Puzzles - In hindsight.

[Pip]

Aussie Designer back again, this time with a suggestion for one of Zazzles products.  I've never sold any of my own designs on a puzzle - granted I've never focused much on them before.  I've been thinking about starting to promote the puzzles but in all honesty I wouldn't do so as they are right now.  

Reason being based on the reviews I've seen and from my own experience with completing puzzles.  I think most would agree that the image provided on the box for puzzles is THE most important resource for puzzle solvers.  If it's not exactly the same as the finished puzzle and of sufficient size it can really take away from the ease and fun of the solving.  Granted many of us enjoy challenges, I just doubt most would pay to have a challenge that would make them overly frustrated and feeling like the experience could have gone better.

I also notice that Zazzle doesn't show the customer the packaging which could no doubt help with marketing.

I recently had a go at a 1000 piece puzzle and I have to say that if it didn't have a hint/guide printed on the back of the pieces I believe I would have given up and not completed the project.  I would assume that any puzzle above 500 pieces would really do better selling wise with a back printed guide to make the solving more user friendly.  A simple number graph would suffice if that could be easily integrated into the printing system without adding to cost. Otherwise making sure the provided image is a size most would not have to squint to see would no doubt be highly beneficial.

I've noticed one of the customer reviews have said something similar - that the Zazzle's puzzle pieces they received were really small and the photograph provided was not clear enough.  

I've added a link to the review I read for the Zazzle puzzle here ---https://www.zazzle.com/abstract_art_challenging_black_white_super_detail_jigsaw_puzzle-1166011894403... 

Something to consider.  

[Connie]

I've never even seen a puzzle with guides or hints on the backs of the pieces. (The largest puzzle I've ever built was 2500 pieces, and it took months.) I guess it must be a rather recent invention. I haven't bought a new puzzle in many years.

I agree that a super complex puzzle like the one you linked to, definitely needs some kind of guide. There's no way I'd ever be able to build a crazy challenging puzzle like that!

[Pip]

I hadn't seen it either - I think it is something new.  I do admit that I finished it within a week and have to admit, it was too tempting for me to want to use the guide instead of slogging it out the traditional way.  Though I'm not an avid puzzle solver - at least not in the jigsaw sense.

[Pip]

And as for the crazy puzzle I created - I agree it's wild.  I was inspired by MC Escher at the time.

[SnowOwlMoon]

I have an online jigsaw puzzle game.  I create my own puzzles in the game, put them together, and see how they work.  If it was a fun experience, I offer them for sale.  Most (but not all) the puzzles I offer were done this way.