The 5th Puzzle And A Guzzle: 1960s Games

 THE PUZZLE AND THE GUZZLE:

A craft beer here. Rudie India Pale Ale.

The Guzzler found this a pleasant jigsaw to construct up to a point. And that point was when he saw what remains to this day THE SCARIEST JIGSAW PIECE HE HAS EVER SEEN.

Given that the subject matter of this jigsaw is 1960s Children's Games, it's even more scary. The Guzzler thinks they must have made kids tougher back then. Any games company trying to flog this sort of business to kids today would receive short shrift. Possibly legal action.

Here is the offending piece in context:

Kuryakin from the Man From U.N.C.L.E. Not the most flattering rendition of his visage.

Horror aside, The Guzzler found this puzzle a breath of fresh air when compared to the map-based challenges he'd set himself recently.

Here's a few shots of the jigsaw under construction.

Ahhh, a teddy bear.

A not quite so cuddly deadly Dalek...

And the first bit The Guzzler finished - Twister.

The Guzzler enjoyed his craft ale, but remains haunted by that piece.

Yes, that piece.

Here's the finished puzzle:

JIGSAW ENJOYABILITY: 7
Would have been an 8, bar for that horrific piece.

JIGSAW TRICKINESS: 4
Super varied pieces when compared to previous maps.

Sleep well.

The 2nd Puzzle And A Guzzle: The Snowman's Gift.

THE STORY OF THE SNOWMAN'S GIFT JIGSAW PUZZLE

In association with

This festive puzzle appeared in early January, post-festive season. The scant supply of alcohol that had been purchased for Christmas had long been drained. So new supplies had to be purloined for the task. What with it being January, the month in which alcohol consumption is most frowned upon, it was thought prudent to purchase smaller cans. Six of them.

There were serious doubts that such a fiendish looking snow-filled, sky-filled 1000 piecer could be completed before the onset of festivities for the following Christmas, especially as the puzzle sessions were to be fuelled by these little tinny beauties of Heineken, the beer that used to refresh the places other beers cannot reach. Until saying such unsubstantiated statements was outlawed.

Any attempts to crack the reindeers early doors were soon abandoned. It was neigh on impossible to tell Blitzen from Shitzen and the other fellas from Rudolph. However, Santa and his sleigh provided a good start point with enough different wrapping paper colours to piece er... the pieces together before frustration set in and the pieces were returned to their box in disgust.

The line of nosey animals in the foreground came together slowly and piecemeal. So many spindly legs in snow to contend with. Who could tell a horse's leg from a foxes from a doe's? Not I , especially with Heineken inside.

The strip of orange sky proved easier than anticipated, completion greeted by the cracking open can five of six.

The last beast to be completed turned out to be the goose, its white neck so snow white it looked like snow.

The Huzzah with Heineken! Completion came in good time, well afore the following year's festivities were on the horizon.

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT: The discovery of a missing piece in the dishwasher. Yes, the dishwasher.

As the jigsaw was being formed on the kitchen island, it was oft used as a makeshift surface for crockery and cutlery. The only feasible explanation is that the piece became affixed to the moist underside of a mug of tea and transported to said dishwasher, where it received a thorough clean, totally wiping the image from the surface. A minor flesh wound betwixt one of Santa's reindeer's legs that you can hardly see. As you can see. Ahem...






JIGSAW ENJOYABILITY: 4 
The picture seemed slightly blurred. Or was that the effects of the alcohol?

JIGSAW TRICKINESS: 7 
A lot of snow and sky to contend with.

JIGSAW MONEY SHOTS: