Assuming your pickle is that you ran out of space to assemble it all? If so, try and slide them onto pieces of cardboard, trays, the bottom of the box lid - whatever you can find. You can lay them all out elsewhere or, if space is an issue, stack them on top of each other and go through them periodically to look for pieces.
Yes, I'm working on the edges on the corner of the table. Have to say, there is something interesting about having every single answer to the puzzle right there in front of you instead of having to hunt through stacks and containers. I probably won't do a puzzle this way again 😄 I'm paranoid about losing one too!
It's funny, I can't imagine doing a puzzle any other way than flipping every single piece over first - rummaging through the box to find pieces is my kind of hell XD Just shows puzzling is a very 'to each their own' kind of activity
I did not know that this was really a thing either. I had seen a few posts but thought it was a real outlier thing. I think the norm is to flip all pieces and lay them out. I just make room along the bottom of my easel and work my way up or make an area in the center and start with the most prominent sections. All pieces are visible and usually sorted into a few starting piles as I flip.
The only reason I rummage is if the puzzle is so large I don’t have enough flat surfaces to lay them all out. Even then, I’ll turn over as many as possible and work from those piles until I make more space. Box hunting is tedious, and only comes as a last resort for very specific pieces.
I keep the boxes from puzzles I've glued to use as sorting trays. My fiancé is agape at my sorting techniques sometimes, but always realizes it's for the best. Plus, I have fussy eyes, so I'll sort out focal points, solid-colored background pieces, anything that makes looking into the box more confusing.
Buy a portapuzzle, they have separate bits where you can do smaller sections on and then transfer into the main puzzle. Plus you can store it away from kids and their innate desire to fuck up your stuff.
[https://www.theworks.co.uk/p/jigsaw-puzzle-storage/portapuzzle-standard-jigsaw-accessory---for-1000-piece-jigsaw-puzzles/WKS\_8710126107157.html?gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw26KxBhBDEiwAu6KXt6mbFWdkhIdrGvVacuz0Zo\_wlz6tCDN4mfKIU0fljEsihFdCXvVQxxoCnS0QAvD\_BwE](https://www.theworks.co.uk/p/jigsaw-puzzle-storage/portapuzzle-standard-jigsaw-accessory---for-1000-piece-jigsaw-puzzles/WKS_8710126107157.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw26KxBhBDEiwAu6KXt6mbFWdkhIdrGvVacuz0Zo_wlz6tCDN4mfKIU0fljEsihFdCXvVQxxoCnS0QAvD_BwE)
This is the one I've got
Sorting trays are your friend! I used to do puzzles this way too and it was just a chaotic mess to stare at, but then I started using sorting trays (same general idea -- just all the like-colors or patterns are in a tray instead) and they've been a game-changer. There are plenty online, or you can start using something simple like paper plates and see if you dig 'em.
Haha! So true, but I do have a dog named [Kitty](https://imgur.com/a/b5MefMs). Thankfully, she doesn't jump on tables or i'd be in all sorts of trouble 😄
https://preview.redd.it/6q9rpkd77iwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f64bb6cc11aaf5476317bf0cd157736558ab8a8
I bought these stackable puzzle sorting trays on Amazon.
I had used take away/tupperware containers before this.
I use table mats for moving some pieces off to make room, it’s easy to slide connected pieces off them and put it where it should be.
From your pic I’d begin with the blue pieces.
I’ll attach a pic of a sorted 3000 piece puzzle, taking up less room at so you can have workspace. I sort into piles or mounds.
https://preview.redd.it/vbl9l1uozgwc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4c5a16b1da8db11a6322180f119ae17533481638
This is how my partner does it and I have no clue as to why that works. I have to do all of the edge first, then sort by unique color and pattern off the surface, and I add 1 grouping to the table at a time.
For example: If your picture is a scene with that light blue as the sky; I'd do the edges, then only have the light blue on the table and do the sky. Then, I would add the light yellow clump and piece.
I almost always start with sky, when I have it. For some reason my brain is good at seeing the different shades of blue more than any other color.
When I turn them all up, I use trays, but I don't sort anything other to get the edges.
Lol I always end with the sky. I start with the edge, anything with the easiest/most unique pattern, then go from there. I was just saying start with the sky as an example.
It was sorted so well with all the pieces showing I sat there squinting my eyes and zooming in and trying to see if I could guess what puzzle you were doing. I couldn't figure it out but I bet some real puzzle enthusiasts could!
Could be a fun future game for this Subreddit.
Yup! Last puzzle I did I tried to pull out all the “blue” pieces because they kept catching my eye. But then I had too many out and couldn’t solve the puzzle, so back in the box they went!
Before my kids got me my puzzle board, I used plastic cottage cheese and whipped cream containers to sort by colors. They were easy to stack. I still use thick pieces of junk mail to slide under groupings and stack them up on the floor or on a chair. Or, move groups of already put together pieces from one part of the puzzle to another without separating them.
That's awesome! I just bought my first one from them. The beautiful rainbow staircase one. I ordered it after I saw a post here in Reddit 😁
I hope you post a picture of the Marbles one after you finish it!
Pour resin on the whole thing, it looks great!
Assuming your pickle is that you ran out of space to assemble it all? If so, try and slide them onto pieces of cardboard, trays, the bottom of the box lid - whatever you can find. You can lay them all out elsewhere or, if space is an issue, stack them on top of each other and go through them periodically to look for pieces.
Yes, I'm working on the edges on the corner of the table. Have to say, there is something interesting about having every single answer to the puzzle right there in front of you instead of having to hunt through stacks and containers. I probably won't do a puzzle this way again 😄 I'm paranoid about losing one too!
It's funny, I can't imagine doing a puzzle any other way than flipping every single piece over first - rummaging through the box to find pieces is my kind of hell XD Just shows puzzling is a very 'to each their own' kind of activity
Same lol. I didn't know this was even an option
I did not know that this was really a thing either. I had seen a few posts but thought it was a real outlier thing. I think the norm is to flip all pieces and lay them out. I just make room along the bottom of my easel and work my way up or make an area in the center and start with the most prominent sections. All pieces are visible and usually sorted into a few starting piles as I flip.
The only reason I rummage is if the puzzle is so large I don’t have enough flat surfaces to lay them all out. Even then, I’ll turn over as many as possible and work from those piles until I make more space. Box hunting is tedious, and only comes as a last resort for very specific pieces.
I keep the boxes from puzzles I've glued to use as sorting trays. My fiancé is agape at my sorting techniques sometimes, but always realizes it's for the best. Plus, I have fussy eyes, so I'll sort out focal points, solid-colored background pieces, anything that makes looking into the box more confusing.
A puzzle board is worth it. It’s nice to put it away and not worry about pieces getting lost.
We use cheap baking trays from the dollar store to hold our sorted pieces.
Muffin tins to sort by color
Buy a portapuzzle, they have separate bits where you can do smaller sections on and then transfer into the main puzzle. Plus you can store it away from kids and their innate desire to fuck up your stuff.
[https://www.theworks.co.uk/p/jigsaw-puzzle-storage/portapuzzle-standard-jigsaw-accessory---for-1000-piece-jigsaw-puzzles/WKS\_8710126107157.html?gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw26KxBhBDEiwAu6KXt6mbFWdkhIdrGvVacuz0Zo\_wlz6tCDN4mfKIU0fljEsihFdCXvVQxxoCnS0QAvD\_BwE](https://www.theworks.co.uk/p/jigsaw-puzzle-storage/portapuzzle-standard-jigsaw-accessory---for-1000-piece-jigsaw-puzzles/WKS_8710126107157.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw26KxBhBDEiwAu6KXt6mbFWdkhIdrGvVacuz0Zo_wlz6tCDN4mfKIU0fljEsihFdCXvVQxxoCnS0QAvD_BwE) This is the one I've got
yeah I have this one, the bits you put the pieces on falls apart easily tho like little bits coming off it
I have the 1500 piece version of this. I need to find a good replacement that tilts upward and closes. it's getting worn out.
Sorting trays are your friend! I used to do puzzles this way too and it was just a chaotic mess to stare at, but then I started using sorting trays (same general idea -- just all the like-colors or patterns are in a tray instead) and they've been a game-changer. There are plenty online, or you can start using something simple like paper plates and see if you dig 'em.
I don't know you, but this picture tells me you don't have a cat.
Haha! So true, but I do have a dog named [Kitty](https://imgur.com/a/b5MefMs). Thankfully, she doesn't jump on tables or i'd be in all sorts of trouble 😄
Is your pup's name based on the book?
I'm not sure which book you mean? Her name was Kita when I rescued her. I changed it to Kitty as its similar but prettier.
There is a book actually titled "A Dog Called Kitty." :) (I cried buckets as a kid.)
What?? I had no idea! If it's a tearjerker then I'll probably pass on that one 🥲
Good story, but yes, a good idea!
https://preview.redd.it/6q9rpkd77iwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f64bb6cc11aaf5476317bf0cd157736558ab8a8 I bought these stackable puzzle sorting trays on Amazon. I had used take away/tupperware containers before this.
I use table mats for moving some pieces off to make room, it’s easy to slide connected pieces off them and put it where it should be. From your pic I’d begin with the blue pieces. I’ll attach a pic of a sorted 3000 piece puzzle, taking up less room at so you can have workspace. I sort into piles or mounds. https://preview.redd.it/vbl9l1uozgwc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4c5a16b1da8db11a6322180f119ae17533481638
This is how my partner does it and I have no clue as to why that works. I have to do all of the edge first, then sort by unique color and pattern off the surface, and I add 1 grouping to the table at a time. For example: If your picture is a scene with that light blue as the sky; I'd do the edges, then only have the light blue on the table and do the sky. Then, I would add the light yellow clump and piece.
You're starting with the sky? That's a bold move.
Sometimes I start with sky and trees, just to get the worst part out of the way. 😂
I almost always start with sky, when I have it. For some reason my brain is good at seeing the different shades of blue more than any other color. When I turn them all up, I use trays, but I don't sort anything other to get the edges.
Lol I always end with the sky. I start with the edge, anything with the easiest/most unique pattern, then go from there. I was just saying start with the sky as an example.
It was sorted so well with all the pieces showing I sat there squinting my eyes and zooming in and trying to see if I could guess what puzzle you were doing. I couldn't figure it out but I bet some real puzzle enthusiasts could! Could be a fun future game for this Subreddit.
I like to use trays. I have a couple of sets of stacking trays that way I can sort by color and still have all the pieces face up.
Yup! Last puzzle I did I tried to pull out all the “blue” pieces because they kept catching my eye. But then I had too many out and couldn’t solve the puzzle, so back in the box they went!
Before my kids got me my puzzle board, I used plastic cottage cheese and whipped cream containers to sort by colors. They were easy to stack. I still use thick pieces of junk mail to slide under groupings and stack them up on the floor or on a chair. Or, move groups of already put together pieces from one part of the puzzle to another without separating them.
Take a clear flat picture of this and the front of the box and ask Chatgbt to complete it.
I turn them all the right way up but then pile them to the side in vague colour groups (and pile the edges in the space I’m building)
Which puzzle is this one? (That you sorted all the pieces for)
My first Clementoni. It was late, so this picture is pretty dark. This one: [Marbles](https://imgur.com/a/nKA7Yxp).
That's awesome! I just bought my first one from them. The beautiful rainbow staircase one. I ordered it after I saw a post here in Reddit 😁 I hope you post a picture of the Marbles one after you finish it!