Non-fluoro, 20th C World Map?

May 3, 2010 11:40 PM

Help! I would like to do a jigsaw puzzle that has the side benefit of educating me about world geography. Where can I order a world map puzzle with an image that is neither c. 1600, nor cartoonish-looking in lurid colours?

It would have to be able to be shipped to Australia and I would like to frame it when done.

All suggestions welcome - thanks!

posted by Weng to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (4 answers total)

You might want to consider a globe jigsaw like this one:

http://www.alljigsawpuzzles.co.uk/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=2323

(I'm sure these are available in Australian shops too)

Sure, you can't frame it but you can display it and the education aspect is at least as good as a 2D version.
posted by nomis at 12:07 AM on May 4, 2010

Wow, non-fluoro is tough. There's this one, the image doesn't look too bright. I don't think I've ever seen a non-coloured world map puzzle, definitely not if you want it to show political boundaries.

I would recommend against the spherical puzzle, I did one and found myself focused a lot more on the structural aspect than the puzzle image, so I think it would be much less useful educationally.

You might want to check out a hobby shop near you. If you're in Melbourne there's one under Flinders St Station, don't know about the other cities.
posted by jacalata at 2:28 AM on May 4, 2010

Best answer: I'd try checking out Mindgames, who always seem to have a large range of jigsaw puzzles, or Australian Geographic, or a local map shop might have some suggestions. Etsy has a seller with a cute map of Africa (but not the rest of the world). This one might be more abstract than you are after, but is different, and also fair-trade. Ravensburger makes a political World Map that's not super garish. Another. Map Marketing make a partially customised map puzzle, where you can select the year the map was designed (the 70s ones are kinda retro, and the 1920s look sweet - they may not be reflective of current geopolitical boundaries, but are at least in the 20th C). Something similar here. Geopuzzles are made in the shape of each country, but you'd need to get 5 puzzles - one per major continent (I'm not even sure Australia is represented at all) - they are bright, but could be repainted to match your decor. Of course, you could always just make your own.
posted by metaphorical at 5:14 AM on May 4, 2010 [2 favorites]

Mental Floss' Global Puzzle might be close to what you want. Australia is one of the options in the drop-down box for shipping, so i assume they'll send it to you.
posted by gursky at 7:59 AM on May 4, 2010