Get Jiggy With It - Virtual Puzzle Pandemonium


They've been around for a while, jigsaw puzzles that is, since the 17th Century in fact. I reckon there is nothing more frustrating and fun, challenging and rewarding nor consuming and relaxing as completing a humble puzzle.

It's oddly addictive; you can't just fit one piece and walk away to feed the cat. I don't have a cat but if I did, it would be starving by now because like thousands of others around the world at the moment, we are 'puzzle people'. There's something intensely therapeutic about persisting with such a simple yet complex situation. It's an outcome we should be able to control (unless your cat eats a piece) and that gives one a sense of tenacious purpose; to finish it, for me at least. For others it might be the absolute joy of recreating something so utterly pretty and spectacular.

Perhaps that's why so many confined to their homes right now are dragging out old favourites and spending more money than they would on an overseas trip on phenomenal 3D jigsaws, the ones of fantastical fictional lands and exotic ancient cities. We're only human - we need to escape. Jigsaws, like great stories can help you do that.

Click on the above image to 'take off' with this Pippa puzzle

Now of course our passion for puzzles and public well-being can be satisfied with the advent of online virtual puzzles.There are literally more online puzzle sites and apps than there are pieces in a 100 tiled jigsaw box. Nearly all will have you jigging and sliding pieces around like your life depended on it. So. Much. Fun.

So... to give you even more reasons to puzzle your way through life, I've knocked up over a dozen virtual online puzzles for you to play! All are based on my stories featuring book covers, illustrations and images that relate to my picture books, junior novels, digi narratives and short stories.

Click on the image above to complete this jigsaw of Flick beneath the beech woods

You can make them as difficult or as easy as you like simply by choosing the number of pieces you want to play with, which makes this online activity terrific for anyone who can move a mouse or slide their finger across the screen of any device. It's perfect for five year-olds to 100-year-olds. And is not as easy as you think...I took nearly 30 minutes to complete one of my own story book covers! Hmm... a little more practice required maybe. But that's ok because...
I love puzzles!

You'll find an evolving list of my jigsaw creations on my website's Virtual Jigsaw Puzzles page.

My puzzle-making passion was inspired by the uber crafty and clever, Tania McCartney after I completed a couple of her own kids' book puzzle creations. Why not try to create your own jigsaw masterpiece; you just need to upload a favourite image and your away. Viva creativity!

Comments

Norah Colvin said…
I knew I shouldn't have clicked on Pippa's puzzle, Dimity. Once I started, I had to keep going until I finished. What a lot of fun. I love puzzles too. They are great to do on your own or together, and a great way to develop patience and mindfulness, important attributes, especially in these changing times.
I'd previously looked for an online puzzle creator with which to make puzzles for my own website but hadn't found one. I'm very excited you've shown me this one. Thank you. I think I'm as excited as the crowd who cheered me for completing Pippa's puzzle.
I have a jigsaw puzzle app that I use on my iPad. They have a free daily puzzle which I MUST complete every day. If I don't, I don't feel complete. :)
16 April 2020 at 21:36
DimbutNice said…
LOL, too funny, Norah. I'm exactly the same. Did my Holyrood Lane one today and kept saying to myself, 'this is so hard!'. I LOVE it. And yes, I can recommend this site. Super easy and intuitive to manage. I really like the puzzles' adaptability too. Not all sites offer this or the option of creating your own. The only thing is your uploaded image must be jpeg with an URL link so that the program creator recognises it. This would work well and easily for ReadiLearn. :-)
16 April 2020 at 22:15
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