I managed to finish the berries, but it was pretty difficult. Especially the blueberries, I did them last, of course. It was still enjoyable, it just took a really long time.
Berry Harvest, 2019-07-24
Tag: 2019
Canadian Pacific: The Canadian, 2019-07-14 (A Misunderstanding)
This image is available with 1000 pieces and with 100 pieces from Eurographics, and I actually intended to buy the 1000-piece version. One reason why I didn’t realize my mistake was that this costs almost as much as the 1000-piece version – a bit of a rip-off if you ask me. The quality was normal Eurographics quality, not wood or anything, so I don’t really understand why it was so expensive. Of course, you’d expect to pay more per piece for smaller puzzles, but 1000 pieces 13.50 EUR and 100 pieces 12.50 EUR?
Anyway, the puzzle was nice and the image is gorgeous.
Vampire Castle, 2019-07-14
This is the last of the Ravensburger Exit/Escape-series, for now. I’m hoping for more instalments next year 🙂 I saved the best for last, Vampire Castle is more colourful than the other puzzles in the series, and it was great fun to assemble. Hardly any trouble with edges either (I know I’m repeating myself here, but if you do one of these, do the edges last if you value your sanity).
Since the finished puzzle is different than the image on the box I won’t show it here. There are further details and spoilers about the series on the dedicated page. There is also an individual spoiler page for this puzzle.
The backstory is that on holiday in Romania I stumble into an old castle and get locked in. Then I notice the resident vampire is waking up, and need to find a way to drive him back into his casket…
Dragon Laboratory, 2019-07-09
Another puzzle in the Exit/Escape-series. I won’t post a photo of the finished puzzle here, even though it’s almost the same as the image on the box – there were more differences in the first three puzzles, I think. There are further details and spoilers about the series on the dedicated page. There is also an individual spoiler page for this puzzle.
In this case, my fool of an uncle has managed to activate an artefact that has brought a dragon to life, and I need to find a way to deactivate it before I’m grilled alive.
The puzzle itself was great fun, as usual, except for the edges that were even more difficult than usual. As I’ve written before, if you do a puzzle in this series, do the edges last. I’ve explained why on the spoiler page.
Submarine, 2019-06-28
Since the finished puzzle is different than the image on the box I won’t show it here. There are further details and spoilers about the series on the dedicated page. There is also an individual spoiler page for this puzzle.
According to the backstory, I’m on a cruise, and in the harbour, an old man offers me a ride (on my own!) in his rickety old submarine. Um, I don’t think so, I’ve been on cruises, and the trick is to stay on your balcony reading and sipping a glass of port.
Anyway, the puzzle was fun, as usual. I really like this series, although I’m quite bad at working out the mysteries. The pieces are big and the quality is great, but you should always do the edges last (if you don’t mind a spoiler I’ve explained why on the separate page).
Dortmund, 2019-06-22
So, while shopping with my friend in Dortmund I came across this puzzle with notable buildings from the city (the stadium is missing, though). It was far too expensive (16.90 EUR) for a 500 piece puzzle, but apparently, I’ll pay anything for a puzzle with a Dortmund theme. Please don’t tell Ravensburger!
The brand, atregio, was new to me, but it turned out to be very good, similar to Ravensburger.
A close-up of the Dortmund U, former headquarters of the Union brewery, now a museum for modern art with a fantastic view of the city from the terrasse.
Dublin City, 2019-06-19
So, I managed to finish my Dublin puzzle. Even with the different patterns, it was still pretty difficult, and I ended up relying on the image quite a lot. The only thing that really annoyed me was that pieces wouldn’t stay together, I felt like they’d spring apart as soon as I looked in their direction. Even that became less of an issue as I had larger and more stable “islands” as I progressed.
The pieces were very thin, but I liked the cut, it was a bit whimsical, but not in a way that made the puzzle more difficult. There was never any danger of a piece fitting where it didn’t belong. My favourite piece type was the one with two tabs really close to each other. Somehow the pieces made me think of the three-eyed fish near the nuclear power plant in the Simpsons 🙂
Some of the sharp corners on the pieces were a bit frayed.
Overall a very enjoyable puzzle, even though the quality wasn’t all that good.
It will be old photos for a while now, a friend is visiting me in Dortmund 🙂
Feline Frenzy, 2019-06-16
I’ve never been a big fan of Gibsons, but every now and then an image is so good that I cave and buy one anyway. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised this time, there was no sign of the old problem of pieces fitting where they don’t belong. It may just be the image, of course, but I don’t think so. Based on this I would even be prepared to try an image with a large area of the same colour. Still not a fan of the waxy finish, but that’s a minor quibble.
I loved this puzzle, it was fun from start to finish.
Vintage Posters: [The Only Route via Niagara Falls & Suspension Bridge], 2019-06-10
This was a joy from start to finish. I’ve previously done only one D-Toys puzzle (a Romanian brand) and wasn’t impressed then, but either things have improved or I was too harsh 10 years ago because this was excellent. No problem with pieces fitting where they don’t belong, good grid cut with enough variation and nice print. The puzzle is part of a series called Vintage Posters, but the individual puzzles are not named on the box.
The poster is an advertisement for the Great Western Railway from 1876.
I’m now on my way to Hamburg, where I will remain until Thursday evening, so there will be no more puzzling until the weekend. Unfortunately, the trip is work, not pleasure. I have enough old puzzle photos, so there will be a new post every day.
Bruges, Belgium, 2019-06-08
My first Jumbo in a very long time. Unfortunately, the pieces still fit where they don’t belong, and that’s why I stopped doing Jumbos. I’m not saying I’m never doing another, but the image would have to be pretty interesting and there can be no large, monochrome areas. Two pieces missing, but I think I know where they can be found…
I had an accident on the way. A lot of the pieces ended up under the chest of drawers, and I spent quite a while fishing pieces out from under it. When I finished the puzzle there were four pieces missing, so I went back and managed to find two of them. The chest of drawers is really heavy and has a TV and lots of other stuff on top, so I’m not moving it for this puzzle, but I’m pretty sure the final two pieces are still there.
Puzzler1909 