Hope everyone had a relaxed Thanksgiving. We're big believers in putting a puzzle out at such events, as a way to help people come together in a cooperative un-pressured way, so we were delighted to get this note yesterday from customer Alice B. in WA:
I just had to let you know that I brought the puzzle that I had bought from you last Christmas to our Thanksgiving family dinner. I was concerned that nobody would be interested (younger people too high-tech, older people trouble seeing/handling pieces/leaning over a table). Silly me! I put the box on the coffee table. Soon someone looked at the pieces – exclamations! Then others came over to look. Pretty soon everybody was huddled around the table. First they had to play with the pieces, and then they put the puzzle together (ok, I was in there, too) and nobody would leave until it was complete. We had a great time!
Some Tips for Puzzling With Family:
Tip 1: Just put it out someplace central and recruit one other person to do it, more will come to check it out.
Tip 2: Choose a puzzle with distinct color areas, like Creature Ladder or Connaissance, so people can specialize
Tip 3: A 150-300 piece puzzle can usually be finished in one gathering. Too small and there's not enough pieces to go-around, too small and you don't get the satisfaction of finishing as a group.
Tip 4: Best to err on the side of an easier puzzle that people finish too-fast than a too-hard puzzle that slogs on or turns people off.
Tip 5: If someone looks overwhelmed but wants to join in, you can invite them to find pieces of a certain color, or hand them 2-4 pieces you know go together to help them get the idea.