Ah. Well maybe. I have given up on a really difficult puzzle. I was not engaged w the picture and got bored. I would have got about a fifth of it done before giving up.
My mother has dementia and no longer knows me or my siblings. When I was growing up, she loved jigsaw puzzles, as do I. So when I visit her now, I usually work a few with her. It is a struggle for her and we usually only do 50-100 piece puzzles, but it is very enjoyable for us both and she sees me as a good "friend." Thank you for this video. I plan to share it with my siblings.
The largest portion of the human brain is cholesterol. Increase cholesterol in the diet and continue doing the puzzles. Watch the transformation. Soft boiled eggs
@@radleyrayne287 I did not know about these - thank you so much for telling me/us! I have an older friend with mid-stage dementia and, incredibly, she still does 1,000 pc puzzles, and just loves them. But there will come a day ...
Music is also great for people with dementia. Play music that your mom liked when she was an older teen/younger adult, then music from when she became a mother/when you were a little girl, and a teen . I did this with my husband's grandfather and he would perk up and talk to us, mostly of the past, and most of the time he remembered who we were. It was such a joy to see him smile and talk. 😊
Aww sorry to hear this but I do see the joy in the situation. What about a custom puzzle of her holding you as a baby or childhood picture puzzles with you both in in ? Maybe look into companies ❤️ stay strong wish you the best
That feeling when you swiftly connect a piece straight out of the box. Not trying to figure out where it fits, no trial-and-error. Just one smooth motion from the box to the exact place it connects to, almost like it's automatic. I live for that feeling.
I do 1000 piece puzzles of impressionist paintings. That's not my experience with selecting the correct piece. I build the perimeter first and then separate by color only. A couple of hours or so every night. Good luck.
@@afveteran Cheers! The thing I'm describing is more of a random thing that happens every now and then over the course of a puzzle, rather than a strategy. I wish I could do it on demand, but then again maybe it wouldn't be so special if that were the case. Have fun!
I have lesions all over my brain, I read the book Why Isn't my Brain Working and later took the online class. In the class, you test for the areas that aren't working and then they give you ideas on how to strenth your areas that aren't working as well. My area called for puzzles of any kind so now I have a puzzle on my kitchen table. Everyone loves to help.
Reading, dancing, playing cards, making puzzles, filling out quiz books, crossword puzzling... I did it all. Even during exams 3000 pieces, during my divorce 1000 pieces, giving as birthday presents 850 pieces. I will start one right now ❣️ thank you so very much ❣️
I have enjoyed jigsaw puzzles all of my life (in my 60's). I find the corners and straight pieces first and then riffle through the box over and over again until I find the other appropriate pieces. It is very relaxing. This is not about finishing the puzzle as fast as you can. It is about the journey, not the destination...
Very true. Sometimes I don't want to finish a puzzle because of exactly what you said, it's the journey. When I get close to finishing a puzzle, I try to have another one ready to start.
Keeping the pieces in the box seems foreign to me. Like you, step 1 is doing the edges, but step 0 is getting _all_ the pieces on the table and face up. I'm not sure how I'd ever manage if I couldn't see them all at once.
Though puzzles may not be productive they are a better use of time than scrolling. I’ve found them as a transitioning tool back to the type of focus and concentration I had when I was a child. That, and reading a physical book for 30 minutes at a time. It’s amazing what we can remember from reading for half an hour and discuss or reflect on it than scrolling for the equivalent time and recollect the smallest fraction. The book is always better than the movie!
For me there is no "the way" to start, I often sort the patterns. Like gras or leaves or frog. They might all be greenish, but it's the pattern that catches my eye. 1k puzzle usually takes between 6-9hours. The hardest puzzle I ever did was an 'impossible puzzle' 1000 pieces minions from 'despicable me'. It took weeks and I had to sort them by shape and mostly did trial and error.
Do any of you puzzle glue your puzzles when you’re done?? I have one that I’ve glued, framed, and hung. I love it. The next one I’ll frame is a Jesus with the Children puzzle. I need to give myself time to do puzzles. I get hyper focused on tasks though so it’s hard for me to do life and mom lol
Years ago,when I was having anxiety attacks, a nurse recommended jigsaw puzzles for that very reason. You are focused on solving this very small thing.
@@barbaraharrison7949 it really makes sense. I guess you could even consider doing puzzles as a form of meditation. Meditation because it brings your mind to a singular task rather than jumping all over the place!
I love doing puzzles with others too. we talk, laugh, eat/drink tea, etc. it is a good time. my young grandsons and i do them together also. they always tell me they had fun! it is a sense of accomplishment, working together toward a common goal, etc.
I'm picky about the pictures of my puzzles. They need to have a lot of variety for me, not just one white sailboat in one big blue ocean. After watching this video, I decided to push my computer aside and make room on my desk for a puzzle again. I find that they help me make sense of my world. It's as if all the disjointed pieces of my days finally fit together to make a coherent whole. Thanks for reminding me.
Yes! I feel the same way. Putting jigsaw puzzles together is like putting my briain in the right order. I function better, put pieces of my life together better, after doing puzzles. And I too prefer them with blocks of color.
When my brain has become so cluttered up and I can’t think straight anymore I go to my puzzles. It’s so relaxing and my brain can function again. I’m addicted!
Good to know. I'm a senior, and like doing jigsaw puzzles, reading and playing solitaire. I also write stories and poetry, and I paint and sew, etc. Glad to know that all of it helps me keep my brain working.
Jigsaw puzzles are amazing. I always loved them but they also helped me a lot when I was having panic attacks. Whenever I would feel a panic or anxiety attack coming i would get to my puzzle and just work on it for some 30 minutes until I knew I was calm, relaxed and not going to fall into a panic/anxiety attack as I stop. Now I have stacks of puzzle boxes and work on them rotating or exchange them with other people if one became too easy.
Agree 100 per cent. I have complex PTSD and find that at difficult times If I work on a puzzle it helps enormously to calm me. When I am concentrating on finding shape and color etc I am unable to think about what is otherwise trying to upset my brain!
Why I do jigsaw puzzles my my in-person classroom! The kids love them. I usually put them into small groups of three or four students and reward the team who gets it done first. As the students are doing the puzzles, I am giving hints: "look for colors or patterns in the pieces, that go together." "Ask your colors that you need, from your partners. It's all about teamwork." I still love puzzles as an as a 45 yr. adult. It keeps my brain working better.
I think what is also going on constantly throughout putting the puzzle together is the mind is also keeping the completed picture in focus; a focus on the "whole" and how a particular piece fits into the "whole." It also forces you to examine the negative space, as well as the positive space. I sort the edges first - any piece with a straight edge gets sorted into its side of the puzzle, and of course the corners are easy to find. Solving puzzles can be very relaxing and satisfying.
Puzzling is my main hobby. People always think I am weird for it. But it's so much more intellectually interesting than other hobbies. Even reading doesn't compare imo
I've recently taken it up after retiring Love it though it is taking me away from catching up on reading! Word games are helpful to the brain too, I believe. When I'm done I share them with others or take them to the thrift store
The Dollar Tree has jigsaw puzzles of 100 (kid's), 300, 350. & 500 pieces for adults. These are actually very good quality for a dollar a piece. I buy 5 at a time to work with my elderly mom who has memory issues. Sure beats $20 for 1 puzzle!
Thrift stores are also great sources for puzzles. I generally pay $1 each for them, and there's a huge range of difficulty, scenes, etc. And it helps support local charities in my town.
I like to do puzzles and listen to my favorite music. I’m singing and working on my puzzle at the same time. I don’t know if that helps my brain or not but I enjoy it.
I work with little kids (ages 4-6) and it's interesting to watch the ones who have NO experience with puzzles. They just shove pieces together, regardless if the image makes sense or not. I have to teach them how to LOOK for colors and shapes that match: "Okay so this part is a person's face, so no I don't think that all green grassy piece goes there. Do you see a part that looks like a face?" And they're offended like, "But it FITS there."
@@sabrinajolly3485 You're not lucky -- what you are is a good treacher and a good parent. Good results don't happen through luck, they happen through intention, patience, application, and love.
I have been doing puzzles for decades starting with my grandma n still doing them at 70. I've always enjoyed them. However I never knew the benefits of doing them until I saw this video. I always felt relaxed n accomplished when completing one. I also do word search puzzles.Thank you for your video.
My friend gifted me a puzzle for my birthday, I've been fighting depression for a while now and at the beginning I found it really stressing,but then I changed my mind about it and finally finished it.
I always loved Jigsaw puzzles. I never look at the box, just examine each piece. When I was a kid - I had a box with 4 puzzles of different fairy-tales. They became too easy for me, so I would pour them all out and solve them simultaneously. When I see my kids play - I usually just watch them for their safety, I never suggest anything. When my younger daughter was 2 I saw her put away the box, she would play with 48-piece puzzle and mumble "eye! Needs second eye, and mouth... Mouth!". When she was 7 I saw her pour several kids' puzzles on the floor, she then explained to me that she came up with this fun idea! :D
Very much so. My mother was an avid fiber artist, and was constantly designing and putting together very complex quilted items. She did incredibly beautiful work in her lifetime!
Absolutely! My mother was a fabric artist---she disliked the term "quilter" because she created actual art, pictures, with fabric---and she was sharp as a tack right to the end of her life. Her sense of color placement was amazing (I'm an artist myself, but in drawing, not fabric, and learned a lot from her), and she taught classes in fabric arts as well as weaving. She was a Master-class weaver, too, made spectacular rugs, tapestries, fabrics to be cut and sewn into clothing. She was brilliant!
For the first time ever, I gave up on one. It had weird shapes, many of which did not connect just butted up against each other. The edge took forever because there were lots of straight pieces and some parts joined with minuscule edges. My husband and I worked on it for months and it was over half done and still taking forever. I loved the subject matter, an unusual one that was great for me. It was a no name brand sold solely on the subject matter. We were just not enjoying the process though and dreaded working on it. It induced anxiety and and I was just tired of having it in the way.
It's very unsatisfactory when pieces only butt together, sliding around, shifting slightly etc. It's like building an imitation Lego set, where the bits don't connect together so well, it takes you out of the process and steals the enjoyment. Sounds like you maybe made the right choice.
I have given up on three or four puzzles. One was a 3000 piece puzzle of the African plains that had poor color/pattern quality. One was a 1000 piece puzzle of a black cat that had pieces that lied about matching each other (including the edges). Another was a 500 piece puzzle of Noah's ark that skimped both on the thickness of the pieces and the resolution of the digital image it was attempting to portray. I am in the process of a 1000 piece puzzle depicting a self-portrait by M.C. Escher, and the greys might do me in. A partner and I labored for two hours and still have not gotten the edge finished. We might forfeit.
I have put together fifty or so puzzles. Most of them 1k pieces. I gave up on one once as well. I say puzzles are supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable. This one wasn’t. So out it went. No shame in giving up on one that doesn’t meet expectations.
I've never outright given up on a puzzle, but have burned a few in a campfire after completing them. Wasn't going to give those awful puzzles to anyone else!
I just started recently and on my 9th puzzle. I have surprised myself with how I sometimes see a piece and know immediately where it should go. They weren’t obvious pieces, either, where there were a lot of details. I’m thoroughly enjoying puzzling and find it to be a great way to relax.
The satisfaction when pieces come together is something that I can feel with my senses: the touch of the right fit, the sound (might be barely audible, but it's there), and the visual are more than can be described.
I bought my very elderly parents the Lego Christmas Tree this year. My 90 father got it started and my 87yo mother finished it in a week. Probably the first Lego she ever did herself. She birthed 2 x Engineers and we had lots of Lego in the house growing up. She never had time to play with it. When the boys suggested sending a Son to help she said “I have made far more complicated dress patterns!” It was most satisfying that she finished it on Christmas Day.
I started jigsaw puzzles when COVID quarantine started. It made my peace and gave a certain inspiration. I never hurry with it. The longer it takes the more relaxing it is. A 1500-ish took 33 days (ok, on some days I did not even took off the cover), and I felt NO urgency to finish it - until the last night :))))
I spend a lot of time sorting first. Maybe a predominant aspect or colour or person that’s identifiable. Sort colours, body parts etc. Less to sort through each time I search
@Kate Clewes-Garner I do the same as well. They go into separate ziplock bags and will certainly be further sorted as time goes by with more complex puzzles. No reason to be random.
Thanks for that tip! When they tossed all those pieces out in the video, my ADD and anxiety went into overdrive! I have a couple of unopened 100 piece puzzles that maybe now I'll open!
@@sonyamcquarter7702 I couldn’t cope with sifting through ALL of the pieces ALL of the time!! Edges first. Then focus on predominant object/person/subject, then find another
@@hellocatheri I used to be obsessive about doing the side pieces first, but after watching my kindergarteners start wherever catches their interest, I’ve been starting with what appeals to me most. The side pieces eventually get done as the sections come together. Life is short; do what you enjoy first!
THANK YOU for this information! I’m 63 & all my life, being able to remember as well as learning, has been an issue! I will implement your suggestions. I pray it helps!
Doing my first puzzle by myself. It's a 1000 pieces and very strenuous. There are just four colors! It has been two month since I began and I surmise that I'm two-thirds completed. I'm finally seeing a light at the end of this tunnel.
It helps me deal with work and life stress. It boosts my mood and gives me more energy for the next day. It's the only thing I can get lost in for hours and feel accomplished afterwards 😌
LOL! Yes, the elements must be there. My brother keeps difficult puzzles going all the time, which he works with his teenaged daughter. One time he hid just one piece. Of course, she was quite frustrated when she needed that piece. He eventually gave it to her and they had a good laugh over it! They both prank each other all the time.
great video! I took up jigsaw puzzles again after experiencing burnout at work and yes, I found doing puzzles relaxing and meditative. I was also able to recover my mental focus doing puzzles. My partner fears dementia as we age as a relative had alzheimers and so does my mother, so if puzzling helps prevent dementia, that's another bonus. we just purchased 4 new 1000 piece puzzles for winter.
My trick for difficult one look/color areas is to divvy up the pieces into same shapes. Some are just two and are always placed vertical or horizontal and some with as many as 5/6 shapes, then you can narrow what will fit.
I did a Thomas Kinkaid puzzle shaped like a ball. It has its own display stand. So much fun. At my old job, I used to do a lot of signing for the store. I saved the large cardboard sheets to use as bases for my puzzles. I just glue the puzzle to the cardboard, then frame them.
If you want to change "activities" you can simply switch the way how you do the puzzles. Like using your non-dominant hand, doing the puzzle up size down or just start in a different way (if you do the border first, keep it to last, or vice-versa). Of course that you can also change the type of images you use. A photo puzzle is more difficult than a drawing, the extra difficult puzzles, even a wooden puzzle that is quite loose can give you a different challenge.
It is Historia Comica Opus. Do you have any idea what the puzzle at 0:58 is? Someone said it might be Bizzare Town but the picture doesn't quite match... Edit: It is Magical Bookcase, same artist as Bizzare Town.
PA is anonymous and meets in a large but private location where members can work on “the problems” in secret. Hundreds of addicts show up at the monthly gatherings in our jigsaw crazed community. 🧩🧩🧩😁
I don't work on jigsaw puzzles, just not being able to manipulate the pieces (nerve damage in my dominant right upper quadrant), but I very much enjoy the logic games I have on my phone, and the solitaire card games online. My mother was a huge advocate of keeping the brain active and exercised, and she practiced what she preached right up until she slipped into a coma 54 hours prior to her death. She and Dad were both super strong on teaching the four of us to constantly keep the brain in good health by giving it far more than what television and movies offer.
@jb6712 If you’re not able to manipulate the pieces, you may want to think about doing it on your phone or better yet, if you have a tablet, then do it on there. It isn’t 100% like doing physical puzzles, in that you can’t feel the piece, however all the other different aspects still come into play, when doing them. I know personally, I don’t have a place right now to do them physically on a table, so I do it on a tablet. There are literally hundreds of different apps for jigsaw puzzles. You may have to try a few different ones to find the app that you like best. I know I tried something like 20 different ones before finding the one that I loved. Loved enough to pay the 4.99 that it cost to get rid of the ads. It’s free and you can either use their large supply of images or you can use your own photos. There are also a variety of sizes, 13 in all. From 20 pieces to 1400 pieces. So, it can be as easy or as hard as you want, since the pieces get progressively smaller, the more pieces you use to make the puzzle and you can zoom in on the piece. This app is called “Jigsaw Puzzles Animals” by OOO Rhyboo. I use an iPad, so not sure if it is available for Android or not, but if not, there are many choices to choose from. Lol, plus one advantage is you can’t lose any pieces. If you find that you have “lost” one, it will be somewhere under the puzzle itself. Just a suggestion, nothing more.
@@Grannynan Yes, I've been doing them for the last several years. I have a large variety of puzzles here on my laptop--can't really see them on my phone, so do just word and logic games there---and I enjoy the online jigsaws very much.
I am a fanatic puzzler! I don’t even bother with any puzzle under 3000 pieces anymore. I use sorting trays and always start with the edges. My cats love to “be involved” so the trays are nice for storing the pieces when I can’t guard them. And Ravenburgers are the BEST! What’s your favorite brand fellow puzzlers?
Honestly I don't care about the brand as long as I like the picture I recently got a trefl 1500 pieces puzzle with great scenery for 5.99€ and was surprised by the good quality
Two of my cats decided to have a boxing match on my puzzle that l had nearly finished! I couldn't shout at them as they would have scattered it far and wide. Luckily it was quite a tight fitting puzzle and stayed mainly intact as it slid off the table😂😂😂
I put together the Springbok A Merry Old Christmas puzzle over the Holidays. It was challenging but when you find that piece that fits perfectly, it is such a rewarding and satisfying feeling. Sorting, organizing, memory, visual clues and just downright tenacity to finish it, because you have to finish it. It was only my second jigsaw puzzle ever that I have done and I am a bit hesitant to start another as I know it will once again take priority over everything else until it is done. Anyone else like that? AND there is that mystical, magical component when you are struggling with a section(s), you walk away from it for awhile, and when you come back to it the pieces start immediately falling into place, one after another, bam, bam bam!
Yeah, haha, I take breaks and try to limit myself a few hours every other day. I recently finished a 500+ piece puzzle. I now have have this completed 18" x 24" masterpiece as a product of my hard work. Just need a frame for it.
Nancy, good description on the facets of doing a jigsaw puzzle. I must admit it induces a mantra “one more piece “ and next thing you know, it’s almost 2:00am!😬 I absolutely love 1,000 pieces or more!!!
I have always been totally hopeless at jigsaw puzzles. The a few years ago I tried jigsaw puzzles on my phone. Tiny screen but yah I did it, going from the biggest sized to 100 pieces which are pretty small on a phone screen . Now I use an iPad up to 224 pieces and very occasionally the next size. I do it cause it’s fun, challenging and relaxing . Now I hear it’s good for me! Yah
Mine does this as well. We have a "puzzle table" (small card table) set up at all times because my youngest daughter has been obsessed with puzzles since she was 2, so she has one going almost all the time. We have hundreds of them she works through. Our cat, who wants warmth and head scritches, jumps up and sits in front of my daughter atop the puzzle. It's cute but they stick to her little foot pads and then she shakes them off and we're always afraid pieces will go down the heater vent or otherwise be lost under furniture or whatnot. She also moves and shifts the pieces and disassembles them. We have to keep puzzles in progress covered with a large piece of cardboard so that nothing gets messed up or lost since she daily hops on that table many times to sit in the sunny window that it abuts. Such is life with cats.
I have worked jigsaw puzzles since I was a child with my mother and grandmother. I continued working them every winter to enjoy while staying inside. Just finished 3 since the holidays, 2 with 1000 pieces and one with 250-350 (?). The Dollar Tree had the smaller puzzle, and I buy the 100 piece ones for the great grands to work "with me".
@@sophierobinson2738 Me too, I've been puzzling a lot lately. I also have cats, they often sit on my puzzle, sit in the box and i have to cover my puzzle at night to protect it from destruction lol!
I do crosswords, jig saw puzzles, research topics, learn new words, trace ancestors, journal and do needle work (knitting, embroidery, crewel). Always trying new things. I am way over 70, retired, live alone with very little human interaction. If I didn't do these things my brain would atrophy.
Good day, Sharolet. You and I are 2 peas in a pod. I do not journal, but write in a 2nd language. Hubby of 50+ years passed recently, after nursing him for many years, and I am now attempting to learn German. My German daughter in law gave birth to a beautiful Leap Year Girl 2020, so this Ouma believes I must speak the language - haha. They live in Sweden, but I think Swedish will be a bit above my capability. When they all eventually arrive in South Africa to visit, after this virus, my first words will be Ich liebe dich, hopefully. LOL. Take care x
@@carlabythelake8162 Carla, you would be most welcome for tea or coffee, or a glass of South African wine. Beware tho - if you are good at IT, you would be teaching me LOL. Take care
I like to break codes. Any code. I sometimes write code to break codes. It takes me to a headspace with infinite flow, while not necessarily being hyperfocused. It soothes the mind.
I have always loved jigsaw puzzles. I have started doing them on my iPad app. I can create my own puzzles from paintings and my own photos, many of them I get from Pinterest. I usually do anywhere from 3-6 puzzles while I listen to a RUclips video like this one. Glad to know it is good for my brain as well.
i distinctly remember my dad shaming my mom and me for building jigsaw puzzles together when i was growing up because it wasn’t “productive” according to his standards and therefore pointless. but it was such a comforting activity for me during a difficult time in my life, and a bonding experience with my mom who went through all her exams in college building jigsaw puzzles as study breaks and wanted to share the hobby with me. and while i no longer worship at the altar of productivity, it is really cool to understand why a leisurely activity felt so good to me at the time
I don't know about your the definition on relaxation, but for me that happens especially well with challenging puzzles. My brain is exhausted but my mind is resting and I sleep quite well that night.
I always have a jigsaw puzzle going during the winter. Never in the nice weather though. I agree with others that puzzling during the pandemic is an invaluable plus since we are so cooped up. They help my brain for sure.
I have a friend who does a lot of puzzles, and we do them together when I visit her. Her family tradition is that when doing a puzzle together, you each choose a bell and when you place a piece you ring it. I found those added “bells and whistles” make it even more addictive to get that puzzle solved. I’m afraid I tend to stay up way late to finish the puzzle once the end is in sight, with or without a bell.
If it is your first puzzle. Start with 300 pieces. Then work your way up in the piece quantity. The more pieces, the more difficult. Not just because of the piece number. Buy a puzzle that is thick. Ravensburger makes good puzzles. The puzzles that are shapes are the most difficult. The individual pieces are not the standard rectangular or square. Buy some modge podge and glue them together and display them. Sign and date the back.
It's true, it's relaxing and allows you to focus. I have a 300 piece waiting to be made but I don't want to start without a better seating area, glue and frame. 😊
My puzzles must have many colors and patterns. No big sky or huge grass fields and trees thank you. Yard sales- activity scenes- indoor scenes with animals, candy stores etc are what I enjoy. White Mountain puzzles are my favorite. Then Buffalo games, then Ravensburger, then Springbok. 1,000-2,000.
I just started on jigsaws because I heard it can help you relax! I bought a couple different ones. My husband started making them with me, he is neuro-divergent so we hope jigsaws might help his concentration!
When my daughter was born, we were living in a studio, we didn’t even had a table anymore After she went to sleep at 7 we had to be quiet, so I quickly found a puzzle the size of the changing table. Revensburger escape games. I have such a fund memory of that period, we would take the matelas off and build the puzzle underneath, then cover it for the next day.
My parents would always have a jigsaw puzzle in process in the centre of the dining room table. We would stop and add a few pieces between tasks, gather round it at meal times. My husband hates jigsaws, thinks they're pointless. I might try and lush the idea a bit more as he is in his mid-70's and is a bit more concerned about dementia (he has a super diet, doesn't have sugary foods, avoids foods with sugar added, and doesn't eat much in the way of carbohydrates (other than in fruit). He's sharp as a tack and has far more common sense than I do.
Doing my first jigsaw puzzle 🧩 by myself it’s 1000 pieces of a bohemian home decor with plants 🪴 im so excited to see the end results . But I’m also looking up tips and tricks to puzzling so I don’t get overwhelmed. Good day everyone
Loved doing puzzles... I pray that since I did lots of puzzles in my younger years that it'll help me as I age. The last 6 years I've had three spine fusions the last one was in my neck 6 months ago so with that being said sitting, leaning forward, looking down... Lord even reaching my arms outward, I'm not quite the same as I used to be. I do daydream and save puzzles to my Amazon list. I even thought about using a puzzle app but then I have to hold my phone up and can't do it to my dizziness. I'm just a hot mess
I’ve found all kinds of puzzles very entertaining and enjoyable. My newest love is Lego building. Most are own designs with the exception of vehicles, where most trucks are designed by Lego designers.
I'm sure there was other factors but I decided to break out a puzzle to try and ease my mind tonight (been sick all day) and it legitimately made my headache pain either disappear or I just stopped focusing on it lol !
I do fine art puzzles while watching you tube about the artist and the period he was alive then do travel shows from the country the artist was from. This way I’m always learning too
My sons love puzzles. My oldest started doing them at 4 and now he’s 10 and building and creating complex Legos. My other one is 6 and he just started with 100 piece puzzles; he even goes to bed late doing them. I never told them to even try them; they just got hooked on them!
Many years ago I had a project that was very public and very controversial. Let's just say I got yelled at a lot in public meetings and on the telephone. I started a jigsaw puzzle on my coffee table and I found it allowed me to relax and unwind after getting home late from some public meeting, I had gotten something from my doctor to help me sleep, but I didn't need it because I had my jigsaw puzzle. It was a vase with a variety of flowers, 1500 pieces, by the way.
I do like puzzles but with cats in the house it is nearly impossible. What I do love is counted x-stitching which involves a lot of counting and concentration. I am working on one right now that has 181,000 stitches. I am hoping that this also helps my brain.
Try some jigsaws on your phone one tablet if you have one. There’s lots of jigsaw apps that are free & can be done without your cat joining in! I have cats so jigsaw apps are a huge help to me 🧩🧩🧩
Keep them covered with a large piece of cardboard. I saved the cardboard that a few very large picture frames came in several years ago and have used them for over 15 years to first do the puzzles on before I had a dedicated puzzle table for my daughter who is an avid puzzler and now we use that cardboard to cover the puzzles in progress so that our cat doesn't knock them off, dissemble the pieces, or cough up a hairball onto the puzzles (it's happened on the cardboard a few times and saved a few puzzles).
I like to do large (9x9 or 11x11 squares) Rubik Cubes. It usually takes me a good 5-6 hours to solve the 11x11. I often do this sitting in the Living room with my wife while she watches Hallmark movies, or don't laugh --when I am on long conference calls (audio only) at work. I find I can really focus on the conversation while moving the squares about. I wonder if this has a similar effect on my brain as doing Jigsaw Puzzles? I used to do those too when I was a kid and loved that too.
I never did puzzles till this past year. Maybe a few when my 2 children were little but other then that never. I started doing 300m then 500, now 1000. It keeps my mind off of everything and occupies my time. I become obcessed with it. I think like anything the brain is a muscle and if not used will deteriate.
I love doing puzzles. Think I’ve completed all that I started except two. One of these was a mostly brown and white one with Indian ponies - maybe Appaloosas - coming out of the trees with snow on the ground and in the trees. The horses were brown and white with the colors swirled. It was the hardest puzzle I ever worked on. Got the edges done and then maybe 3-4 pieces deep. From there on out it was going to be trying one piece at a time in each spot. Yup, at that point I gave up.
@@mariam-m which kindle do you have? I can download game apps on mine. The puzzle app is called Jigsaw puzzles and it is a Kristanix Studio app. I’ve tried every puzzle app and I like this one the best.
@@chrismalzahn8645 oh, i have the latest regular kindle , don't remember its model ... but maybe yours is a more expensive option that's why i don't know its features 😅
I cannot thank you enough for sharing this important information particularly since I have mild cognitive decline. I thought a puzzle was mindless fun. Silly me!
As one who suffered a TBI and has genetic ties to dementia and mania, I actively pursue puzzles of many kind throughout the day. Word puzzles in the a.m. with my coffee. Associative puzzles here and there. Spatial puzzles as often as possible. I know (think I know) that I have a better chance of keeping "me" around in my mind through engaging my pathways frequently. The horrors of having witnessed the decline in family members, and current displays from my in-laws, do not leave my mind. I'm going to get my inlaw's a card table and some easier puzzles.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
It also teaches you not to give up.
Ah. Well maybe. I have given up on a really difficult puzzle. I was not engaged w the picture and got bored. I would have got about a fifth of it done before giving up.
@@kimbaker3621 Fair enough! Life is too short to stick with a puzzle you are not enjoying!
It depends. Many people claim that we should quit if the puzzle is "not fun anymore".... well, I don't give up just because it is difficult.
great point
Bem colocado
Aprender a tocar um instrumento também é uma forma de desenvolver a persistência
My mother has dementia and no longer knows me or my siblings. When I was growing up, she loved jigsaw puzzles, as do I. So when I visit her now, I usually work a few with her. It is a struggle for her and we usually only do 50-100 piece puzzles, but it is very enjoyable for us both and she sees me as a good "friend." Thank you for this video. I plan to share it with my siblings.
The largest portion of the human brain is cholesterol. Increase cholesterol in the diet and continue doing the puzzles. Watch the transformation. Soft boiled eggs
@@radleyrayne287 I did not know about these - thank you so much for telling me/us! I have an older friend with mid-stage dementia and, incredibly, she still does 1,000 pc puzzles, and just loves them. But there will come a day ...
Music is also great for people with dementia. Play music that your mom liked when she was an older teen/younger adult, then music from when she became a mother/when you were a little girl, and a teen . I did this with my husband's grandfather and he would perk up and talk to us, mostly of the past, and most of the time he remembered who we were. It was such a joy to see him smile and talk. 😊
Hope you are doing well.
Aww sorry to hear this but I do see the joy in the situation. What about a custom puzzle of her holding you as a baby or childhood picture puzzles with you both in in ? Maybe look into companies ❤️ stay strong wish you the best
My mom is 97. She sorts, finds the edges. then works through it. She does a few a month. She amazes me😃🌺
Haha I do them the same way!
I thought was only me that did this😅
Lmao same
That is beautiful
Mom is 75, she has a 2000 piece puzzle waiting for her once she comes back from the hospital.
That feeling when you swiftly connect a piece straight out of the box. Not trying to figure out where it fits, no trial-and-error. Just one smooth motion from the box to the exact place it connects to, almost like it's automatic.
I live for that feeling.
Same
Same for me! It’s so magical
Yeah, that's a great feeling.
I do 1000 piece puzzles of impressionist paintings. That's not my experience with selecting the correct piece. I build the perimeter first and then separate by color only. A couple of hours or so every night. Good luck.
@@afveteran Cheers! The thing I'm describing is more of a random thing that happens every now and then over the course of a puzzle, rather than a strategy. I wish I could do it on demand, but then again maybe it wouldn't be so special if that were the case. Have fun!
I have lesions all over my brain, I read the book Why Isn't my Brain Working and later took the online class. In the class, you test for the areas that aren't working and then they give you ideas on how to strenth your areas that aren't working as well. My area called for puzzles of any kind so now I have a puzzle on my kitchen table. Everyone loves to help.
Excellent idea to keep being social with something you may struggle with, where others may just try to hide it.❤
@@Cnsalmoni unfortunatly there isn't a way to hide what I call my brain blips. Thankfully people around me are patient with me.
Reading, dancing, playing cards, making puzzles, filling out quiz books, crossword puzzling... I did it all. Even during exams 3000 pieces, during my divorce 1000 pieces, giving as birthday presents 850 pieces. I will start one right now ❣️ thank you so very much ❣️
I have enjoyed jigsaw puzzles all of my life (in my 60's). I find the corners and straight pieces first and then riffle through the box over and over again until I find the other appropriate pieces. It is very relaxing. This is not about finishing the puzzle as fast as you can. It is about the journey, not the destination...
Very true. Sometimes I don't want to finish a puzzle because of exactly what you said, it's the journey. When I get close to finishing a puzzle, I try to have another one ready to start.
Beautiful comment.
My daughter likes to rifle through the box like you and I like to sort everything by colour right away. She gets annoyed at me lol.
Keeping the pieces in the box seems foreign to me. Like you, step 1 is doing the edges, but step 0 is getting _all_ the pieces on the table and face up. I'm not sure how I'd ever manage if I couldn't see them all at once.
@ my puzzle table isn’t nearly big enough for laying all the pieces out so I use sorting trays
Though puzzles may not be productive they are a better use of time than scrolling. I’ve found them as a transitioning tool back to the type of focus and concentration I had when I was a child. That, and reading a physical book for 30 minutes at a time. It’s amazing what we can remember from reading for half an hour and discuss or reflect on it than scrolling for the equivalent time and recollect the smallest fraction. The book is always better than the movie!
According to this, they ARE productive for helping our brain.
Just finished a 1k jigsaw in under 30 hours. Super proud of this
@@jacqueboyce3176 no ma’am, I don’t lol. You could only dream of being so organized. I go for the border pieces then let the mind do as it pleases.
Oh I thought you said under 30 minutes I was about to call you a damned liar lol
For me there is no "the way" to start, I often sort the patterns. Like gras or leaves or frog. They might all be greenish, but it's the pattern that catches my eye. 1k puzzle usually takes between 6-9hours.
The hardest puzzle I ever did was an 'impossible puzzle' 1000 pieces minions from 'despicable me'. It took weeks and I had to sort them by shape and mostly did trial and error.
I usually complete a 1 k in approx 12 hours. It becomes expensive hobby if you do them any quicker
Do any of you puzzle glue your puzzles when you’re done?? I have one that I’ve glued, framed, and hung. I love it. The next one I’ll frame is a Jesus with the Children puzzle. I need to give myself time to do puzzles. I get hyper focused on tasks though so it’s hard for me to do life and mom lol
I find doing jigsaw puzzles extremely relaxing! I just feel like it has my whole mind engaged and that feels calming.
Years ago,when I was having anxiety attacks, a nurse recommended jigsaw puzzles for that very reason. You are focused on solving this very small thing.
@@barbaraharrison7949 it really makes sense. I guess you could even consider doing puzzles as a form of meditation. Meditation because it brings your mind to a singular task rather than jumping all over the place!
I love doing puzzles with others too. we talk, laugh, eat/drink tea, etc. it is a good time. my young grandsons and i do them together also. they always tell me they had fun! it is a sense of accomplishment, working together toward a common goal, etc.
I'm picky about the pictures of my puzzles. They need to have a lot of variety for me, not just one white sailboat in one big blue ocean. After watching this video, I decided to push my computer aside and make room on my desk for a puzzle again. I find that they help me make sense of my world. It's as if all the disjointed pieces of my days finally fit together to make a coherent whole. Thanks for reminding me.
Same
Yes! I feel the same way. Putting jigsaw puzzles together is like putting my briain in the right order. I function better, put pieces of my life together better, after doing puzzles. And I too prefer them with blocks of color.
I hate one color puzzles. I like a lot of color variations, nice art and quality.
Ones with loads of sky is a big no no.with me.
Or grass 😂@sandragray3951
When my brain has become so cluttered up and I can’t think straight anymore I go to my puzzles. It’s so relaxing and my brain can function again. I’m addicted!
Puzzling is my therapy! I let go of all stressful thoughts, focussing only on the activity. Afterwards I feel calm and relaxed😇
Good to know. I'm a senior, and like doing jigsaw puzzles, reading and playing solitaire. I also write stories and poetry, and I paint and sew, etc. Glad to know that all of it helps me keep my brain working.
Jigsaw puzzles are amazing. I always loved them but they also helped me a lot when I was having panic attacks. Whenever I would feel a panic or anxiety attack coming i would get to my puzzle and just work on it for some 30 minutes until I knew I was calm, relaxed and not going to fall into a panic/anxiety attack as I stop. Now I have stacks of puzzle boxes and work on them rotating or exchange them with other people if one became too easy.
Agree 100 per cent. I have complex PTSD and find that at difficult times If I work on a puzzle it helps enormously to calm me. When I am concentrating on finding shape and color etc I am unable to think about what is otherwise trying to upset my brain!
Why I do jigsaw puzzles my my in-person classroom! The kids love them. I usually put them into small groups of three or four students and reward the team who gets it done first. As the students are doing the puzzles, I am giving hints: "look for colors or patterns in the pieces, that go together." "Ask your colors that you need, from your partners. It's all about teamwork." I still love puzzles as an as a 45 yr. adult. It keeps my brain working better.
That’s awesome! I’m so happy I was introduced to doing puzzles as a kid.
You’re so lucky that you are allowed to do puzzles in your classroom!!
I think what is also going on constantly throughout putting the puzzle together is the mind is also keeping the completed picture in focus; a focus on the "whole" and how a particular piece fits into the "whole." It also forces you to examine the negative space, as well as the positive space.
I sort the edges first - any piece with a straight edge gets sorted into its side of the puzzle, and of course the corners are easy to find. Solving puzzles can be very relaxing and satisfying.
I love puzzles and have improved with each one. Sometimes the place to put a piece just appears before your eyes. It's such a wonderful activity.
Puzzling is my main hobby. People always think I am weird for it. But it's so much more intellectually interesting than other hobbies. Even reading doesn't compare imo
What do you do with the puzzle once finished ? Frame them up and hung them ?
@@cristinaxx6440 no I just take a picture and put them back in the box so I can solve them again
@@natalieeuley1734I do the same, cause after awhile a completed becomes a eyesore to me.
I've recently taken it up after retiring Love it though it is taking me away from catching up on reading! Word games are helpful to the brain too, I believe. When I'm done I share them with others or take them to the thrift store
That's right ! I love puzzles ! ❤
The process engages and RELAXES both sides of your brain, Left-right, analytical and intuitive.
The Dollar Tree has jigsaw puzzles of 100 (kid's), 300, 350. & 500 pieces for adults. These are actually very good quality for a dollar a piece. I buy 5 at a time to work with my elderly mom who has memory issues. Sure beats $20 for 1 puzzle!
Thrift stores are also great sources for puzzles. I generally pay $1 each for them, and there's a huge range of difficulty, scenes, etc. And it helps support local charities in my town.
I’m picky so it must be the $20 puzzle. Made in USA!
I recently bought one with 1500 pieces great quality puzzle for 5.99€
They used to have 1000 piece puzzles for $1, good times
You might look to join a puzzle trading group on Facebook.
It makes so much sense why (easy) puzzles are so great for toddlers and preschool aged kids. It's literally helping them train their brains!
I like to do puzzles and listen to my favorite music. I’m singing and working on my puzzle at the same time. I don’t know if that helps my brain or not but I enjoy it.
Me to!
Me too!
I love the calm way he speaks
Add a level of complexity by completing a puzzle with three cats hanging around 😅
I had 9 & 4 dogs.
I feel your pain 😆
I bet they love to help!
@@pamalojo nah, they usually just lay on top of the pieces.
yeah , they like to swat the pieces off the table LOL
Mine love to lay in the box and get my fingers ☺
I work with little kids (ages 4-6) and it's interesting to watch the ones who have NO experience with puzzles. They just shove pieces together, regardless if the image makes sense or not. I have to teach them how to LOOK for colors and shapes that match: "Okay so this part is a person's face, so no I don't think that all green grassy piece goes there. Do you see a part that looks like a face?" And they're offended like, "But it FITS there."
I'm lucky my 3 year old is going through 24- 48 piece puzzles right now
@@sabrinajolly3485 You're not lucky -- what you are is a good treacher and a good parent. Good results don't happen through luck, they happen through intention, patience, application, and love.
I’ve seen adults do this. I’m convinced some people lack the brain wiring to do jigsaw puzzles!
As a child our family did puzzles regularly. As a painter it trained me how values and colors of small parts made an image.
I have been doing puzzles for decades starting with my grandma n still doing them at 70. I've always enjoyed them. However I never knew the benefits of doing them until I saw this video. I always felt relaxed n accomplished when completing one. I also do word search puzzles.Thank you for your video.
My friend gifted me a puzzle for my birthday, I've been fighting depression for a while now and at the beginning I found it really stressing,but then I changed my mind about it and finally finished it.
They showed one of my favorite puzzles. Strange Town. A 5,000 piece puzzle with outstanding detail on it. Highly recommended puzzle.
Colin Thompson's Bizarre Town published by Ravensburger? Looks awesome but difficult to acquire.
@@TheGrimWayside yes. It’s fantastic. I did it a few years ago.
I can't quit once I start. "Just one more" turns into 600+ more😊
I always loved Jigsaw puzzles. I never look at the box, just examine each piece. When I was a kid - I had a box with 4 puzzles of different fairy-tales. They became too easy for me, so I would pour them all out and solve them simultaneously. When I see my kids play - I usually just watch them for their safety, I never suggest anything. When my younger daughter was 2 I saw her put away the box, she would play with 48-piece puzzle and mumble "eye! Needs second eye, and mouth... Mouth!". When she was 7 I saw her pour several kids' puzzles on the floor, she then explained to me that she came up with this fun idea! :D
I love jigsaw puzzles. Do it everyday.
I wonder if piecing a quilt has similar benefits. It is like a puzzle, putting little shapes together to make a bigger design.
Yes, it does. Even sorting fabric scraps by color , tone shape etc. requires similar skills, as do design projects of any kind, map reading etc.
Very much so. My mother was an avid fiber artist, and was constantly designing and putting together very complex quilted items. She did incredibly beautiful work in her lifetime!
Absolutely! My mother was a fabric artist---she disliked the term "quilter" because she created actual art, pictures, with fabric---and she was sharp as a tack right to the end of her life.
Her sense of color placement was amazing (I'm an artist myself, but in drawing, not fabric, and learned a lot from her), and she taught classes in fabric arts as well as weaving.
She was a Master-class weaver, too, made spectacular rugs, tapestries, fabrics to be cut and sewn into clothing. She was brilliant!
For the first time ever, I gave up on one. It had weird shapes, many of which did not connect just butted up against each other. The edge took forever because there were lots of straight pieces and some parts joined with minuscule edges. My husband and I worked on it for months and it was over half done and still taking forever. I loved the subject matter, an unusual one that was great for me. It was a no name brand sold solely on the subject matter. We were just not enjoying the process though and dreaded working on it. It induced anxiety and and I was just tired of having it in the way.
It's very unsatisfactory when pieces only butt together, sliding around, shifting slightly etc. It's like building an imitation Lego set, where the bits don't connect together so well, it takes you out of the process and steals the enjoyment. Sounds like you maybe made the right choice.
I have given up on three or four puzzles. One was a 3000 piece puzzle of the African plains that had poor color/pattern quality. One was a 1000 piece puzzle of a black cat that had pieces that lied about matching each other (including the edges). Another was a 500 piece puzzle of Noah's ark that skimped both on the thickness of the pieces and the resolution of the digital image it was attempting to portray. I am in the process of a 1000 piece puzzle depicting a self-portrait by M.C. Escher, and the greys might do me in. A partner and I labored for two hours and still have not gotten the edge finished. We might forfeit.
I have put together fifty or so puzzles. Most of them 1k pieces. I gave up on one once as well. I say puzzles are supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable. This one wasn’t. So out it went. No shame in giving up on one that doesn’t meet expectations.
I've never outright given up on a puzzle, but have burned a few in a campfire after completing them. Wasn't going to give those awful puzzles to anyone else!
@@justso4509 😀
I just started recently and on my 9th puzzle. I have surprised myself with how I sometimes see a piece and know immediately where it should go. They weren’t obvious pieces, either, where there were a lot of details. I’m thoroughly enjoying puzzling and find it to be a great way to relax.
The satisfaction when pieces come together is something that I can feel with my senses: the touch of the right fit, the sound (might be barely audible, but it's there), and the visual are more than can be described.
I bought my very elderly parents the Lego Christmas Tree this year. My 90 father got it started and my 87yo mother finished it in a week. Probably the first Lego she ever did herself. She birthed 2 x Engineers and we had lots of Lego in the house growing up.
She never had time to play with it.
When the boys suggested sending a Son to help she said “I have made far more complicated dress patterns!”
It was most satisfying that she finished it on Christmas Day.
Have been doing puzzles since I was a child, still love them.
I started jigsaw puzzles when COVID quarantine started. It made my peace and gave a certain inspiration. I never hurry with it. The longer it takes the more relaxing it is. A 1500-ish took 33 days (ok, on some days I did not even took off the cover), and I felt NO urgency to finish it - until the last night :))))
I spend a lot of time sorting first. Maybe a predominant aspect or colour or person that’s identifiable. Sort colours, body parts etc. Less to sort through each time I search
@Kate Clewes-Garner I do the same as well. They go into separate ziplock bags and will certainly be further sorted as time goes by with more complex puzzles. No reason to be random.
Thanks for that tip! When they tossed all those pieces out in the video, my ADD and anxiety went into overdrive! I have a couple of unopened 100 piece puzzles that maybe now I'll open!
Sorting helps a lot. I pick out and start with the side pieces first.
@@sonyamcquarter7702 I couldn’t cope with sifting through ALL of the pieces ALL of the time!! Edges first. Then focus on predominant object/person/subject, then find another
@@hellocatheri I used to be obsessive about doing the side pieces first, but after watching my kindergarteners start wherever catches their interest, I’ve been starting with what appeals to me most. The side pieces eventually get done as the sections come together.
Life is short; do what you enjoy first!
THANK YOU for this information! I’m 63 & all my life, being able to remember as well as learning, has been an issue! I will implement your suggestions. I pray it helps!
@@l.c.1816 Online puzzles are great fun, you can choose the number of pieces to play, and the pieces don't move around so it's easier.
Doing my first puzzle by myself. It's a 1000 pieces and very strenuous. There are just four colors! It has been two month since I began and I surmise that I'm two-thirds completed. I'm finally seeing a light at the end of this tunnel.
That is a big mistake. We should start small and gradually go up the number of pieces!
@ I’m no longer interested in doing puzzles. My interest lasted a few months. Now I prefer building Lego.
i love puzzles but this man has never gotten a puzzle with a massive blue sky or snow before if he thinks they are commonly relaxing 😂😂
So true.
Try the Ravensburger Krypt puzzles
or a puzzle with a forest that is far away yet huge so there’s like 5-6 details to help.
Riight? LOL. That's the storm before the calm.
@@jmitchell3127 i just finished the gold krypt puzzle today, took me about 2 days to finish, it was fun but super frustrating at times
It helps me deal with work and life stress. It boosts my mood and gives me more energy for the next day. It's the only thing I can get lost in for hours and feel accomplished afterwards 😌
First requirement. You must believe it’s solvable and that all the elements are there!
I love that, and it applies to more than just puzzles
LOL! Yes, the elements must be there.
My brother keeps difficult puzzles going all the time, which he works with his teenaged daughter. One time he hid just one piece. Of course, she was quite frustrated when she needed that piece. He eventually gave it to her and they had a good laugh over it! They both prank each other all the time.
great video! I took up jigsaw puzzles again after experiencing burnout at work and yes, I found doing puzzles relaxing and meditative. I was also able to recover my mental focus doing puzzles. My partner fears dementia as we age as a relative had alzheimers and so does my mother, so if puzzling helps prevent dementia, that's another bonus. we just purchased 4 new 1000 piece puzzles for winter.
My trick for difficult one look/color areas is to divvy up the pieces into same shapes. Some are just two and are always placed vertical or horizontal and some with as many as 5/6 shapes, then you can narrow what will fit.
I did a Thomas Kinkaid puzzle shaped like a ball. It has its own display stand. So much fun. At my old job, I used to do a lot of signing for the store. I saved the large cardboard sheets to use as bases for my puzzles. I just glue the puzzle to the cardboard, then frame them.
If you want to change "activities" you can simply switch the way how you do the puzzles. Like using your non-dominant hand, doing the puzzle up size down or just start in a different way (if you do the border first, keep it to last, or vice-versa). Of course that you can also change the type of images you use. A photo puzzle is more difficult than a drawing, the extra difficult puzzles, even a wooden puzzle that is quite loose can give you a different challenge.
0:12. What is this gorgeous puzzle? How do I find it?
It is Historia Comica Opus. Do you have any idea what the puzzle at 0:58 is? Someone said it might be Bizzare Town but the picture doesn't quite match... Edit: It is Magical Bookcase, same artist as Bizzare Town.
Less than halfway through you convinced me to shop for a good puzzle. Thank you, Sir! 😊
I love doing jigsaw puzzles over the Christmas - New Year period. Max relax!
I enjoy doing the ones on my tablet that have no picture to refer to. It is very relaxing. I like other kinds of puzzles too.
I’m so addicted to jigsaw puzzles, I have one going constantly. I think I might have to go to puzzles anonymous.
I got hooked in October 2020. I always have one going now.
See you there!! 😅😅
Same
PA is anonymous and meets in a large but private location where members can work on “the problems” in secret. Hundreds of addicts show up at the monthly gatherings in our jigsaw crazed community. 🧩🧩🧩😁
I don't work on jigsaw puzzles, just not being able to manipulate the pieces (nerve damage in my dominant right upper quadrant), but I very much enjoy the logic games I have on my phone, and the solitaire card games online. My mother was a huge advocate of keeping the brain active and exercised, and she practiced what she preached right up until she slipped into a coma 54 hours prior to her death. She and Dad were both super strong on teaching the four of us to constantly keep the brain in good health by giving it far more than what television and movies offer.
@jb6712 If you’re not able to manipulate the pieces, you may want to think about doing it on your phone or better yet, if you have a tablet, then do it on there. It isn’t 100% like doing physical puzzles, in that you can’t feel the piece, however all the other different aspects still come into play, when doing them. I know personally, I don’t have a place right now to do them physically on a table, so I do it on a tablet. There are literally hundreds of different apps for jigsaw puzzles. You may have to try a few different ones to find the app that you like best. I know I tried something like 20 different ones before finding the one that I loved. Loved enough to pay the 4.99 that it cost to get rid of the ads. It’s free and you can either use their large supply of images or you can use your own photos. There are also a variety of sizes, 13 in all. From 20 pieces to 1400 pieces. So, it can be as easy or as hard as you want, since the pieces get progressively smaller, the more pieces you use to make the puzzle and you can zoom in on the piece. This app is called “Jigsaw Puzzles Animals” by OOO Rhyboo. I use an iPad, so not sure if it is available for Android or not, but if not, there are many choices to choose from. Lol, plus one advantage is you can’t lose any pieces. If you find that you have “lost” one, it will be somewhere under the puzzle itself. Just a suggestion, nothing more.
There are some apps for puzzles that you can do on your computer with a mouse. There are various difficulty levels. My husband loves them.
@@Grannynan Yes, I've been doing them for the last several years. I have a large variety of puzzles here on my laptop--can't really see them on my phone, so do just word and logic games there---and I enjoy the online jigsaws very much.
I am a fanatic puzzler! I don’t even bother with any puzzle under 3000 pieces anymore. I use sorting trays and always start with the edges. My cats love to “be involved” so the trays are nice for storing the pieces when I can’t guard them. And Ravenburgers are the BEST! What’s your favorite brand fellow puzzlers?
White Mountain. Buffalo. Ravensburger is OK but I find the pieces don’t stick so great when you want to move a clump. Maybe I will give another go.
Honestly I don't care about the brand as long as I like the picture I recently got a trefl 1500 pieces puzzle with great scenery for 5.99€ and was surprised by the good quality
I’m doing Vermont Christmas Co ones right now. Pomegranate makes nice ones too from fine art prints.
Two of my cats decided to have a boxing match on my puzzle that l had nearly finished! I couldn't shout at them as they would have scattered it far and wide. Luckily it was quite a tight fitting puzzle and stayed mainly intact as it slid off the table😂😂😂
2200 is my limit, and I usually go for 1000.
I put together the Springbok A Merry Old Christmas puzzle over the Holidays. It was challenging but when you find that piece that fits perfectly, it is such a rewarding and satisfying feeling. Sorting, organizing, memory, visual clues and just downright tenacity to finish it, because you have to finish it. It was only my second jigsaw puzzle ever that I have done and I am a bit hesitant to start another as I know it will once again take priority over everything else until it is done. Anyone else like that?
AND there is that mystical, magical component when you are struggling with a section(s), you walk away from it for awhile, and when you come back to it the pieces start immediately falling into place, one after another, bam, bam bam!
Yeah, haha, I take breaks and try to limit myself a few hours every other day. I recently finished a 500+ piece puzzle. I now have have this completed 18" x 24" masterpiece as a product of my hard work. Just need a frame for it.
Nancy, good description on the facets of doing a jigsaw puzzle. I must admit it induces a mantra “one more piece “ and next thing you know, it’s almost 2:00am!😬 I absolutely love 1,000 pieces or more!!!
Same here. Sometimes pieces fall into places when I look at it upside down and have only about 5 seconds of time :))
Well explained! I can relate to all the processes you wrote about.
I have always been totally hopeless at jigsaw puzzles. The a few years ago I tried jigsaw puzzles on my phone. Tiny screen but yah I did it, going from the biggest sized to 100 pieces which are pretty small on a phone screen . Now I use an iPad up to 224 pieces and very occasionally the next size. I do it cause it’s fun, challenging and relaxing . Now I hear it’s good for me! Yah
My cat lays in the middle of the puzzle
Search for Puzzle Within a Puzzle Cat House. A cool puzzle for you.
my cat does this, but also digs in the puzzle box and tries to eat the pieces 😭
Mine does this as well. We have a "puzzle table" (small card table) set up at all times because my youngest daughter has been obsessed with puzzles since she was 2, so she has one going almost all the time. We have hundreds of them she works through. Our cat, who wants warmth and head scritches, jumps up and sits in front of my daughter atop the puzzle. It's cute but they stick to her little foot pads and then she shakes them off and we're always afraid pieces will go down the heater vent or otherwise be lost under furniture or whatnot. She also moves and shifts the pieces and disassembles them. We have to keep puzzles in progress covered with a large piece of cardboard so that nothing gets messed up or lost since she daily hops on that table many times to sit in the sunny window that it abuts.
Such is life with cats.
Wildmoonchild: one of mine eas caught just in time, he was going to have a pee in it! 😅😅
Mine too❤
I have worked jigsaw puzzles since I was a child with my mother and grandmother. I continued working them every winter to enjoy while staying inside. Just finished 3 since the holidays, 2 with 1000 pieces and one with 250-350 (?). The Dollar Tree had the smaller puzzle, and I buy the 100 piece ones for the great grands to work "with me".
Puzzles have become my pandemic life.
Gary Pierce I have cats. It's twice as hard to work puzzles.
@@sophierobinson2738 That's funny. I'm sure they do like to assist.
@@sophierobinson2738 Me too, I've been puzzling a lot lately. I also have cats, they often sit on my puzzle, sit in the box and i have to cover my puzzle at night to protect it from destruction lol!
Me too. I have 3 cats. They appear disinterested at first, then I noticed they started to hide pieces from me. 🐈
Mine too
I do crosswords, jig saw puzzles, research topics, learn new words, trace ancestors, journal and do needle work (knitting, embroidery, crewel). Always trying new things. I am way over 70, retired, live alone with very little human interaction. If I didn't do these things my brain would atrophy.
Good day, Sharolet. You and I are 2 peas in a pod. I do not journal, but write in a 2nd language. Hubby of 50+ years passed recently, after nursing him for many years, and I am now attempting to learn German. My German daughter in law gave birth to a beautiful Leap Year Girl 2020, so this Ouma believes I must speak the language - haha. They live in Sweden, but I think Swedish will be a bit above my capability. When they all eventually arrive in South Africa to visit, after this virus, my first words will be Ich liebe dich, hopefully. LOL. Take care x
You ladies sound awesome. I wish you were my neighbors. We could drink tea or coffee and visit...
@@carlabythelake8162 Carla, you would be most welcome for tea or coffee, or a glass of South African wine. Beware tho - if you are good at IT, you would be teaching me LOL. Take care
Any task to focus on, other than scrolling a phone, helps. Handwork, reading, word puzzles any of those. Playing music is good too.
I like to break codes. Any code. I sometimes write code to break codes. It takes me to a headspace with infinite flow, while not necessarily being hyperfocused. It soothes the mind.
I have always loved jigsaw puzzles. I have started doing them on my iPad app. I can create my own puzzles from paintings and my own photos, many of them I get from Pinterest. I usually do anywhere from 3-6 puzzles while I listen to a RUclips video like this one. Glad to know it is good for my brain as well.
i distinctly remember my dad shaming my mom and me for building jigsaw puzzles together when i was growing up because it wasn’t “productive” according to his standards and therefore pointless. but it was such a comforting activity for me during a difficult time in my life, and a bonding experience with my mom who went through all her exams in college building jigsaw puzzles as study breaks and wanted to share the hobby with me. and while i no longer worship at the altar of productivity, it is really cool to understand why a leisurely activity felt so good to me at the time
I am watching this because I have just spent today on my latest and most difficult jigsaw. I am really tired but not stressed.
I do jigsaw puzzles for mental relaxation. I keep away from the challenging ones.
I don't know about your the definition on relaxation, but for me that happens especially well with challenging puzzles. My brain is exhausted but my mind is resting and I sleep quite well that night.
I always have a jigsaw puzzle going during the winter. Never in the nice weather though. I agree with others that puzzling during the pandemic is an invaluable plus since we are so cooped up. They help my brain for sure.
I have a friend who does a lot of puzzles, and we do them together when I visit her. Her family tradition is that when doing a puzzle together, you each choose a bell and when you place a piece you ring it. I found those added “bells and whistles” make it even more addictive to get that puzzle solved.
I’m afraid I tend to stay up way late to finish the puzzle once the end is in sight, with or without a bell.
If it is your first puzzle. Start with 300 pieces. Then work your way up in the piece quantity. The more pieces, the more difficult. Not just because of the piece number. Buy a puzzle that is thick. Ravensburger makes good puzzles. The puzzles that are shapes are the most difficult. The individual pieces are not the standard rectangular or square. Buy some modge podge and glue them together and display them. Sign and date the back.
It's true, it's relaxing and allows you to focus. I have a 300 piece waiting to be made but I don't want to start without a better seating area, glue and frame. 😊
Knitting also does this for me.
Knitting and crocheting put me into a trancelike mood. So calming and productive.
@@teridemola2386 Much more relaxing than doing puzzles.
@@deepattison9329 That depends on the person. We're all different.
Crocheting, too. The more complex the pattern is, the more I enjoy working it.
Same for me but I also love puzzles
My puzzles must have many colors and patterns. No big sky or huge grass fields and trees thank you. Yard sales- activity scenes- indoor scenes with animals, candy stores etc are what I enjoy. White Mountain puzzles are my favorite. Then Buffalo games, then Ravensburger, then Springbok. 1,000-2,000.
Puzzles of Tintin scenes are pretty great.
I just started on jigsaws because I heard it can help you relax! I bought a couple different ones. My husband started making them with me, he is neuro-divergent so we hope jigsaws might help his concentration!
When my daughter was born, we were living in a studio, we didn’t even had a table anymore After she went to sleep at 7 we had to be quiet, so I quickly found a puzzle the size of the changing table. Revensburger escape games. I have such a fund memory of that period, we would take the matelas off and build the puzzle underneath, then cover it for the next day.
I’ve learnt something beautiful and amazing today. Thank you. God bless.
My parents would always have a jigsaw puzzle in process in the centre of the dining room table. We would stop and add a few pieces between tasks, gather round it at meal times.
My husband hates jigsaws, thinks they're pointless. I might try and lush the idea a bit more as he is in his mid-70's and is a bit more concerned about dementia (he has a super diet, doesn't have sugary foods, avoids foods with sugar added, and doesn't eat much in the way of carbohydrates (other than in fruit). He's sharp as a tack and has far more common sense than I do.
A friend gave me the ultimate puzzle … no picture on the box ! 🤗 😵💫
I find puzzles especially great during depressive episodes. One of the few things that actually give me relief from my terribile thoughts.
Doing my first jigsaw puzzle 🧩 by myself it’s 1000 pieces of a bohemian home decor with plants 🪴 im so excited to see the end results . But I’m also looking up tips and tricks to puzzling so I don’t get overwhelmed. Good day everyone
The brain 🧠 is AMAZING
Loved doing puzzles... I pray that since I did lots of puzzles in my younger years that it'll help me as I age.
The last 6 years I've had three spine fusions the last one was in my neck 6 months ago so with that being said sitting, leaning forward, looking down... Lord even reaching my arms outward, I'm not quite the same as I used to be.
I do daydream and save puzzles to my Amazon list.
I even thought about using a puzzle app but then I have to hold my phone up and can't do it to my dizziness.
I'm just a hot mess
I’ve found all kinds of puzzles very entertaining and enjoyable. My newest love is Lego building. Most are own designs with the exception of vehicles, where most trucks are designed by Lego designers.
I'm sure there was other factors but I decided to break out a puzzle to try and ease my mind tonight (been sick all day) and it legitimately made my headache pain either disappear or I just stopped focusing on it lol !
I loooved puzzles when I was a kid. I think I need to get some more! I see them at thrift stores all the time.
Love it! 😊
I do fine art puzzles while watching you tube about the artist and the period he was alive then do travel shows from the country the artist was from. This way I’m always learning too
My sons love puzzles. My oldest started doing them at 4 and now he’s 10 and building and creating complex Legos. My other one is 6 and he just started with 100 piece puzzles; he even goes to bed late doing them. I never told them to even try them; they just got hooked on them!
Many years ago I had a project that was very public and very controversial. Let's just say I got yelled at a lot in public meetings and on the telephone. I started a jigsaw puzzle on my coffee table and I found it allowed me to relax and unwind after getting home late from some public meeting, I had gotten something from my doctor to help me sleep, but I didn't need it because I had my jigsaw puzzle. It was a vase with a variety of flowers, 1500 pieces, by the way.
My life trying to put pieces together. I just don't have the whole picture yet.
😆
✌N ❤
I do like puzzles but with cats in the house it is nearly impossible. What I do love is counted x-stitching which involves a lot of counting and concentration. I am working on one right now that has 181,000 stitches. I am hoping that this also helps my brain.
Search for Puzzle Within a Puzzle Cat House. A cool puzzle.
Try some jigsaws on your phone one tablet if you have one. There’s lots of jigsaw apps that are free & can be done without your cat joining in! I have cats so jigsaw apps are a huge help to me 🧩🧩🧩
Keep them covered with a large piece of cardboard. I saved the cardboard that a few very large picture frames came in several years ago and have used them for over 15 years to first do the puzzles on before I had a dedicated puzzle table for my daughter who is an avid puzzler and now we use that cardboard to cover the puzzles in progress so that our cat doesn't knock them off, dissemble the pieces, or cough up a hairball onto the puzzles (it's happened on the cardboard a few times and saved a few puzzles).
I cover my puzzle with a towel
This is fascinating! Thank you
I like to do large (9x9 or 11x11 squares) Rubik Cubes. It usually takes me a good 5-6 hours to solve the 11x11. I often do this sitting in the Living room with my wife while she watches Hallmark movies, or don't laugh --when I am on long conference calls (audio only) at work. I find I can really focus on the conversation while moving the squares about. I wonder if this has a similar effect on my brain as doing Jigsaw Puzzles? I used to do those too when I was a kid and loved that too.
I never did puzzles till this past year. Maybe a few when my 2 children were little but other then that never. I started doing 300m then 500, now 1000. It keeps my mind off of everything and occupies my time. I become obcessed with it. I think like anything the brain is a muscle and if not used will deteriate.
February was the first time I've ever done puzzles. I also started with 300 then moved on to 500 750 and 1000.
I love doing puzzles. Think I’ve completed all that I started except two. One of these was a mostly brown and white one with Indian ponies - maybe Appaloosas - coming out of the trees with snow on the ground and in the trees. The horses were brown and white with the colors swirled. It was the hardest puzzle I ever worked on. Got the edges done and then maybe 3-4 pieces deep. From there on out it was going to be trying one piece at a time in each spot. Yup, at that point I gave up.
I do at two puzzles a day on my kindle.
My grandma did them her entire life and was sharp as tack when she died at 82.
how can i do puzzles on kindle? .. i can only use it for reading books
@@mariam-m which kindle do you have? I can download game apps on mine.
The puzzle app is called Jigsaw puzzles and it is a Kristanix Studio app.
I’ve tried every puzzle app and I like this one the best.
@@chrismalzahn8645 what?! .. apps?! .. i have the regular kindle from amazon .. it only allows me to download books
@@mariam-m I have a kindle fire hd 10, ninth generation.
It’s like a tablet but with no data plan you have to have WiFi for most of the apps.
@@chrismalzahn8645 oh, i have the latest regular kindle , don't remember its model ... but maybe yours is a more expensive option that's why i don't know its features 😅
I will not do a jigsaw puzzle but I draw and paint. I problem solve and learn new skills, physical and mental. That’s what our brain is for.
I cannot thank you enough for sharing this important information particularly since I have mild cognitive decline. I thought a puzzle was mindless fun. Silly me!
As one who suffered a TBI and has genetic ties to dementia and mania, I actively pursue puzzles of many kind throughout the day. Word puzzles in the a.m. with my coffee. Associative puzzles here and there. Spatial puzzles as often as possible. I know (think I know) that I have a better chance of keeping "me" around in my mind through engaging my pathways frequently.
The horrors of having witnessed the decline in family members, and current displays from my in-laws, do not leave my mind.
I'm going to get my inlaw's a card table and some easier puzzles.