Nov. 2011 Seriously, jigsaw puzzles really are good fun
In these days of electronic entertainment ruling the escapism roost, I think that it is time that someone championed some good old fashioned stay at home fun. Some people seem to think that jigsaw puzzles are for old age pensioners and whilst I acknowledge that audience may be a key one in sales terms, I feel compelled to present an argument for some younger engagement.
Here are the main reasons why you should get yourself a puzzle right now and start constructing:
1) You have to focus on colours, shapes and patterns – it’s good for your brain and for your concentration skills – so much better than just sitting in front of the TV. If you like crosswords or sudokus a jigsaw puzzle will trigger the same engagement (although I accept that doing a jigsaw on the train on the way to work is impossible)
2) You can approach construction with a strategy to improve the speed of your performance, for example:
a. edges first
b. areas of sky/sea separated out of the box so that it is easier to see the pieces with more detail on them
c. concentration on a particular area of the picture
3) You watch your efforts bearing fruit and feel pretty pleased with yourself when the puzzle is complete – again a much better feeling of satisfaction/achievement than watching some dull reality TV.
4) You can determine your level of challenge according to the time you are prepared to commit, puzzles for example can be 500 pieces if you want a few hours of entertainment or a 1,000 pieces if you want more of a stretch and have more time available.
5) You can choose your theme to ensure your commitment; my preference is for puzzles of trains or planes or cars for example.
6) The whole family can join in if you are prepared to share your entertainment
7) If you want a serious challenge, why not consider a Wasgij, (this is a type of puzzle where the picture on the box is only a guide or an approximation of the picture you will be completing) or an impossipuzzle (pictures of baked beans or peas for example).
8) Jigsaw puzzles are cheap – a very limited investment (as little as £1 or less if you buy one in a charity shop) for some good payback. You can make the same puzzle time and time again and it will still demand the same level of attention (not like a book for example).
You do need some space to make a jigsaw and you might not want to lose some valuable table top space but even then a solution is available – you can buy a puzzle portfolio (a bit like an artist portfolio) in which you can build your jigsaw, close up the case when you have finished your session and tuck the portfolio out of the way safe in the knowledge that when you open it back up again you won’t be faced with an avalanche of pieces and the need to start again.
Jigsaw puzzles have resulted in a few expressions that we are used in day to day conversations such as ‘all the pieces fit’, ‘found the missing piece’ and ‘all part of the grand jigsaw’ – can you think of any expressions that have filtered into day to day language care of the Nintendo DS. Educate me if you can.
Finally On the subject of old versus new entertainment, my son has a very close relationship with his Nintendo DS, a relationship I am largely excluded from, but even though he embraces modern technology in a way all youngsters do, he’ll acknowledge that making a jigsaw puzzle or having a good old game of Top Trumps with his dad is good fun too.
Retro escapism still has its place so come on get a jigsaw puzzle on the go or play Top Trumps with a partner and save some electricity, just think what benefits the planet would derive from Wiis, Xboxes and Playstations being switched off for a while all over the country. And what a way to end this soapbox ramble, ‘make a jigsaw puzzle and save the planet’ – could even be a new Greenpeace slogan perhaps.
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Here are the main reasons why you should get yourself a puzzle right now and start constructing:
1) You have to focus on colours, shapes and patterns – it’s good for your brain and for your concentration skills – so much better than just sitting in front of the TV. If you like crosswords or sudokus a jigsaw puzzle will trigger the same engagement (although I accept that doing a jigsaw on the train on the way to work is impossible)
2) You can approach construction with a strategy to improve the speed of your performance, for example:
a. edges first
b. areas of sky/sea separated out of the box so that it is easier to see the pieces with more detail on them
c. concentration on a particular area of the picture
3) You watch your efforts bearing fruit and feel pretty pleased with yourself when the puzzle is complete – again a much better feeling of satisfaction/achievement than watching some dull reality TV.
4) You can determine your level of challenge according to the time you are prepared to commit, puzzles for example can be 500 pieces if you want a few hours of entertainment or a 1,000 pieces if you want more of a stretch and have more time available.
5) You can choose your theme to ensure your commitment; my preference is for puzzles of trains or planes or cars for example.
6) The whole family can join in if you are prepared to share your entertainment
7) If you want a serious challenge, why not consider a Wasgij, (this is a type of puzzle where the picture on the box is only a guide or an approximation of the picture you will be completing) or an impossipuzzle (pictures of baked beans or peas for example).
8) Jigsaw puzzles are cheap – a very limited investment (as little as £1 or less if you buy one in a charity shop) for some good payback. You can make the same puzzle time and time again and it will still demand the same level of attention (not like a book for example).
You do need some space to make a jigsaw and you might not want to lose some valuable table top space but even then a solution is available – you can buy a puzzle portfolio (a bit like an artist portfolio) in which you can build your jigsaw, close up the case when you have finished your session and tuck the portfolio out of the way safe in the knowledge that when you open it back up again you won’t be faced with an avalanche of pieces and the need to start again.
Jigsaw puzzles have resulted in a few expressions that we are used in day to day conversations such as ‘all the pieces fit’, ‘found the missing piece’ and ‘all part of the grand jigsaw’ – can you think of any expressions that have filtered into day to day language care of the Nintendo DS. Educate me if you can.
Finally On the subject of old versus new entertainment, my son has a very close relationship with his Nintendo DS, a relationship I am largely excluded from, but even though he embraces modern technology in a way all youngsters do, he’ll acknowledge that making a jigsaw puzzle or having a good old game of Top Trumps with his dad is good fun too.
Retro escapism still has its place so come on get a jigsaw puzzle on the go or play Top Trumps with a partner and save some electricity, just think what benefits the planet would derive from Wiis, Xboxes and Playstations being switched off for a while all over the country. And what a way to end this soapbox ramble, ‘make a jigsaw puzzle and save the planet’ – could even be a new Greenpeace slogan perhaps.
Back to Observations Home
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