Why Puzzles Have Become My New Love

Puzzles have become my obsession. Well, my new old obsession. I’ve always liked puzzles. I’ve had several stashed in my closet for practically ever. And I also have several bookmarks to digital puzzles I sometimes chip away at.

The only problem is, once I start a puzzle, I feel driven to finish it. I don’t like having to stop for days or weeks without getting a chance to finish. So although my greatest love is large puzzles (1,000 or 2,000 pieces), I don’t do them often.

I had almost forgotten the joy I get from assembling a puzzle. My in-laws used to always have one available when we visited for Christmas. But most of the family isn’t very fond of puzzles. And after a few really challenging ones, the tradition was discontinued.

During the tail end of the pandemic, when travel first became safe, a friend came to visit for a long weekend. One day, we were looking for something to do. I wandered into my closet and discovered I had a dragon-shaped puzzle that depicts several smaller dragons. I have no idea where I got it. But I dumped it onto the table for us to try, and it reignited my passion for the pastime.

We weren’t able to finish that puzzle before my friend had to leave. So I finished it on my own after she left. I enjoyed that time. I found it relaxing.

Incidentally, during the pandemic I also discovered I work way too much. I needed to start taking breaks. And since I also need a large amount of time to do the types of puzzles I like, it seemed a match made in heaven.

Now, every year, I set aside at least five different blocks of time for puzzling.

Types of Puzzles I Like

I have learned not to grab just any puzzle, even one that looks interesting, off the shelf and attempt it. If I’m going to spend hours looking at something, I want to enjoy the close examination. I want it to be visually stimulating. So I have a couple of criteria for choosing my next project.

First, I want the subject to be something that interests me. I don’t do a lot of generic landscapes. I have done a lot of Disney villain puzzles. Ravensburger has a series based on their board game that I enjoy. I started with Ursula and have also done Dr. Facilier, Scar and Hades. (Plus there are quite a few more on my list.)

In addition to being interesting, though, the picture has to have enough variation that I can generally tell pieces apart. Large portions of similar colors forming sky, cloud, water or grass (for example), tend to be difficult and frustrating to assemble. I don’t want to have to try the pieces one by one for more than a small area. That just gets tedious. I found a wonderful Jellyfish puzzle that I enjoyed specifically because the ‘just ocean’ pieces numbered few.

Finally, it’s fun to put together puzzles with a little extra surprise. I discovered The Magic Puzzle Company, and have been slowly working through their puzzle series. Each puzzle tells a story. You put together the initial puzzle, then follow the secret prompts in the box. Not only do you get the special surprise of extra puzzle to put together, you also get a conclusion for each puzzle’s story!

As I stretch my puzzling muscles, I’m also attempting larger puzzles. The Jellyfish were 1,500 pieces. For Christmas, I’m planning to tackle a Turkish silk swatches puzzle of 2,000 pieces!

The Rules of Puzzling

In order to maximize my enjoyment of my puzzle time, I’ve set a few rules for myself. These are personal things that make me happy (so might not fit for everyone).

First, puzzle time is ME time. I don’t want help with my puzzles. I try to do them at times when no one else is around. But if someone is around, I try to make it clear I don’t want assistance. (Which is not a problem since most of the people who do come around don’t like puzzles.) Also, since this is my personal time, I like to put on music to listen to and get a little lost in the moment.

As a writer, I don’t spend a lot of time letting my brain idle, so putting together puzzles is a way to shut out everything else and turn my brain to one clear task. For once, I’m not planning my next novel or filling in plot holes. I’m just trying to enjoy a simple activity. To that end, I might also pour myself a glass of wine or make myself a cup of coffee to enjoy while puzzling.

I also have a process that works for me. Before I start putting anything together, I separate the pieces. I’m not just looking for straight edges during this process. I also try to break down all the pieces according to what they might belong to. Usually this ends up being by color or type of section.

I also separate any pieces I already find put together during this process – because leaving them pre-connected is cheating!

Perhaps my most important rule for myself, however, is that I want this process to be enjoyable. So if I get frustrated for awhile, I walk away and come back later.

How A Puzzle Aids My Creativity

In recent years, I’ve learned the importance of taking breaks. It’s the fastest and easiest way to stave off burnout. And since my main focus has been on increasing my rate of production since the pandemic started, the risk of burnout is always present.

But walking away from a project for a few days doesn’t just allow me to recharge my batteries. It also re-awakens my muse. No matter how sick of a project I might feel when I step away, by the time I get back, I’m bouncing with ideas. Sometimes the fastest way to jumpstart a stuttering project is actually to stop thinking of it for a hot minute. By the time I pick it up again, I feel like I’m back in the honeymoon stage.

But even more than walking away and clearing my head, working my way through puzzles reminds me of the creative process and why it often involves patience.

Even though I generally enjoy the entire process of putting a puzzle together, I have favorite and least favorite parts. For me, the sorting process is the least fun. It takes a long time and doesn’t feel as rewarding as putting the pieces together. But the sorting process also speeds up the assembly. Because once I have all of the pieces facing right side up and divided into sections, it’s much easier to find what I’m looking for.

This reminds me of outlining my novels (especially edits). Taking the time to decide what I want to do allows me to write more quickly. I find my words always flow better if I know where I’m going. And I often revisit the outline between drafts to make certain it’s up to date – just as I revisit my sorted piles to farther break them down as assembly progresses.

But wherever my mind takes me during my next puzzling adventure, I’m just glad to have reawakened a love for this hobby!