely easier than last week's Flower Garden - Hawaii. Solving time for the Noah's Ark was about 30 minutes.

After solving the puzzle, I was in for a surprise. When comparing my solution against the one provided with the puzzle, I saw that they were quite different in the piece arrangement, except for a few common ones. This goes against what I've been thinking, which is that these puzzles are so unique in the way their pieces fit that it must indicate one single solution. This time, I was wrong and there's at least two solutions... Or it may just be a coincidence that the pieces fit in another unexpected arrangement. There's no force applied, since the pieces still have a little wiggle room after they're all placed inside the frame.

I also found a third solution, but in my opinion it doesn't count, as one of the pieces had to be flipped. As you may know, the pieces in this type of puzzles are not supposed to be used on their backside, because the deep cuts with details are only visible on one side. The other side is just blank. If you're not picky about it, though, let's say it has at least three solutions.

Update: I now know that Dave has a new version of this puzzle with different sizes for the animals, reducing the gaps between them. So, the current version is back to one solution only. This is true for the other Picture Frame Puzzles too. Should you find a second solution in any of his designs, contact Dave, so he can adjust the design back to one solution.

Solution: Here's mine, and here's the one that was on the solution sheet.

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Closing Comments:

Another brilliant idea by Dave Janelle, adding another great puzzle to the already wide selection of his Picture Frame Puzzles. Whether you're a religious person, or just a puzzle lover like me, this puzzle is definitely worth a try.

With such a sheer variety of species in the animal kingdom, I look forward for a Noah's Ark II.

Availability: You can find the Noah's Ark at Puzzle Crafthouse for $25. There's also a Beetlekill Pine version for the same price.


Flower Garden - Hawaii

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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A few weeks ago, I reviewed a great puzzle by Puzzle Crafthouse (Creative Crafthouse), the Wine Lovers Puzzle. I was so pleased with by its sheer originality and beauty that I became an instant fan of their Picture Frame Puzzles. Stay tuned for the end of this week's post, as this puzzle will be featured in my upcoming 200th post top 10. Today, I present to you another one of these magnificent puzzles, the Flower Garden - Hawaii.

Designed by Dave Janelle from Creative Crafthouse, the puzzle is a selection of flowers from Hawaii. Eight  wooden pieces made with at least four different hardwoods comprise this stunning and elegant Picture Frame Puzzle. Deep cuts in the pieces form additional details and at the same time, indicate which side you're supposed to use, as the backside of the pieces are not so well defined. The tray measures about 18cm in length (7"), which is about the size of a standard Picture Frame.

Rated as a level 3 (as reference, the Wine Lovers Puzzle is a level 3+), I actually found it harder than the previous one, or at least it took me more time to solve. What I like about these puzzles is that each one is completely unique, like it has its own personality. The pieces fit in a specific way, and your previous experiences won't help you that much. That being said, I believe these puzzles have one unique solution (not counting mirrored images or rotations), given the nature of their pieces and how they were thought out.

Many times I found myself struggling even to get seven pieces in the frame, so you can imagine how hard it is to actually fit all eight pieces. When solved, the puzzle still wastes a considerable amount of space, so the goal is to try and waste the least space as you can. Explore the pieces two at the time and see if there's any parts that can connect, sort of like a Jigsaw puzzle, or even pieces that can be placed along the walls of the frame. The connections will be subtle, but as you correctly place two or three, the others will become increasingly easier to pack.

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Closing Comments:

Even though I liked the Wine Lovers Puzzle more, the Flower Garden - Hawaii is a great looking puzzle and can be played by anyone that remotely likes a good Jigsaw puzzle. And even if you don't like Jigsaw puzzles at all, not to worry, as the Picture Frame Puzzles offer a very satisfying puzzling experience like no other.

Availability: The Flower Garden - Hawaii can be found only at Puzzle Crafthouse for $25 USD. For the same price, you can get a colored acrylic version, if you prefer. For many other puzzles in the Picture Frame category, see this page.

Solution: If you like, you can take a look at the solved puzzle here.


Wine Lovers Puzzle

Posted on Apr 4, 2012 by Gabriel | 2 comments
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When I reviewed the Zoo Jigsaw several weeks ago, I became an absolute fan of Picture Frame Puzzles. These are quite unique themed packing puzzles, always with a high degree of difficulty, but with a very original design. On my most recent Puzzle Crafthouse order, I had to include two of these great puzzles - The Wine Lovers Puzzle is one of them.

Visually stunning and with a great quality, the pieces are made from maple, giving a lighter tone and at the same time creating a nice contrast with the 7" x 7" (about 18cm) dark frame, which also looks great with the laser engraved lettering.

The puzzle has ten pieces, each of them perfectly representing an object related to wine. From the vines to the wine bottles, or even the bunch of grapes, they all have to be packed in the frame. In order to do that, you'll need to make the most out of the space you got. The interesting part is that the total area of the pieces combined is way less than the frame area. When solved, there's still plenty of "wasted space" visible. The trick then, is to waste the less space you can and find the best possible matches between the pieces. Sounds simple, but it's actually rather tricky.

The pieces are reversible, meaning that both of their sides can be used. However, it's quite noticeable that one of the sides has its cut lines thicker than the other. After solving the puzzle, I can give you a hint: you don't need to use the thinner cuts' side. You can see the differences in the photos below.

(Click to Enlarge) - Cut Lines Seen from Both Sides

Solving the puzzle was much, much harder than I was expecting. Puzzle Crafthouse rates it as a 3+ (5+ is the maximum), so I thought the solving time would be around 30 minutes to 1 hour. After three separate sessions in the span of about a month and a total of approximately 3 hours, the puzzle was finally solved. In the photo below, you can see the puzzle almost solved, but with only the tiny corkscrew left. This was accomplished shortly before I found the actual solution, which took only a few modifications in the placement of the pieces. If you'd like to take a look at the solved puzzle, click this link, but only if you don't want to solve it on your own. Be careful though, as the picture on Puzzle Crafthouse's page has the solved puzzle as well.

(Click to Enlarge) - Not the Actual Solution

To me, the hardest part of the puzzle was finding those particular features in the pieces that could be combined with others to save space. These features are very subtle and you need to thoroughly observe two pieces at a time to find a common characteristic. There are also a few obvious pieces that can be placed at the edges of the frame, but you need to find the correct orientation. Needless to say, you won't be solving this one in just a few minutes, so be prepared to spend a while with it.

Closing Comments:

While I'm not a wine lover, it doesn't mean I didn't like this puzzle any less. On the contrary, I did enjoy very much solving it. It did get frustrating at times when I felt I was so close, only to have a darn piece that wouldn't fit anywhere, no matter how I tried. Nonetheless, you'll have your money's worth, because it's one of those puzzles that you can always try again after a while and still have a great time.

Availability: The Wine Lovers Puzzle is available exclusively at Puzzle Crafthouse for $25 USD. You can choose other types of wood, if you want, both for the pieces and the frame. For an extra fee, you can also engrave your puzzle with custom text - Perfect gift for a wine lover...

Zoo Jigsaw

Posted on Mar 2, 2012 by Gabriel | 4 comments
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Packing Puzzles are easily one of the most rich categories within the mechanical puzzles realm, with so many different designs that even a collector, like myself, can discover a new puzzle every now and then.

The Zoo Jigsaw is one of my recent discoveries, even though they've been around for a while, but being a Packing Puzzle enthusiast as I am, I had to include it in my latest Brilliant Puzzles order.

The puzzle is comprised by eight different animals (a bison, a deer, a raccoon, a fox, a wild cat, a rabbit, a duck and a squirrel) with varying sizes and you have to pack them all in a squared wooden frame with 15.3cm in length (≈  6"). Each animal-shaped wooden piece is beautifully hand-crafted with the utmost detail with a scroll saw. I like the darker wood tone seen in most of the pieces, which gives the puzzle a much more attractive appearance.

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Solving the Zoo Jigsaw wasn't very hard. It took me about 10 minutes or so, but I liked the clever way some pieces fit together. There are noticeable parts in some of the pieces that perfectly fit with others, bringing the difficulty level down a bit, although it can still be challenging. The pieces are double sided, meaning that you can flip them and try to place them in a different way, thus rising the number of possibilities.

To my knowledge, the puzzle appears to have a single solution, giving the particular nature of the pieces. I have solved it multiple times and always came to the same solution. The first time I solved it, I checked with the provided solution and the only difference was that the pieces were mirrored, but that still counts as the same solution.

As of now, Brilliant Puzzles only carry this design of picture frame themed packing puzzles, even though I've seen a few others around, so I'm hoping to see more like these in the near future.

Closing Comments:

The Zoo Jigsaw was a very welcoming addition to my puzzle collection, for its uniqueness and originality. It wasn't a really tough challenge, but it's very fun and enjoyable to solve. It's definitely recommended to anyone with a slight interest in puzzles.

SOLUTION BELOW:









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