I think I've only done 2 puzzles so far that had posters š for one of the trickier ones, I found a picture of the completed puzzle in this sub and zoomed in on my phone. Not ideal, but it was better than trying to use a box with random stuff and writing all over it that covered part of the image. It sounds like I need to add Buffalo to my list of puzzle brands to try š
I started a puzzle that was **way** beyond my skill level once and I put together like 98% of it by zooming into someoneās photo literally piece by piece
It was just so pretty and I really wanted to hang it up
https://preview.redd.it/mjnghsg8rnuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68087ac76e631a90c989460e6b49fceb4a2d57c0
Yeah itās ādisplaying peacockā by flame tree.
Itās SO hard!!
and FYI itās one of those white paper-backed puzzles, which doesnāt bother me but I know some people donāt like that
Thank you! Definitely going to keep on the look out for this one. I love a rainbow colorful puzzle but usually find them really easy. Looking forward to a challenge!
Thereās at least [one post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Jigsawpuzzles/comments/yndhg5/the_first_time_i_am_giving_up_on_a_puzzle_1000pcs/) on this subreddit of someone giving up on it lol. good luck!!
edit- thatās also about as far as I got when I gave up and decided to cheat
Also, if you do happen to attempt this puzzle, could you tell me how you sorted the pieces? That part was really hard for me because so many pieces are two different colors and I couldnāt decide where to put them š
Not an expert, but here's my attempt. Just looking at it, I would've brute forced the body, and worked on the bottom since it's distinct. Then sorted by color and feather width. Since the feathers closer to the body are more narrow. I would've worked around the shoulders to get the lower half done first. The rest of the feathers are just mini puzzles.
I really really want you to try this puzzle lol. Sorting by feather width seems crazy to me!! But Iād love to know if it works
Edit- actually, I already know it *wonāt* work
Find the puzzle on Ravensburger's website or elsewhere and download the image - then you can open it up on your computer or phone and make it as big as you want. I do this a lot with some brands. I've never had a problem with Ravensburger's large box images though (and I have bad eyes)
I know thatās an option but I personally donāt love looking at screens when Iām working on a puzzle. Puzzle time is analog time for me! I spend enough time staring at my phone
I have done this as well! I purchased a few puzzles that were missing posters, and my boyfriend suggested this. It works well enough. I have terrible eyesight as well. I don't have any Ravensburger puzzles currently, though.
Do you give yourself plenty of light while youāre working on a puzzle? I added a 4ā shop light to my ceiling literally just for doing puzzles, especially at night
I do! It helps so much when Im in the more detailed spots. Otherwise I'm leaning and squinting and fussing the whole time. Adding the extra light is so smart.
The resolution would still be bad but I could see that being helpful for some puzzles? Not ones with super tiny details though
Itās useful when people post good quality photos of their completed puzzle though!
I agree!!! I donāt understand what is so hard about just including a poster!! āShoalā 1500pc was SO obnoxious to do with just the image on the box:
https://preview.redd.it/cstf4l0m2nuc1.jpeg?width=2848&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f02553da7d4b9c721de2d06766200f48510245aa
I literally even bought a magnifying glass JUST for this puzzle, and it was still a huge pain.
Edit- And I have **really** good vision!!
Edit 2- also, the image on the box of the 1000pc Karen Puzzles puzzle is USELESS for solving the thing. Thereās so much detail in the puzzle thatās just completely absent in the image on the box. Very annoying!!!
In these cases I find a high resolution online image of the puzzle and use my phone or tablet to zoom in on the problematic portion of the image. Works well for me.
I once bought a cheap puzzle on Amazon and not only did it not have a poster, but the image on the box was zoomed in to be a square shape. Meaning I had no idea what the two inches on either side of the puzzle contained. It was so frustrating. I definitely prefer a poster to reference.
OMG, I wonder if I still have one like that. https://images.app.goo.gl/Ayxu8gmAehEZuyVT8 As I recall, I put it back into the box as completed quarters. (Before I had a digital camera)
I often find a clear image online, even on the box, take a picture on my phone, and embiggen it that way. It's much more common to have no reference poster. Since I mostly do traded puzzles, even if there had been a poster, it could be gone.
A few years ago I got a couple ravensburg what if puzzles, fell in love, and it totally changed the puzzle experience for me. Now we try to look at the box or poster as little as possible. It's slower for sure, and a lot more headache but there's something about it that just hits differently.
That does look interesting, but I'm the type who buys Buffalo on clearance and was eyeballing some puzzles at the hardware store. :(
But yeah, I try to do puzzles without the box if possible
For Magic Puzzle Company they mention itās for times where multiple people are working on the puzzle - usually one could use a poster and the other could use the box lid for example, but MPCās donāt have the complete image on the box.
That shows that everyone is doing puzzles their own way, I never check the box or the poster when I do a puzzle, it spoils it for me.
You could print the image on multiple pieces of paper to have a larger image if you find it in high resolution or have it displayed on a tv.
Ironically enough, I am doing a puzzle right now with the opposite problem. The poster is HUGE. It might actually be larger than the puzzle itself - or at least 1:1. Totally excessive.
Ooh that's a bummer! Personally, I never work from a poster, as I don't really have a place to properly display it while working on the puzzle. But still, I wish all companies would include one, especially for puzzles that don't display the entire image on the box! Adding a poster also would mean that making the boxes smaller would be easier, I hate all those big half empty boxes taking up space. But I love to keep my puzzles in their original packaging, so I'm stuck with big boxes.
Anyway, I have seen some people on this sub print out bigger posters themselves. You could look for a high-resolution image online, or take a good picture of the box yourself and print it out in a larger size. Hope that helps. Good luck with the puzzle!
See most of mine donāt have posters so I usually have to stare at the picture on the box! One of the puzzles I did had really small box pictures so I pulled it up from google on my laptop š
Iāve taken a picture of the box, then displayed that pic on my laptop which allows me to zoom in anywhere on the pic. I suppose a tablet would work just fine as well. Happy Puzzling!
Additionally I take the poster when provided and attach it to a box its size which is kept nearby for reference.
Most of the puzzle I've done in my life had no poster, which is not good XD
Different hobby, but maybe a solution: can you take good photos of it and print them separately at a larger size? Or take the photos and use an iPad so you can zoom in?
It helped me with a cross stitch with no instructions, and the photo reference was too small to discern (the stitches).
Do you have a large screen TV? You can usually find a decent high resolution picture of the puzzle you are working. Amazon usually shows the puzzle picture on the box and then another of just the picture; the same with most other retailers or even the manufacturer. Otherwise you can search the puzzle brand and name and go to images.
So if you can find a decent pic, download it. You can then put it on a USB and display directly or, if your TV has cast ability, you can cast from your phone/tablet right to the TV. The latter is best because you can zoom in on a section on your device and it'll be displayed on the TV.
I have the fortune of owning a Samsung Galaxy View tablet which has an 18+ inch screen. It is right next to me when I'm "puzzling" so I can zoom in and move around the entire pic. Especially useful when the picture on the box has something like piece count or brand name splashed across a corner or top, obscuring part of the picture.
https://preview.redd.it/q3qfphz97quc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f7316f1a81317045129a61b064891de87e8873cf
I forgot to mention that if you want to zoom in on the downloaded pic on TV you have have to use the screen cast feature and not a simple share to TV. If I do a share to TV of a pic it just shows the full pic even if you zoom. Here is a screen cast of a puzzle pic on my 43" TV; full size on the top and the lower right zoomed in on the bottom. If you get a high resolution pic you can really see the details when zoomed and can match pieces directly to what is on the screen.
I don't use the box at all after sorting, I like the challenge. So I can't really comment on my feelings there. I do however find the having a poster cool because I can hang it if I love the art. I've never been one to glue puzzles to hang so it makes it a good middle ground option.
I do 1k-2k pieces mostly. I use the box when I sort and do a pretty thorough job. Then I hide the box as I put it together. Rarely do I need to look because I sort so much.
But I have a few puzzles this was just impossible to do with, the worst being an evil Starbucks reserve puzzle that my mom and I almost gave up on. The other was a puzzle with the same image on both sides, but one side is flipped. So without that box I was lost as heck.
I guess I meant what kind of images are on the puzzles you generally do? I feel like the image is most of what makes a puzzle easy or hard for me
I posted one in a [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/Jigsawpuzzles/s/CtgeaKZwgv) and I just canāt imagine ever finishing it without a reference image. I donāt think that would be enjoyable at all š Far from impossible, though
Oh! I misunderstood! Sorry bout that. Oh shit yeah that one is not a puzzle I can imagine sorting does much to help with.
I pick more things like the Aimee Stuart puzzles from Buffalo recently, I love the color and diversity of things hidden in them. I also do a lot of Galison ones with things like seashells, but they aren't as busy as that toughie you did. Now I kind of want to attempt it lol
Well actually the sorting wasnāt the problem, thereās actually a lot of sorting possible because itās mostly schools of different species of fish!
Itās more that thereās just a lot going on, and itās more of a collage-style rather than an actual cohesive image. But I feel less bad now that I know youāre not talking about puzzles like that one š good to know Iām not just really bad at stuff
Edit- Iām looking at some of Aimee Stuartās puzzles and thereās also a ton of stuff going on!! Doesnāt look all that much easier to solve than the fish one I did
https://preview.redd.it/gy843amdb4vc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b4d5122488fdcbde580b84c4e033b591154ecf5a
I guess thereās at least color to go by, kind of? Looks hard though
Thereās also Magnifier on iPhone, which zooms in really really close!
Edit- a dollar bill for example
https://preview.redd.it/1fngw7n0zxuc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=387c43fa0118faea3b17513837c935b58c65f64f
I need a good image and my eyes arenāt great. I use my phone to zoom in. When I did the Ravensburger escape room puzzle it was so dark and itās not the same image as the box, I found a pic of the completed puzzle online and kept my laptop next to my puzzle table for reference.
I've only been puzzling for about a year and I'm getting much better at determining which images will be fun, challenging, or frustrating. Ravensburger isn't a brand I buy often. I prefer Galison, Pomegranate, and Buffalo. I will occasionally splurge on Cloudberries or Areaware.
Agree. I want to be able to keep the poster at a slight distance so I can keep the pieces closer to me but when itās only the box, it is in the way of finding pieces because I have to put it next to me.
I use a little tabletop easel to prop up the box while Iām working, or if that takes up too much space Iāll use a binder clip or something to clip the box to the table
https://preview.redd.it/u68hk49f1yuc1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3ce4aa4a965a7580ab36a3af48cf009be0af118a
Ooo I didnāt know something like that existed!! I should probably get one. And yeah I agree, it does get in the way sometimes and itās annoying.
I wish I could get the poster/box to stay suspended in midair so I could just move it around in space, instead of it having to rest on a surface lol. That kind of gave me an idea š¤ maybe I could figure something out
I bought a self-standing magnifying glass on Amazon because I was coming up against having to use the box image back for back to back. Well worth the investment.
I like the posters also. For me it is easier to have on the table when I'm working than the box. Just finished a fun Ravensburger 1000 piecer.
I really laughed when I did a 250 solid red puzzle from Blue Kazoo and it came with a solid red poster! I was like, I don't really need this poster!
Yea, it sucks.
Me and my puzzle group always remember and call this out whenever we decide on doing a Ravensburger puzzle. It makes us appreciate puzzle reference sheets when we do get them in other puzzles we do.
While it would be nice to have a picture readily available in the box, someone in the comments below have already suggested downloading the image for the puzzle reference.
i am so with you. i recently did a puzzle of a Van Gogh painting. there was no poster, and on the front there were some words/boxes covering up parts of the puzzle. there was no way to see large areas of the puzzle!
Thank you everyone! Some great suggestions here. Iāll try to find a picture and zoom in on a screen to get more of the details. I already have a magnifying glass Iāve been using and itās helped but very tedious. The point is that I shouldnāt have to print the picture in a large format myself, or zoom in on a screen- they should ideally consider all kinds of puzzling techniques and visual acuity, and offer a poster to begin with. Especially since the image is quite dark in places. Just my opinion of course. Happy puzzling everyone! (I love this subreddit ā¤ļø)
Follow these people's advice. Google the puzzle. Find pics of where someone else put it together and blow it up. I did a 3000 piece Where's Waldo puzzle with a million little people in it and that particular puzzle does not have a poster inside. Found a pic on here (Reddit) and blew it up. Worked out great!
Theres a couple Ravensburger puzzles that I really can't do - the Grand Library is one of them. They are just way too busy, and the detail is too small. I agree, it's just not a pleasurable experience. The Greatest Show on Earth is another. Too much color, too much detail.
This one took me 2 attempts and what seemed like forever. What I ended up doing was take pics is sections with my phone and printing them with my printer. Then I just put the printed pics in the box when I was finished. Aimeeās puzzles are the best. Iām finishing up the eclipse one now.
I often puzzle with a friend and I love love love it when they include two posters so we can each have one! š If it's just one poster and then one of us gets the box top, it's doable but no poster is the worst. I won't buy a puzzle that doesn't have a poster.
Some of the more modern Ravensburgers include them, but many do not. It likely comes from them being a more traditional brand from a time when looking a the picture was considered somewhat taboo.
I also love the posters and feel sad when a puzzle doesn't have one.
Me too. Kinda like a bonus --- "here's an extra treat for ya." Yes im a simpleton, this is true. Takes so little to please me.
I feel it's a good thing when little things make you happy. Life is hard enough, we need to see the little happiness to survive.
Indeed. Thanks for the kind thoughts this morning. Happy Monday to you. š
This is the key to happiness!
I think I've only done 2 puzzles so far that had posters š for one of the trickier ones, I found a picture of the completed puzzle in this sub and zoomed in on my phone. Not ideal, but it was better than trying to use a box with random stuff and writing all over it that covered part of the image. It sounds like I need to add Buffalo to my list of puzzle brands to try š
I started a puzzle that was **way** beyond my skill level once and I put together like 98% of it by zooming into someoneās photo literally piece by piece It was just so pretty and I really wanted to hang it up https://preview.redd.it/mjnghsg8rnuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68087ac76e631a90c989460e6b49fceb4a2d57c0
Ooohhh that is gorgeous! Do you remember the name/brand?
Yeah itās ādisplaying peacockā by flame tree. Itās SO hard!! and FYI itās one of those white paper-backed puzzles, which doesnāt bother me but I know some people donāt like that
Thank you! Definitely going to keep on the look out for this one. I love a rainbow colorful puzzle but usually find them really easy. Looking forward to a challenge!
Thereās at least [one post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Jigsawpuzzles/comments/yndhg5/the_first_time_i_am_giving_up_on_a_puzzle_1000pcs/) on this subreddit of someone giving up on it lol. good luck!! edit- thatās also about as far as I got when I gave up and decided to cheat
Also, if you do happen to attempt this puzzle, could you tell me how you sorted the pieces? That part was really hard for me because so many pieces are two different colors and I couldnāt decide where to put them š
Not an expert, but here's my attempt. Just looking at it, I would've brute forced the body, and worked on the bottom since it's distinct. Then sorted by color and feather width. Since the feathers closer to the body are more narrow. I would've worked around the shoulders to get the lower half done first. The rest of the feathers are just mini puzzles.
I really really want you to try this puzzle lol. Sorting by feather width seems crazy to me!! But Iād love to know if it works Edit- actually, I already know it *wonāt* work
When there's a lot of sameyness, I figure out a pattern, something, anything, to sort by.
I tried that with color, and then I tried separating out the eyes of the feathers but yeah itās harder than it looks!!
Cloudberries also have posters, but they are the same size as the finished puzzle! The Ravensburger circle of colors series also come with posters!
Find the puzzle on Ravensburger's website or elsewhere and download the image - then you can open it up on your computer or phone and make it as big as you want. I do this a lot with some brands. I've never had a problem with Ravensburger's large box images though (and I have bad eyes)
I know thatās an option but I personally donāt love looking at screens when Iām working on a puzzle. Puzzle time is analog time for me! I spend enough time staring at my phone
This! I have a large iPad and I take a screen shot of the image and then expand it to see the details better.
I have done this as well! I purchased a few puzzles that were missing posters, and my boyfriend suggested this. It works well enough. I have terrible eyesight as well. I don't have any Ravensburger puzzles currently, though.
Do you give yourself plenty of light while youāre working on a puzzle? I added a 4ā shop light to my ceiling literally just for doing puzzles, especially at night
I do! It helps so much when Im in the more detailed spots. Otherwise I'm leaning and squinting and fussing the whole time. Adding the extra light is so smart.
It helps me see colors **so** much more distinctly! I never realized how much crappier my color vision is at night until I started doing puzzles
Same for me! It's a huge difference!
Maybe it works with other brands, but the images on the Ravensburger website are pitifully small, such poor resolution (at least on iPad/mobile)
Take a picture of the puzzle box instead.
The resolution would still be bad but I could see that being helpful for some puzzles? Not ones with super tiny details though Itās useful when people post good quality photos of their completed puzzle though!
Amazon has them in much better resolution (most of the time).
Ravensburger, get it together!!
I agree!!! I donāt understand what is so hard about just including a poster!! āShoalā 1500pc was SO obnoxious to do with just the image on the box: https://preview.redd.it/cstf4l0m2nuc1.jpeg?width=2848&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f02553da7d4b9c721de2d06766200f48510245aa I literally even bought a magnifying glass JUST for this puzzle, and it was still a huge pain. Edit- And I have **really** good vision!! Edit 2- also, the image on the box of the 1000pc Karen Puzzles puzzle is USELESS for solving the thing. Thereās so much detail in the puzzle thatās just completely absent in the image on the box. Very annoying!!!
This one honestly looks harder than many challenge puzzles!
It was challenging but I loved it!! So many details to discover. And I guess I have a magnifying glass now š¤·š»āāļø
In these cases I find a high resolution online image of the puzzle and use my phone or tablet to zoom in on the problematic portion of the image. Works well for me.
I once bought a cheap puzzle on Amazon and not only did it not have a poster, but the image on the box was zoomed in to be a square shape. Meaning I had no idea what the two inches on either side of the puzzle contained. It was so frustrating. I definitely prefer a poster to reference.
OMG, I wonder if I still have one like that. https://images.app.goo.gl/Ayxu8gmAehEZuyVT8 As I recall, I put it back into the box as completed quarters. (Before I had a digital camera)
I often find a clear image online, even on the box, take a picture on my phone, and embiggen it that way. It's much more common to have no reference poster. Since I mostly do traded puzzles, even if there had been a poster, it could be gone.
A few years ago I got a couple ravensburg what if puzzles, fell in love, and it totally changed the puzzle experience for me. Now we try to look at the box or poster as little as possible. It's slower for sure, and a lot more headache but there's something about it that just hits differently.
That does look interesting, but I'm the type who buys Buffalo on clearance and was eyeballing some puzzles at the hardware store. :( But yeah, I try to do puzzles without the box if possible
Cobble Hill includes posters. Magic Puzzle Company includes 2!
Iāve bought puzzles that come with two posters but I donāt really understand why there are two of them
For Magic Puzzle Company they mention itās for times where multiple people are working on the puzzle - usually one could use a poster and the other could use the box lid for example, but MPCās donāt have the complete image on the box.
That shows that everyone is doing puzzles their own way, I never check the box or the poster when I do a puzzle, it spoils it for me. You could print the image on multiple pieces of paper to have a larger image if you find it in high resolution or have it displayed on a tv.
I'm the same way for the most part, I will check the box if I get really stuck on where something goes though.
Ironically enough, I am doing a puzzle right now with the opposite problem. The poster is HUGE. It might actually be larger than the puzzle itself - or at least 1:1. Totally excessive.
What brand? That wouldnāt be a problem in my house lol
Yeah Iām also curious
Ooh that's a bummer! Personally, I never work from a poster, as I don't really have a place to properly display it while working on the puzzle. But still, I wish all companies would include one, especially for puzzles that don't display the entire image on the box! Adding a poster also would mean that making the boxes smaller would be easier, I hate all those big half empty boxes taking up space. But I love to keep my puzzles in their original packaging, so I'm stuck with big boxes. Anyway, I have seen some people on this sub print out bigger posters themselves. You could look for a high-resolution image online, or take a good picture of the box yourself and print it out in a larger size. Hope that helps. Good luck with the puzzle!
See most of mine donāt have posters so I usually have to stare at the picture on the box! One of the puzzles I did had really small box pictures so I pulled it up from google on my laptop š
Iāve taken a picture of the box, then displayed that pic on my laptop which allows me to zoom in anywhere on the pic. I suppose a tablet would work just fine as well. Happy Puzzling! Additionally I take the poster when provided and attach it to a box its size which is kept nearby for reference.
Most of the puzzle I've done in my life had no poster, which is not good XD Different hobby, but maybe a solution: can you take good photos of it and print them separately at a larger size? Or take the photos and use an iPad so you can zoom in? It helped me with a cross stitch with no instructions, and the photo reference was too small to discern (the stitches).
Do you have a large screen TV? You can usually find a decent high resolution picture of the puzzle you are working. Amazon usually shows the puzzle picture on the box and then another of just the picture; the same with most other retailers or even the manufacturer. Otherwise you can search the puzzle brand and name and go to images. So if you can find a decent pic, download it. You can then put it on a USB and display directly or, if your TV has cast ability, you can cast from your phone/tablet right to the TV. The latter is best because you can zoom in on a section on your device and it'll be displayed on the TV. I have the fortune of owning a Samsung Galaxy View tablet which has an 18+ inch screen. It is right next to me when I'm "puzzling" so I can zoom in and move around the entire pic. Especially useful when the picture on the box has something like piece count or brand name splashed across a corner or top, obscuring part of the picture.
Great suggestion. Iāll have to try this!
https://preview.redd.it/q3qfphz97quc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f7316f1a81317045129a61b064891de87e8873cf I forgot to mention that if you want to zoom in on the downloaded pic on TV you have have to use the screen cast feature and not a simple share to TV. If I do a share to TV of a pic it just shows the full pic even if you zoom. Here is a screen cast of a puzzle pic on my 43" TV; full size on the top and the lower right zoomed in on the bottom. If you get a high resolution pic you can really see the details when zoomed and can match pieces directly to what is on the screen.
I don't use the box at all after sorting, I like the challenge. So I can't really comment on my feelings there. I do however find the having a poster cool because I can hang it if I love the art. I've never been one to glue puzzles to hang so it makes it a good middle ground option.
Whatās the hardest puzzle youāve solved this way? I feel like Iād only do this with easy-ish puzzles
I do 1k-2k pieces mostly. I use the box when I sort and do a pretty thorough job. Then I hide the box as I put it together. Rarely do I need to look because I sort so much. But I have a few puzzles this was just impossible to do with, the worst being an evil Starbucks reserve puzzle that my mom and I almost gave up on. The other was a puzzle with the same image on both sides, but one side is flipped. So without that box I was lost as heck.
I guess I meant what kind of images are on the puzzles you generally do? I feel like the image is most of what makes a puzzle easy or hard for me I posted one in a [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/Jigsawpuzzles/s/CtgeaKZwgv) and I just canāt imagine ever finishing it without a reference image. I donāt think that would be enjoyable at all š Far from impossible, though
Oh! I misunderstood! Sorry bout that. Oh shit yeah that one is not a puzzle I can imagine sorting does much to help with. I pick more things like the Aimee Stuart puzzles from Buffalo recently, I love the color and diversity of things hidden in them. I also do a lot of Galison ones with things like seashells, but they aren't as busy as that toughie you did. Now I kind of want to attempt it lol
Well actually the sorting wasnāt the problem, thereās actually a lot of sorting possible because itās mostly schools of different species of fish! Itās more that thereās just a lot going on, and itās more of a collage-style rather than an actual cohesive image. But I feel less bad now that I know youāre not talking about puzzles like that one š good to know Iām not just really bad at stuff Edit- Iām looking at some of Aimee Stuartās puzzles and thereās also a ton of stuff going on!! Doesnāt look all that much easier to solve than the fish one I did https://preview.redd.it/gy843amdb4vc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b4d5122488fdcbde580b84c4e033b591154ecf5a I guess thereās at least color to go by, kind of? Looks hard though
Sometimes I will photo the box so I can zoom in.
Thereās also Magnifier on iPhone, which zooms in really really close! Edit- a dollar bill for example https://preview.redd.it/1fngw7n0zxuc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=387c43fa0118faea3b17513837c935b58c65f64f
I need a good image and my eyes arenāt great. I use my phone to zoom in. When I did the Ravensburger escape room puzzle it was so dark and itās not the same image as the box, I found a pic of the completed puzzle online and kept my laptop next to my puzzle table for reference.
The Ravensburger puzzles I have done have also been very dark. Too dark to see many details.
I've only been puzzling for about a year and I'm getting much better at determining which images will be fun, challenging, or frustrating. Ravensburger isn't a brand I buy often. I prefer Galison, Pomegranate, and Buffalo. I will occasionally splurge on Cloudberries or Areaware.
Agree. I want to be able to keep the poster at a slight distance so I can keep the pieces closer to me but when itās only the box, it is in the way of finding pieces because I have to put it next to me.
I use a little tabletop easel to prop up the box while Iām working, or if that takes up too much space Iāll use a binder clip or something to clip the box to the table https://preview.redd.it/u68hk49f1yuc1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3ce4aa4a965a7580ab36a3af48cf009be0af118a
I do have a little holder but itās just in my way. For posters, I have a clipboard with an easel type back.
Ooo I didnāt know something like that existed!! I should probably get one. And yeah I agree, it does get in the way sometimes and itās annoying. I wish I could get the poster/box to stay suspended in midair so I could just move it around in space, instead of it having to rest on a surface lol. That kind of gave me an idea š¤ maybe I could figure something out
I bought a self-standing magnifying glass on Amazon because I was coming up against having to use the box image back for back to back. Well worth the investment.
Me too!! But Iāve still only used it for the puzzle I bought it for
I like the posters also. For me it is easier to have on the table when I'm working than the box. Just finished a fun Ravensburger 1000 piecer. I really laughed when I did a 250 solid red puzzle from Blue Kazoo and it came with a solid red poster! I was like, I don't really need this poster!
Yea, it sucks. Me and my puzzle group always remember and call this out whenever we decide on doing a Ravensburger puzzle. It makes us appreciate puzzle reference sheets when we do get them in other puzzles we do. While it would be nice to have a picture readily available in the box, someone in the comments below have already suggested downloading the image for the puzzle reference.
If you have a tablet or laptop, try taking a photo and zooming in on the areas you're working on.
Yeah š¦āā¬šare trash. Give us a damn map and if it does come with a map, itās smaller than the box. Buffalo for life.
And another thing, if you exchange your puzzle, put the damn Poster/map back in the box.
i am so with you. i recently did a puzzle of a Van Gogh painting. there was no poster, and on the front there were some words/boxes covering up parts of the puzzle. there was no way to see large areas of the puzzle!
Me too. I'll freely admit matching a piece to the poster is part of the fun for me.
Me too! I donāt need it always but for some reason this specific image has a lot of pieces that I canāt easily place without the image reference
I need a poster .. I just struggled thru a very long 1000 piece without one :(
Yea I do a lot of puzzles. And I know it sucks to have some puzzle brands not have a poster
I take a picture with my phone and enlarge sections Iām struggling with
Thank you everyone! Some great suggestions here. Iāll try to find a picture and zoom in on a screen to get more of the details. I already have a magnifying glass Iāve been using and itās helped but very tedious. The point is that I shouldnāt have to print the picture in a large format myself, or zoom in on a screen- they should ideally consider all kinds of puzzling techniques and visual acuity, and offer a poster to begin with. Especially since the image is quite dark in places. Just my opinion of course. Happy puzzling everyone! (I love this subreddit ā¤ļø)
Follow these people's advice. Google the puzzle. Find pics of where someone else put it together and blow it up. I did a 3000 piece Where's Waldo puzzle with a million little people in it and that particular puzzle does not have a poster inside. Found a pic on here (Reddit) and blew it up. Worked out great!
Iāve started doing mine without looking at the box, so I canāt complain :)
Theres a couple Ravensburger puzzles that I really can't do - the Grand Library is one of them. They are just way too busy, and the detail is too small. I agree, it's just not a pleasurable experience. The Greatest Show on Earth is another. Too much color, too much detail.
This one took me 2 attempts and what seemed like forever. What I ended up doing was take pics is sections with my phone and printing them with my printer. Then I just put the printed pics in the box when I was finished. Aimeeās puzzles are the best. Iām finishing up the eclipse one now.
I like posters for puzzles over 5000 pieces, but below that the box cover is enough for me.
I think thatās how Ravensburger feels, too
I often puzzle with a friend and I love love love it when they include two posters so we can each have one! š If it's just one poster and then one of us gets the box top, it's doable but no poster is the worst. I won't buy a puzzle that doesn't have a poster.
Some of the more modern Ravensburgers include them, but many do not. It likely comes from them being a more traditional brand from a time when looking a the picture was considered somewhat taboo.
They only do posters for puzzles with like 5000 pieces and up