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ISSUE 4 Spring/Summer 2024
WIN!
Puzzler’s prize bundle wo rth *£350rrp
Breaking up is hard to do Decorate your home with favourite puzzles
Packed with puzzle newness! Meet new artists for 2024
In the Making Behind the scenes at Ravensburger HQ
Seashells Circular Puzzle (12000823)
NEW
Gather
Round
Enjoy all the colours of the rainbow with this vibrant collection of 500-piece circular puzzles
Flowers Circular Puzzle (17167)
NEW Doughnuts Circular Puzzle (17346)
Astrology Circular Puzzle (12000819)
NEW Tropical Circular Puzzle (12000821)
Explore the full collection at www.ravensburger.co.uk
Oceans Circular Puzzle (17170)
CONTENTS
Welcome to the spring/summer 2024 edition of Positively Puzzling! This issue we say a quick hello to two of the new illustrators joining our Ravensburger family. And, if you consider yourself a fast puzzler, you might enjoy hearing about the recent World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship. If you like to take things at a more relaxing pace, why not check out our My Haven competition on page 8? You could soon be creating your own cosy jigsaw space with our great prize. We hope you enjoy the read! Happy puzzling!
The Ravensburger UK Puzzle Team PS Don’t forget you can get in touch with your ideas and stories at positivelypuzzling@ravensburger.com
Positively Puzzling is an advertorial publication produced by Ravensburger UK Ltd, Unit 3-5 Avonbury Business Park, Bicester, OX26 2UA. Published January 2024. Design by Marriott Graphics. Images copyright Ravensburger unless otherwise stated. Puzzle information is correct at the time of publication, and any puzzles included are subject to availability. Competition terms and conditions can be found at www.ravensburger.co.uk/en-GB/ start/general-competition-terms-and-conditions To contact the team please email positivelypuzzling@ravensburger.com
IN THIS ISSUE 04 Bits & Pieces New news from our puzzling world 05 Going for Gold World Jigsaw Puzzle Championships 06 Artist Spotlight Meet our new artists for spring 2024 08 My Haven Competition A fabulous prize bundle up for grabs 11 In the Making Behind the scenes at Ravensburger HQ 12 Getting Creative Creative ways to showcase your finished puzzles 14 Puzzle Picks Our round-up of some favourites for your puzzle delight
Spring/Summer 2024 3
BITS & PIECES
&
Pieces Meet our cover puzzle artist
Yorkshire Dales (17629), 1000pc
Bits
Yorkshire Dales with Eleanor Tomlinson Following a great response to our first ‘Coronation Capers’ collaboration, our second puzzle with Eleanor Tomlinson celebrates Yorkshire, the artist’s lifelong inspiration for her work. The place holds a special place in her heart. The image on this 1000-piece puzzle combines iconic elements, features and memories into one Dales scene and even includes several of Eleanor’s passions, from painting and walking, to a cup of tea and the family’s much-loved spaniel, Bramble.
Who could resist the glorious colours of Highland Life by Scottish artist Ailsa Black? We certainly couldn’t; that’s why this beautiful jigsaw is our front cover puzzle for this issue! “The painting is a medley of the things that represent Scotland to me and captures the drama of the colours of the landscape and my love of animals,” Ailsa explains. The scene took around three weeks to paint, and she was helped by many cups of tea and company from her studio dog, Inky. Highland Life will be Ailsa’s fourth puzzle with Ravensburger and we love her puzzling style – “There is nothing better than a new jigsaw, a roaring fire, a snoring dog and a glass of red wine to pass a cold Scottish night!”.
Sounds perfect, can we join you?
Highland Life (17622), 1000pc
Scaling Up Tropical Reef Life (17458), 750pc Large Piece Puzzle 4
Spring/Summer 2024
For some puzzlers, bigger pieces work best. This spring sees the launch of a host of new, larger-piece puzzles for adults. The pieces in these puzzles are substantially bigger than our standard puzzle piece, making them easier to handle and see. The piece counts range from 100 to 750, and with designs from vibrant and contemporary to traditional scenes, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
COMPETITIVE PUZZLING
FAST-PACED
PUZZLING
For most of us, putting a jigsaw together is simply a welcome escape from day-to-day stresses. But for some, things get competitive. The recent World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship, held in Valladolid, Spain brought together over 900 puzzlers from more than 60 countries to compete for number one status in individual, pairs and teams competitions.
“
Competitor’s eye view
Inspired by Karen Puzzles, I arrived at the championships to a buzz in the air as hundreds of people gathered to compete and support, dressed in tops representing their countries some from Australia! I was nervous and excited as I found my seat, knowing my friends and family would be watching the live stream back in the UK. The timer started and I zoned in, only snapping out of it again when a huge cheer erupted as the first person finished. I wasn’t even close! I carried on, more finishes, more cheers. I got to my last few pieces and cameras appeared in my face. My hands were shaking, racing to finish in under 90 minutes, too scared to look at the timer. I placed the last piece, looked up and waved at the camera, delighted to see my finish time - 01:24:19. My fastest ever! I’ve only gotten faster since then and I can’t wait to go back next year to try and qualify for round 2.
Reigning champion Alejandro Clemente Leon won the individuals competition again completing a 500-piece puzzle in 37m59s.
”
Roxanne O’Doherty, 26, Worcester - Speed Puzzling UK on Facebook
Check out our YouTube channel for footage of the event @ravensburgerUK
YouTube fan favourite Karen Puzzles participated with her teammates
Fancy your chances at competitive puzzling? Visit the UK Jigsaw Puzzle Association website www.ukjpa.org or Facebook page for puzzle competition info.
Spring/Summer 2024 5
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Inspiring
artists
In our Bicester office, we find it so exciting to see new jigsaw designs taking shape, whether from our established artists or new ones just joining the Ravensburger family! With some absolutely stunning puzzles adding to our range this spring, it’s the perfect time to introduce you to the illustrators behind two of them.
Georgia Breeze
Georgia created the design for our new Garden Allotment 1000-piece puzzle. Cornwall-based illustrator and surface-pattern designer Georgia Breeze has used her love of bold and bright imagery to design a puzzle that is jam-packed with inviting sights and characters. The artist took inspiration from childhood memories when she created the Garden Allotment image “I love gardens and nature. Both my mum and sister have green fingers and are keen gardeners. There was an allotment at the end of our road when I was growing up, and our garden was always full of home-grown veggies,” she explains. You may have seen Georgia’s work in a variety of places, whether from colourful stationery to stunning home furnishings, and while this is her first jigsaw design – it’s safe to say it was always on the cards. “I had always dreamt of designing a jigsaw. This year I decided to be intentional with my artwork and create some illustrations full of gorgeous details that would be perfect for puzzles”. We hope you’ll agree that she has certainly achieved that!
“I feel completely blessed that I get to be creative everyday for a living and do something that I love.” Georgia Breeze
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Spring/Summer 2024
Garden Allotment (17639),1000pc
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Emma Allen
Kent-based Emma, created the design for our Coastal Cottage 1000-piece puzzle.
“Animals bring a kind of innocence and cheerfulness to life which I love to have in my illustrations. It’s a joy to bring these little characters to life.” Emma Allen
It’s hard not to fall in love with the charm and warmth of Emma Allen’s idyllic image of waterside life in Coastal Cottage. The scene was inspired by her favourite place, Cornwall. “The image is not of a particular place in reality; it’s more of a daydream: A kind of idyllic imagining of a place I would love to be, and the roots of the daydream are firmly based in my love of Cornwall,” she explains. Creating a first jigsaw puzzle has been a learning curve for Emma, who is also a children’s book illustrator. “The two illustration processes are different…I had to learn to think differently to create a successful puzzle design. For example, for a children’s book, you might make use of larger areas of pure colour depending on what was required to tell a story in that moment. But for a puzzle, it’s better to have lots of detail in every corner to make a more satisfying puzzle experience.” We certainly agree there, Coastal Cottage is simply full of captivating features to puzzle.
Emma loves the therapeutic nature of puzzles and enjoys putting them together with her daughter.
Coastal Cottage (17631), 1000pc
Spring/Summer 2024 7
COMPETITION
COMPETITION TIME We’re celebrating the launch of My Haven No.11, The Artist’s Shed by offering readers the chance to win a £250 shopping voucher and My Haven puzzles.
Our bestselling My Haven range of 1000-piece puzzles celebrates the idyllic escapes that you might have, or dream about having. Whether you fantasise about your own crafting hideaway, or the ultimate seaside retreat, artist Steve Read has created picture-perfect places to lose yourself in while you piece them together.
No. 11, The Artist’s Shed (17627)
Welcome to My Haven No. 11, The Artist’s Shed This arty retreat is a sanctuary of creativity. It looks like our artist has taken a break, perhaps out in the glorious countryside beyond the shed. Packed with everything a painter needs, this space is also home to the artist’s pets and a cute kitten snuggled under the desk.
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Spring/Summer 2024
COMPETITION
Which would be your favourite escape? Explore the full My Haven range on our website To celebrate the latest addition to the My Haven series, No. 11, The Artist’s Shed, we’re giving one reader the chance to win a £250 shopping voucher* which they could use to create an ideal cosy puzzle space. Would you spend the prize on squishy cushions and luxurious throws, or maybe a shiny new coffee machine to make the perfect brew while you puzzle? Whatever our winner decides, they will also receive a collection of eight My Haven puzzles to enjoy.
No.1, The Craft Shed (19590)
To enter:
Scan the QR code. For digital readers, please click the QR code to reach the entry page.
No. 6, The Cosy Shed (15175)
No. 7, The Beach Hut (15000) *Terms and conditions apply. No purchase necessary. Competition is open to residents of the UK and ROI only. Entrants must be aged 18 years or older on the closing date. Competition closes on July 31st 2024. One winner will receive a set of 8 My Haven puzzles and a £250 Love2shop shopping voucher valid for at least 12 months from receipt by the winner, (valid at selected stores https://www.highstreetvouchers.com/gift/love2shop). See full terms and conditions https://www.ravensburger.co.uk/en-GB/ start/general-competition-terms-and-conditions Please note that this competition is not endorsed, sponsored, administered or associated with Love2Shop.
No. 8, The Gardener’s Shed (16767)
Spring/Summer 2024 9
ADVERTORIAL
painting by numbers
Everything you need to get started is included in the kit, from high quality paints and a handy palette for organising them, to a double-ended brush for detail painting and a hook to hang your finished piece.
Japanese Cherry Blossom (20177)
Peaceful
Painting
Taking time out from day to day busyness is not just a lovely escape, experts agree that it’s great for our general wellbeing too. If you like switching off with a puzzle, you might also enjoy exploring your creativity with painting by numbers. Our CreArt range of painting by numbers sets includes a wealth of designs to inspire the artist in you, whether cool and contemporary style is your thing, or a more classic scene. Celebrate the splendour of Mount Fuji in springtime with the CreArt Japanese Cherry Blossom kit. A bounty of petal-perfect pinks and shimmering gold-toned paint will create a spectacular artwork that you will love to display. As you add colour by colour to the image, unwind and enjoy the process.
See the full CreArt range at
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Spring/Summer 2024
www.ravensburger.co.uk
HOW THEY’RE MADE
Have you ever wondered what goes into making one of our jigsaws? Wonder no more! Let’s take a sneak peek inside the world of puzzle-making at Ravensburger HQ.
Click &Connect Dreamy designs
Our puzzle developers work with illustrators and artists to commission or create the most puzzle-able images. Our Bicester team is responsible for many of the new jigsaws for the UK and Republic of Ireland each year, and the rest of our collection is cherry-picked from the best from our global teams.
Unique pieces
For each new format, we need to create a cutter. Our experts in Ravensburg, Germany, design a template for this, ensuring every piece is unique and will fit perfectly into place.
Now for the bands
Using the template, our craftspeople bend steel bands by hand, forming the puzzle piece shapes. This process can take up to 160 hours to make the cutter for one 1000-piece puzzle. It is highly skilled and intricate work.
The final cut
Once the punching tool is finished, it’s time to start cutting the puzzles. And this is monitored carefully to ensure the tool remains as sharp as necessary to make the ideal cut – the reason placing a piece is so satisfying! After the puzzles are cut, it’s on to packaging and the finished jigsaws are made ready for shipping to their next destination. One of them may end up on your puzzle board very soon!
Spring/Summer 2024 11
GETTING CREATIVE
Stick with it
Our Puzzle Conserver is a great way to preserve your puzzles for framing or other creative uses. Here’s how to use it:
1. 2. 3. 4.
Cover a large surface with some plain paper that’s big enough for your puzzle with overhang at the edges. Place your puzzle on it picture side up. This is very important! Now squeeze the Puzzle Conserver bottle and press down with the sponge tip onto your puzzle. The glue will begin to come out. Add plenty of glue all over the surface. Don’t be shy with it, it will dry clear. Leave to dry. Give it a test to make sure it’s stuck together well. If not, repeat step 2 until you’re happy with it. Once dry, trim away the excess backing paper. Now your glued puzzle is ready for you to display however you choose.
Breaking up is hard to do You spend hours, sometimes days enjoying piecing that beautiful jigsaw together. You admire the finished puzzle in all its glory. Then break it up and put it back in its box. Instead, you could try giving those favourite puzzles pride of place in your home, bringing colour, design and joy in all kinds of ways.
Morning Makeover
Don’t forget to share your ideas for creative ways with puzzles! Your idea could feature in our next edition. Email us at positivelypuzzling@ ravensburger.com
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Spring/Summer 2024
Breakfast in bed could bring memories of those mindful moments spent puzzling. We glued and trimmed down the Rainbow of Birds 1000-piece puzzle to liven up a plain tray. Rainbow of Birds (17478), 1000pc
GETTING CREATIVE
Pieces making Centre Pieces
The vibrant Tropical circular puzzle makes a perfect statement feature for your table. Place a vase of flowers to finish it off, or add a clear, foodsafe glass or acrylic sheet over your puzzle to create a unique platter design for a party.
Tropical Circular (12000821), 500pc
Spring/Summer 2024 13
PUZZLE PICKS
Aimee Stewart Natural World (17625), 1000pc
Puzzle
Picks
Which puzzles will hit your coffee table or puzzle board in 2024? If like us, there is always room for one more jigsaw on the puzzle shelf, here are just a few new and bestselling favourites to inspire you.
NATURE’S BEST
Tropical Butterflies (17624), 1000pc
14
Underwater Island (19948), 1000pc
Beautiful Birds Wooden Puzzle (12000760), 300pc
A great new design from Linda Jane Smith Floral Rainbow (17129), 300pc Large Piece Format
Bee Friendly (17619), 1000pc Spring/Summer 2024
Check out more new additions to our large format range on the website!
Tranquil Places
PUZZLE PICKS
Greenhouse Morning (14832), 500pc
Find the hidden objects in this fun puzzle?
A-Mazing Challenge Japanese Garden Teahouse (17497), 1000pc
Down the Lane No.4, Church Lane (17628), 1000pc Pierre the Maze Detective: Grand Ballroom (17626), 1000pc
Our Cover Puzzle Highland Life (17622), 1000pc
Canine Chaos
The Dog Walker (12000876), 1000pc
Explore our full collection at
www.ravensburger.co.uk
And, subscribe to our newsletter and receive a £5 discount voucher* *see website for terms and conditions
Spring/Summer 2024 15
Cover puzzle: Highland Life (17622) 1000-piece puzzle by Ailsa Black Artist represented by This is Iris.