I struggled to come up with ideas for Christmas presents this year and eventually hit on the idea of giving our close family a bespoke hamper. Over time I collected either luxury items, items we particularly liked or items I knew the recipient would like.
In my boy’s hampers I added a little brussel sprouts jigsaw which I thought would be fun!
After Christmas my youngest son sent a photo to my phone of the jigsaw completed.
A few days later I phoned him to arrange calling round with his birthday card and gift as his birthday is in the first week of January. I mentioned the jigsaw and he said that it wasn’t enjoyable but just really frustrating. He said they couldn’t give in without completing it but that it drove them nuts.
A few days later I called round with the birthday card and gift and I showed them the photo on my phone of the vintage cars jigsaw. My son gave me the brussel sprout jigsaw and said that he would bet that it was much more difficult than the car puzzle despite only having a hundred pieces.
As soon as I got back home I made a start on the jigsaw. The picture was on both sides but one side was shiny and the correct side was matt. There was no picture to follow and the outside edge was not straight but brussel sprouts shaped and of course all the pieces looked the same.
As with any jigsaw I sorted the outside pieces which were larger and curved and I managed to get the outside completed. There was a slight hiccup as not all the pieces fitted together but some just fitted side by side with straight or angled edges.
I then started to try to get the middle fitted and soon realised what my son meant. It says on the jigsaw that it is dastardly difficult and it certainly was!
This was as far as I could get on the first day and it took as long to find the few inside pieces as it did to complete the outside. I had to give up for now.
I came back to the jigsaw the next day.
At this point I just couldn’t seem to progress. I was very close to giving up. A lot of the pieces are the same shape so they fit but you just know they are not right. It was a lot of trial and error. At this point I knew exactly what my son meant about it being frustrating rather than enjoyable.
Whereas with the car jigsaw we looked forward to continuing with it this one just made me frustrated and I wanted to give up but I hate giving up. I also felt that if my son could do it then I could do it. I kept walking away and then returning to have another go.
At this point I knew that I could finish it. I was amazed at how difficult it was even this far along.
Hurrah! I was so pleased to have got it finished. That is definitely the most annoying jigsaw that I have ever done. I look forward to the next jigsaw being more fun. This one wasn’t fun it was just a challenge that I couldn’t give up on.
I never want to see this brussel sprout jigsaw again!
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Love your competitive side Carol! :-)xx
I must admit I HATE giving in! xx
I dont think I could do that one, have seen one like it with baked beans, know i would not have the patience to do it. But good to you, to finnish it.
I have seen a baked beans one but not sure if was round like this and no picture was an added frustration. I did wonder if I should send it to you but couldn’t decide if that would be kind or unkind so now I know not to send it to you. I still can’t believe I actually finished it.
You have infinite patience and huge tenacity!
Thank you. I don’t like giving up and have realised recently how competitive I am. If youngest son had given up I probably wouldn’t have attempted it but I felt that if he could do it then I could do it.
Carol now starting the jigsaw and have seen your pictures they will be very useful will let you know when ours is completed Thankyou
Glad to be of help. I will be interested to hear when you have completed yours.
Thanks to your pictures I manage to do this puzzle. Frustrating
Well done. It was frustrating wasn’t it! I think I am pretty good at puzzles but I have come to realise that I do like a picture to follow and puzzles with lots of colour and detail are much more enjoyable to do. Everything that wasn’t in the sprout puzzle basically. Glad I could be of help though. It’s good to hear back from you.
We had a torrid time with this over Christmas. We had to have a peep at your finished article to help us slot in the final few pieces. Thanks Carol!
You can read about how much I hate the jigsaw too on (https://celebrate-today.co.uk/puzzle-day-good-heavens-ive-barely-slept/)
You are most welcome. I am amazed that this post which I put out after last Christmas has attracted comments a year later. I am glad that I wrote it now. It is so nice to hear that you have referred to it to complete your jigsaw. I will pop over to you and have a read.
I’m somewhat confused by this puzzle. I’ve just been sent it by a friend who has been trying, and failing, since Xmas to complete it.
I found these comments via Google and started the puzzle with trepidation.
All completed inside 2.5 hours. Very easy. Age quoted is 8+ and that seems right.
I’m struggling to see where all the difficulties are.
The fact that your friend had been trying and failing to complete it says it all really. Of course it is possible as most of us ended up completing it. The frustration for people who enjoy jigsaws for entertainment came from having no picture to follow, very dull subject matter and pieces that didn’t satisfy by interlocking. I think it was a bit of a Christmas joke and not to be taken seriously. I love doing jigsaws but got very little enjoyment from that particular one. Well done to you though for finding it easy.
Frank – you must be a puzzle maestro.
It took us hours and we had to resort to the old ‘try every piece at every orientation’ technique. Even that didn’t get us all the way. Are you sure you got all the right nubs in the right slockets?
By the sounds of things, we might have to recruit you into our jigsaw team when we take on the big 40,000 piecer…
I also did the try every piece every way round maoeuvre. I have had a lot more practice at jigsaws since lock-downs and wonder if I might now find it much easier to do. However, you know what, I don’t really want to find out.
Can I join your team when you take on the big one!
You’ll have to go through the rigorous interview and trial process first!
But we’re a long long way off such an ambitious project. I’m not sure there’s room for us to put it anywhere…
I agree that this was very tricky. My experience mirrors yours.
I am so glad that I am not the only one. For a small jigsaw it sure was tricky.