Happy Thanksgiving

[Carter-Johnson]

4.5 x 6.5 inches, 50 pieces, cut along color lines of pumpkins and gourds. It took my wife a full 15 minutes to put together - with a picture. One more to cut. Hope it gives you some ideas.

I'm done with Christmas card puzzles: 98 cut plus one mounted but uncut. I finished the last one just as the cards for 2012 arrived.

Carter

[Dee Rogers]

Hi Carter,
Very very nice, I think there should always be a no picture rule.

[wood-n-things]

Nicely done.

[Carter-Johnson]

Dee, you and I disagree. My puzzles are always cut for families, and those may include small children. A six-year-old, in my opinion, will be much more captivated when there is a small photo of the picture before cutting as a guide. The nicest compliments I have received are those from families whose children were entertained by my puzzles for an evening where they would otherwise have been engrossed in TV or video games.

C

[marshall]

Carter long time since I've seen your work - still see your have the touch , like it MB

[sawdustus]

Nice job as usual Carter. I agree with you about the picture. Thanks for sharing your latest creation even if it took your wife less time to solve it that it took you to cut it.

george

[tdub4ever]

Very nice. I want to give puzzle cutting a try, I have but they didn't turn out very well! So I stick with what i do best. Think maybe Dee is talking about showing us the back of the puzzle with no picture? Don

[avapilot]

fun puzzle and lots of butterfly cuts.....I feel,that including pictures with puzzles engages more people....so on most of my puzzles I include a picture....great job

bob

[3_M]

Great job like always, Carter.
My grand kids just love them.
FD Mike

[Dee Rogers]

Hi Carter,
We can agree to disagree and still be friends, we do not as a rule cut puzzles for children, but we definitely cut for families. Our customers love the idea that there is no picture, every piece placed has them guessing what the puzzle could be. Never underestimate the ability of a child; I once saw an eight year old boy put together a trick puzzle that a room full of adults could not figure out, he had no picture, and as he put it together the crowd gathered around him cheering him on. He finished it in record time, to the applause of the room, he was very proud, and enjoyed the praise before heading off to the pool.
I don’t believe a puzzle has to be finished in one sitting. When my two youngest children were in the third and fourth grade my husband started reading to them the lord of the rings, he would read a chapter and then one of them would read a chapter. Every night they looked forward to this time together. I believe a great wooden puzzle can do the same thing. We have customers who have been working on The OZ puzzle for about two years, they don’t want a picture or a clue, and they enjoy the challenge! True story.

[Carter-Johnson]

Dee, the principal reason I responded to your advocacy of not having a picture is that you stated that there "should be a rule". Who's rule?

By including a small picture (3" x 4") in the puzzle bag, I give assemblers the option of using it or not. I firmly believe that they'll do it their way and I have folks who borrow my puzzles who don't use it. The choice to do so, I believe, should be theirs, not mine, and not the result of a "rule".

C

[Dee Rogers]

Hi Carter,
As I go back and reread what I wrote; “I think there should always be a no picture rule. " I realize what I meant to be light hearted (referring to your wife doing your puzzle it in 15 minutes) sounds a little bossy, that was not my intent. I should have said... I do not add a picture because I find.....
All though I think it is Ok to have "rules" it's what governs us. I have rules when I cut a puzzle, It is a rule I would not sell a puzzle that did not firmly hold together when you pick it up, or when I finish the back of a puzzle I minwax it twice, it's just my rule, it is what people can expect from me.
I was taught that fine wooden jigsaw puzzle makers from the past did not add a picture and modern makers do not add a picture because it's tradition. It becomes their rule.
To give your customers a choice is your rule.
I concede there is no right or wrong answer about this matter, it is the choice of the puzzle maker and if it sounded like I was trying to force something upon you,again i'm sorry, It was not my intent.
Any way I really like your pumpkin, gourd puzzle, I should have just left it at that!
Dee

[Bob Coltharp]

While I prefer to give no picture I agree that some children and adults enjoy working puzzles more if they know what they are solving. If asked I give will give a picture since my real interest is getting them to work it. As you are aware some people work the puzzles and then frame them. I know this is suppose to be a compliment but I would rather it disassembled for others to solve. As they say this is why they have Ford and Chevys.
Bob

[Carter-Johnson]

Bob...I had two cases that were like the folks who wanted to mount one of your puzzles.

One I gave a card-sized puzzle to and she came back and said "It comes apart. I can't mount it on the wall. She was in her 70's and I don't think she knew what a jigsaw puzzle was. Anyway, I had one that was uncut and gave it to her.

Another I had send Christmas card puzzles to for two years and she said "We like them so much we can't bear to take them apart so we glue then to cardboard and mount them on the wall. I told her to take it apart and assemble it or they just wouldn't be getting any more. I think they've reformed.

C