THE CASE FOR LASER CUT PUZZLES

Lately I have been exploring, and writing about, hand cut puzzles, particularly custom orders. There is no doubt that these are exquisite heirlooms that are so perfectly suited to my particular needs, that I can assemble them again and again. They also satisfy my craving for artwork as each is a bit of a masterpiece. And collaborating with the cutter/artists has been a joy and brought a sense of community in this rather isolating time.

I wanted to clarify that my enthusiasm for these pieces should not be in any way a reflection on the respect I feel for quality laser cut puzzles. It is a shame that the stampede to puzzling during the pandemic has brought a flood of inferior quality wooden laser cut puzzles to the market. Many of these are made overseas and have burn marks, ill fitting cuts, flimsy thin wood, uninspired designs, and connectors that break easily. I’m afraid that these give a bad name to the industry.

But there are some beautiful, innovative, quality makers if you know where to look. Particularly, two cutters/companies are so well done that I mistook them for hand cuts. These are Fathom and 3 Cat Max. The artists/cutters of these companies are passionate and innovative. Their designs are creative and beautiful and both companies provide excellent customer service.

There are also some wonderful laser cut companies that have been around long before the pandemic and have stood the test of time: DaVici, Wentworth, Liberty, Nautilus, Artifact, and Stumpcraft to name a few.

And there are some recent entries in the market that are high quality and passionate: Victory, Inside Adventure, Boardwalk, Padma, Mosaic, Facon. (Please forgive me if I have missed someone and feel free to contact me for any I should include)

There is one advantage of laser cut puzzles: the connectors can be in shapes that hand cuts can’t (or don’t? not sure which…) I recently assembled a Davici I’ve had for years and enjoyed the lovely-and quirky- figurals that connected the pieces. Such fun!

The problem for me with laser cuts is that they can’t be tailored to my needs and many include tiny pieces. But if that is not an issue for you, or when you find a laser cut puzzle that has larger pieces, they are generally much more affordable. And to achieve this herculean task without going broke, I once again would recommend the Hoefnagel Rental Club where you can explore just about every make, style, design etc before you decide what you want for your permanent collection.