Publisher: Sunsout (US), currently in print as of January 2019 Title: “Classic Tales: Alice in Wonderland” by Mark Brill, 1000 pieces Finished size: 20" x 27 OUR RATING: 8.75/10 This brand new puzzle from Sunsout really appealed to my cartoon art - fantasy - collage puzzle loving soul, so I snatched it up for review.... Continue Reading →
TOP TEN: The Best Pomegranate Puzzles
It's been awhile since we've talked about Pomegranate. They're one of the classiest, highest quality American puzzle brands out there. They feature gorgeous boxes, thick pieces with a nice matte finish, and outstanding fine art images. I've been in a Pomegranate mood lately. I've working on one for review, but I thought it was time... Continue Reading →
Review: “Star Wars: Feel the Force”, Buffalo Games 8.75/10
Publisher: Buffalo Games (US), published 2017 Size: 1000 pieces Title: “Star Wars: Feel the Force" Finished size: 26.75" x 19.75" OUR RATING: 8.75/10 Puzzle Warehouse is currently having a special event with Buffalo Games from now until 9/15. Buy 2 and get 1 free. This includes a wide selection of Star Wars puzzles. Click below to see... Continue Reading →
Review: “Treasure Hunt Bookshelf” by Aimee Stewart — Sunsout, 9/10
You'll find lots of interesting details in this puzzle as you "treasure hunt" among the books. The fantasy image by Aimee Stewart features a rainbow of brightly-hued books and interesting elements arranged among them, such as dancers, jewels, notes, and Aladdin's lamp. The puzzle is easy-to-moderate to assemble with many bright and distinct colors. The Sunsout quality is very good with thick pieces and a fun random cut with a wide variety of piece shapes. The fit is fairly tight so you can move groups of assembled pieces around with care. The final puzzle is frame-worthy. Recommended.
Review: “Swan Song” by Nene Thomas – Ceaco – 7.5/10
“Swan Song” is a lovely gothic fantasy image by Nene Thomas. The puzzle is moderately challenging thanks to the random patterns in the black wings, white dress, and foggy forest. The Ceaco quality was good value for the price. The pieces are thin, but there was no damaged or bent pieces. The puzzle has an enjoyable random piece cut and a fairly tight fit that lets you move around grouped pieces without them falling apart. There’s no confusion about whether a piece fits somewhere or not. The muted colors and sobter tone make this a nice puzzle for a rainy fall day and a good gift for fantasy-loving teens.
Review: “Classic Tales: Snow White” by Kurti Andrea, D-Toys — 8.75/10
This fairy tale puzzle of "Snow White" is one for the adult puzzler. Its use of random patterns adds a nice challenge to assembly, but it's not frustratingly hard. The colors are bright and cheerful, and there are a lot of details woven into Snow White's skirt for you to discover as you puzzle. The lovely folk art style illustration is by Romanian artist Kurti Andrea. The D-Toys quality on this puzzle is good with sturdy pieces, six different piece shapes (in a grid cut), and a nice flat finish. Recommended to fans of folk art, fantasy puzzles, and those looking for a little bit of challenge. Moderately difficult.
Brand Overview: Cobble Hill
Cobble Hill was founded in 2005 with the goal of “bringing quality puzzles with a loving, whimsical, nostalgic feel to jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts around the world.” They offer a good variety of categories and piece sizes include 2000 piece, 1000 piece, 500 piece, 400 piece Family Puzzle (with large and small pieces), 275 piece Easy Handling, and kids puzzles under 100 pieces. They are located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Check out our overview of the best in Cobble Hill puzzles!
Review: “Abundant Garden” by Aimee Stewart – Sunout, 9.25/10
This is a gorgeous and fun-to-assemble shaped puzzle from Sunsout. The garden is filled with vibrant flowers, colorful birds, cute animals, and other surprises to discover as you assemble it. I really loved the soft art style, which feels airbrushed. The image is full without feeling crowded and there's no real 'background color', dead space, or dark areas. Assembly is of moderate difficulty but everything has a unique color or texture, so if you reference the box lid, you can always tell where a piece goes. The Sunsout quality is excellent with thick, sturdy pieces and a wonderful random cut. I particularly liked the unusual, fan-shaped border, which was a nice change from rectangular puzzles. Highly recommen
Review: “Great Dreams” by Ionut and Opitz, Trefl – 8/10
This is a striking fantasy image with a positive message–dream big! The Trefl brand from Poland is a grid-cut puzzle with fairly standard piece shapes and sizes. The pieces are not as thick as some Euro brands like Ravensburger or Jumbo, but thick enough to resist bending and damage. This puzzle is easy to assemble. The girl is a brightly-colored element that goes together quickly. The cityscape is not as interesting as the girl to assemble, but slight variations in color in the fog, and the recognizable buildings, keep it from being difficult. Recommended to fans of fantasy images. 8/10
Feature: Buffalo Games Puzzles
Puzzle Warehouse is having a terrific sale on Buffalo Games puzzles until Jun 30th, 2016, so this week's feature is focused on the Buffalo Games history and their various product lines and with my top pics for each one. BUFFALO GAMES WEEK: From June 15-June 30, 2016, Puzzle Warehouse is holding a special promotion with... Continue Reading →
Review: “DragonForge” by Matthew Stewart, Cobble Hill — 7.75/10
Publisher: Cobble Hill (Canada), 2016 Title: “Dragonforge" by Matthew Stewart 1000 pieces, 19.25" x 26.625" Review by Jane OUR RATING: 7.75/10 Box Quality: (8/10) The box is shown above and below. It's an attractive rectangular box similar in size to Ravensburger and Jumbo, but it has a nice linen finish. The front does not show the artist or image name. Back: The... Continue Reading →
Review: “The Three Graces” by Josephine Walls, Buffalo Games – 9/10
This is a gorgeous fantasy puzzle by renown artist Josephine Wall. The Buffalo Games quality is quite good featuring grid-cut pieces with a wide variety of shapes. The small box saves shelf space while an included poster can be used for reference while assembling the puzzles. I loved the bold, bright colors in this one. Assembly is a nice mix of easy areas, like the faces, with areas of medium difficulty, like the masses of flowers and butterflies. I liked the added touch of the gold glitter, which is solidly applied and used throughout the puzzle. It adds a nice tactile dimension during assembly and makes the final puzzle even more attractive. This would be a nice image to frame for a kid or teen's room.