puzzles

First, let’s talk about what makes a good puzzle and what makes a bad puzzle.  A good puzzle must have 2 things to fall into the “good” category: It must have pieces that are neither too thick not too thin so that they interlock nicely and then stay interlocked as you slide them across the floor or table. Pieces that are too thick make for clunky interlocking; you don’t want to have to exert force when doing a jigsaw puzzle. If the pieces are too thin, then they won’t stay put after you’ve put them together.  Second, the pieces must be cut well. There should be no pieces that are cut the same as another (or worse, as 1/2 the puzzle). Each should have a unique cut so that when it’s put together you know that the piece is right — not just because the picture matches up, but because it fits snugly into place.  Which leads to the third criteria: The puzzle should be cut in a way that the picture can be made. In other words (and this just applies to kid puzzles, whereas the first two criteria apply to all puzzles), the puzzle should be cut so