Jigsaw Puzzles With an Added Twist

 

Many commercially available cardboard jigsaw puzzles come with additional things to do with them besides assembling the puzzle.  Most of them are aimed at individuals who just hate taking puzzles apart after spending so many hours piecing them together, while others involve knowing trivia or solving crosswords prior to assembling the puzzle.  Solve-the-mystery type puzzles are mentioned elsewhere so are deliberately excluded here.

 

This list is in a very beginning stage and I am quite certain it is nowhere near complete.  I will be updating the list as time permits.  Please contact me if you have additional titles/details.  Types of puzzles I plan to include:  Puzzle Plus, quiz jigsaws, contest jigsaws, hidden object puzzles, Stereograms (a.k.a. Wallpaper effect, Autostereogram, deep vision, 3D illusion), secret message, secret image, and jigsaw puzzle games.  I am deliberately excluding online, electronic, or computer puzzles.

 

Due to the rapid growth of this page, children’s puzzles have been moved to a separate page.

 

* = I have a copy of the puzzle in my collection and can answer questions about it.

 

 

American Publishing Co.

*Wizards Lair, The – by Greg Hildebrandt,1983 – 1000 pieces, 23 x 29” – find 15 objects hidden in picture

 

Bamberger, L. & Co.

Contest Set – 1932 – set of 4 wood puzzles, each 5½ x 7Ύ”, approximately 75 pieces, including figural pieces.  Artwork by Arthur Birch.

 

bePuzzled – see also separate listing of bePuzzled Mystery Jigsaw Puzzles

Impossibles – 750 pieces + 5 extra pieces – 24 x 24” – borderless jigsaw – repetitive image makes it harder to tell which end is up.  Solutions are available for most, but not all of them at this page.

  9 Lives – 1998 – find the mitten hidden in the picture

  Bearfoot in the Park – 1996 – hidden honey pot

  Book Smart – 1998 – find the diploma hidden in the bookshelves

  Born to be Wild – 1997 – find the pacifier and 5 other hidden images

  Butterfly Kisses – can you find the "red lips" hidden in the floral scene?

  Car Pool – 1996 – find the hidden chalk in the pool cues and cars

*Cat & Mouse – 1994 – locate hidden mouse

  Chow Bella – hidden image of the Mona Lisa

  Cow Country – The hidden map will tell you where "Cow Country" is

  Euphoria – find the hidden piggy bank

  Fish & Chips – 1994 – find three microchips hidden among the goldfish

  Flower Child – by Anne Geddes, 1995 – find the peace sign hidden in the daisies

*Fourteen Carrot – 1995 – find 14 karat gold carrots among the gems

  Great Wall of China – 1994 – find the Great Wall of China hidden among the china plates

  Heaven on Earth – 1994 – find Mother Earth hidden among the angels

  Hoo’s on First – 1995 – find the “Baby Ruth” bar image nestled in the “woods”

  Hook Line & Sinker – 1996 – find the Titanic hidden in the fishing gear

  Lost in the Woods – 1994 – find 5 golf balls hidden in picture

  Morning Buzz – find 3 bees hidden in picture

  Potty Training – by Anne Geddes, 1995 – track down the choo-choo train hidden in the flower pots

  Raining Cats & Dogs – 1996 – locate 2 hidden cats

*Return to Sender – 1995 – locate blue suede shoes hidden in picture

  Rock-A-Bye Baby – by Anne Geddes, 1996 – find the cradle in the field of hydrangeas

  Roses Are Red – 1997 – find the hidden sugar and sugar bowl

  Something Fishy – 1999 – find the hidden kitten

  Stroke of Luck – hidden four-leaf clover

  Take a Coffee Break – 1997 – find the alarm clock hidden in the beans

  Tee-Time – 5 hidden images

  Tick Talk – locate tiger phone and Big Ben

  Tis the Season – 1997 – hidden present

  When Pigs Fly – 1995 – find 3 airplanes hidden among the pigs

 

Bits & Pieces

 

 29 Stories – by Merry Kohn, approx. 1992 – 1500 pieces, 24 x 33” – with 29 Sherlock Holmes Mystery stories to find and name.  Puzzle title refers to the approximate height of Big Ben.

 

Butterfly Bounty – by Fred Szatkowski, 2006 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – issued as part of a contest, with no solution provided.  Solution was later provided on company website.  Find over 50 butterflies.

 

Cat Conundrum – by Geoffrey Tristram, 2005 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – issued as part of a contest, with no solution provided.   Solution was later provided on company website.  Find 40 items, phrases or symbols that start with C-A-T, then solve the cryptogram.

 

Catchphrases – 2001? – 1000 pieces, 29 x 27” – issued as part of a contest, with no solution provided.  Solution was later provided on company website for a short time & then removed.

 

D.L. “Rusty” Rust puzzles – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27”  – Assemble the jigsaw, study the scene and try to find answer to puzzles within each jigsaw.  Issued as part of a contest, with no solution provided – later copies included the solution.

1.  *Who's At Fault (1997) – unjumble all the misspelled words in the picture, place them in correct order and form a sentence to find out who's at fault.

2.    What’s Wrong At Rusty's Diner (1997) – find mistakes intentionally added to the picture.

 

Gale Pitt puzzles

Alphabet Farm – by Gale Pitt – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – find one item for every letter of the alphabet – $1000 contest puzzle

Alphabet Jungle – by Gale Pitt – 1000 pieces, find an animal (including insects) to represent each letter of the alphabet (except for X, that’s an item)

Catchphrases Past and Present – by Gale Pitt – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – find the 31 catchphrases – $1000 contest puzzle

Christmas Market – by Gale Pitt – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – find ten different items for every letter of the alphabet.

Seaside Market – by Gale Pitt – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – find one item for every letter of the alphabet – $1000 contest puzzle

 

*Human Zoo, The – by Mark Mazut – 1500 pieces, 24 x 38” – #03-0429 – no date – locate 50 human types best described in animal terms – e.g., fat cat, bookworm.

 

Kitchen Chaos – 2005 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – find 40 things that are not quite right.  Issued as part of a contest, with no solution provided. 

 

*Old Swiss Mill, The – 308 wood pieces, 16½ x 13” – 12 hidden images (no date).

 

Reflections – 2003 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – find 50 items in the picture.  Issued as part of a contest, with no solution provided.  Solution was later provided on company website for short time and then removed.

 

            Steven Michael Gardner puzzles

Bear River – by Steven Michael Gardner, 2002 – 500 pieces, 20 x 27” – Find the 14 grizzly bears – solution enclosed.

Cougar Cliffs – by Steven Michael Gardner – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – find the 9 hidden cougars

Eagle Valley – by Steven Michael Gardner – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – find the nine majestic birds – solution enclosed.

Just Humming Around – by Steven Michael Gardner, 2002 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – how many hummingbirds can you find?  Originally issued as part of a contest with no solution provided – later copies included the solution.

Valley of the Wolves – by Steven Michael Gardner – 1000 pieces, 27½ x 32½” – find the seven hidden wolves

Wolves at Dawn – by Steven Michael Gardner, 2002 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – find the 17 wolves – solution enclosed.

 

T.E. Breitenbach puzzles – 1500 pieces, 24 x 33”

  Catchpenny – by T.E. Breitenbach – locate over 100 fairy tales – solution enclosed (also issued by SunsOut)

  Eats – by T.E. Breitenbach – search for 169 recipe and food terms – solution enclosed

  HouseCalls – by T.E. Breitenbach – find 170 houses and homes – solution enclosed

*Kingdom Quest – find 31 hidden objects

  Proverbidioms – by T.E. Breitenbach – locate over 300 proverbs and idioms – solution on box bottom (also issued by SunsOut)

  SportTease – by T.E. Breitenbach – find 200 sport terms – solution enclosed (also issued by SunsOut)

 

Blue Opal (Australia) – see University Games

 

Briarpatch – see also children’s puzzles

            I Spy Adult Puzzles

I Spy – Bulletin Board – 1000 pieces – 19 x 26”

I Spy – Crafts – 500 pieces, 14 x 18”

I Spy – Flight of Fancy – 500 pieces, 13 x 19”

I Spy – Marbles – 500 pieces, 13 x 19”

I Spy – Marbles – 1000 pieces – 19 x 26”

I Spy – Mirror Maze – 500 pieces, 13 x 19”

           

Look-Alikes Adult Puzzles – 500 pieces, 14 x 18”

General Store by Joan Steiner – find 152 everyday objects

Soda Shop by Joan Steiner – find 88 everyday objects

 

Buffalo Games

 

Art Fraud series – 1026 pieces, 27 x 20”

            Mona Lisa

            The Luncheon of the Boating Party

 

Judy Larson Puzzles – 1000 pieces,  27 x 20” – 2004?

            Child’s Play – by Judy Larson – look closely to find the children playing among the wolves

Crow Ponies – by Judy Larson – find the 3 swirling crows among the ponies

Paws and Reflect – by Judy Larson

Protestors, The – by Judy Larson – find 3 men on horseback hidden in the picture

Silent Spring – by Judy Larson – 4 cubs are hidden in the picture

With Freedom for All – by Judy Larson

 

Lost in a Jigsaw series

*Lover’s Labyrinth – 1988 – 2 sided – there are millions of different ways to put the 36 pieces of the puzzle together – solution not included

I.  *Escape from Eden – 1997 – copyright Don Scott & Associates – 515 pieces, diagonal cut – 19½ x 17½” includes instruction sheet with rules, hints, and solution

II. Survival of the Fittest – 2001 – 515 pieces, diagonal cut – 18½ x 17½” – solution

 

Quiz Jigsaws – see also Crystal Lines (International) – 252 pieces, 18Ύ x 24” – any piece will fit with any other – match pieces by connecting the trivia with the correct answer – use the background image to match up the pieces to form a scene.

  What Animal is That? – solution

  What Movie is That? – solution

  What Riddle is That? – 1999

*What TV Show is That?  Copyright by Crystal Lines (International) P/L, Australia, 1998

              What Word is That? – solution

  Where in the World is That?

  Which Golfer Did That? – solution

  Which Sports Star Is That? – solution

  Who Said That? – solution

  Who Sang That?

 

Talking Jigsaw Puzzles – 2 sided, 560 pieces, 21 x 15”

            (The creator of this series, Don Scott, maintains a Talking Jigsaw Yahoo discussion group for questions/comments)

(If you like puzzles in this series – check out the new talking puzzle series from BV Leisure)

City Hall

The Beach

The Fitness Center

The High School – 1993

The Hospital – 1991

The Office Building – 1991

Elvis’ Heartbreak Hotel – this was the only 1000 piece puzzle made in this series

 

Where’s Elvis? – 1993 – 515 pieces, 21Ό x 15” – Can you find the King of Rock-and-Roll hidden in the picture?  Also hidden are “Santa Claus, at least 2 former Presidents, the Statue of Liberty, and more”

 

BV Leisure Ltd. (United Kingdom)

Crossword Jigsaw – 550 pieces – double sided jigsaw puzzle – different crossword on each side – 630 clues and answers are included for each crossword

            First Edition (black, white and red box)

            Second Edition (black, white and green box)

 

Map Mysteries – 1000 pieces – contains a mystery location that can only be found when the puzzler uses the included magnifying glass to solve the clues contained on the border of the assembled map

Egypt – solution

The Fountain of Youth – solution

The Lost City of Atlantis – solution

 

Puzzle a Month Jigsaw Calendars – 6 double-sided, 200 piece jigsaws each 226 x 281mm – comes with hanging frame and wall calendar

The Beatles

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Cats

Disney’s Winnie & Friends

MasterPieces II

The Simpsons

 

            Talking Puzzles – new in 2006 – 1000 pieces – style similar to the talking puzzles from Buffalo Games

                        Talking Elvis

 

Ceaco

Alphabet Challenge – by Gale Pitt – 1000 pieces – find 10 items for each letter of the alphabet

1.       Alphabet Car Boot Sale

2.      Zoo with Oddities

3.      Alphabet Island

4.      Victorian Market

5.      English Country life

6.      Alphabet Shop Long

 

Bev Doolittle Puzzles

            The Earth is My Mother – 750 pieces, 22 x 22” – hidden images

 

Dream Angels – by Cynthia Hart, 1995 – 577 pieces, ultra thick corkboard pieces – find the 34 piece star hidden in the puzzle

 

Growing Concern, A – 1992 – 530 pieces, 23 x 29” with irregular shape border and custom cut out pieces – #1015 – there are 13 letters hidden in the puzzle, find them and unscramble the secret message.  Also included is an educational key identifying 53 endangered species and their country of origin (distributed in Canada by Playtoy Industries)

 

I Spy – Clown Dressing Room – 550 pieces, 18 x 24” – #2131

 

Joan Steiner’s Can You Find series – 1000 pieces, 27 x 20” – solution on box bottom

            *Elves’ Workshop – 2005 – #33163 – locate 168 objects that fool the eye

  Grandma’s Kitchen

*Hotel Lobby – 2005 – #33165 – locate 120 objects that fool the eye

  Juanita’s Bodega

  Look-Alike City – 2006 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – find 207 items hidden in the picture

  Park & Zoo – 2006 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – locate 176 items hidden in the picture

*Sweet Shop – 2005 – #33166 – locate 116 objects that fool the eye

Trump’s General Store – 2005 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – locate 116 hidden items 

Trump’s General Store, “Where Things are Never What They Seem” – 1987 – #3006 – locate over 150 items hidden in picture

 

Magic Eye 3D Illusions – complete the puzzle, learn the 'deep vision' technique (really easy- just look at the puzzle from a few inches away) and the 3D image will appear.

Butterflies – 1993 – 550 pieces, 18 x 24” (light green box – star image will appear)

Flower – 550 pieces (blue box)

Football – 1995 – 550 pieces, 18 x 24” (green box)

Hummingbirds – 1993 – 100 pieces, 11 x 15”

Kangaroos – 1997 – 550 pieces, 18 x 24” – #2200-4 (orange box)

Magic Hat – 1994 – 100 pieces, 11 x 15” (blue box)

Pegasus – 1994 – 100 pieces, 11 x 15” – #1723-5

Rabbit – 550 pieces, 18 x 24” (yellow box)

Space and Planets – 1993 – 550 pieces, 18 x 24” – #2200-2 (light blue box – space shuttle will appear)

untitled – 550 pieces, 18 x 29” (red box – geometric maze image will appear)

 

Silhouette Jigsaw Puzzles

Holiday Traditions – by Jane Wooster Scott – 530 pieces, 23 x 29” – find the 34 piece Christmas Tree hidden in the picture

The 12:09 – on time again! – 528 pieces, 23 x 29” – find the 10 hidden railroad cars

 Wet Your Whistle and Warm Your Toes – by Jane Wooster Scott – 530 pieces, 23 x 29” – find the 18 ice skaters hidden in the picture

 

            No series designation – 1000 pieces, 23 x 29”

…And Away We Go! – find the 166 airports represented by their baggage claim codes

  Food for Thought – find the hidden objects listed

*Patch Match – 1988 – #3018 – quilt shown is made of 30 squares that can be matched into 15 pairs

  Seashore Shenanigans – by Jane Wooster Scott, 1992 – #1013 – locate hot air balloon hidden in picture

  Val’s Variety – by Joan Steiner and Walter Wick – no date, #3022 – locate 100 common items hidden in picture

 

No series designation – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27”

  Eggs-Tra Special – only 2 eggs are identical – can you figure out which ones?

 

Wordamajig – 1995 – set includes 200 piece jigsaw and 4 crossword puzzles.  Find the answers to the crossword clues in the jigsaw puzzle

 

 

Cheatwell Games (United Kingdom)

            3-D Jigsaw

Virtual Impossibility – 768 pieces

 

Colgate-Palmolive Co.

Colgate Mystery Mountain Puzzle – 1981 – 100 pieces – help Colgate’s Happy Tooth find the 19 hidden plaque monsters.  Comes in a round cardboard canister.  Appears to have been a mail-in offer - mailing label on side of canister.

 

Crown and Andrews

Alphabet Garden – by Gale Pitt – 1000 pieces, 19 x 27” – find 10 items for each letter of the alphabet

Alphabet Island – by Gale Pitt – 1000 pieces, 19 x 27”

Alphabet Shop – by Gale Pitt – 1000 pieces, 19 x 27” – find items for each letter of the alphabet – also issued in a 48 piece version by SunsOut and a 100 piece version.

Raining Cats and Dogs – by Gale Pitt – 1000 pieces, 19 x 27” – Count the number of dogs and cats – can you name each species shown?  (Also issued by Great American Puzzle Factory.)

 

Crystal Lines (International) P/L, Australia – see also Buffalo Games

*Who Said That? 1994 – 504 pieces – match each famous quote with whoever said it to complete the overall design – contains giant poster with all the answers.

 

Falcon Puzzles (United Kingdom)

Scrabble Jigsaw Puzzles – 625 pieces, 45 x 45 cm – complete the jigsaw then solve the scrabble word puzzle on the surface.

1.       Double Trouble

2.      The End of the Game

 

Tom du Bois puzzles – 1000 pieces, 68 x 49 cm – each contains hidden images

1.       Snow White – 2003

2.      Pinocchio – 2003

3.      Cinderella – 2003

4.      Alice in Wonderland – 2004

 

Fink & Company

*Curiosity Shop, The – 1997 – 1000 pieces – 22Ύ x 22Ύ” – count the mistakes in the picture – also issued by Hallmark Springbok in 1988 in their Puzzle Plus series.

 

Game Makers, Inc.

Jig Chase – 1930s – set of 4 cardboard puzzles, each 2½ x 23Ό”, approximately 30 pieces – pieces create a race track – contains instructions for speed contest for four players.