Comments on: The Puzzle of the Puzzle Trade

Question: The Puzzle of the Puzzle Trade

thelongcon — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:04:07 -0800

What does a person mean when they say they want to 'trade puzzles'?

Today I saw a sign on an empty shop front beside the bus stop. It said something along the lines of "If you have any puzzles to trade call Alex". So I called the number, a person picked up and I told him I had a puzzle to trade. He asked me how many pieces the puzzle had and I told him 5000 pieces. Things took a stranger turn when he told me he liked puzzles that had 500 to 1000 pieces but he could "only handle up to 1000 pieces or 1001 pieces" and he asked me to tell my friends to call him if they had puzzles of that size. Does anyone know if "500/1000 piece puzzle" means anything or give me some clue to what this guy was talking about? Is he mentally unwell? Is there a puzzle trading society I don't know about? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

By: jontyjago

jontyjago — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:08:35 -0800

Um, could he just be talking about swapping jigsaw puzzles? You know, you've finished one, you don't want it anymore, so you swap it. Doesn't seem that mysterious to me.

By: redfoxtail

redfoxtail — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:09:23 -0800

Sounds like jigsaw puzzles to me.

By: genghis

genghis — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:09:29 -0800

Jigsaws.

By: Margalo Epps

Margalo Epps — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:09:58 -0800

1000 piece puzzle

By: thelongcon

thelongcon — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:13:01 -0800

I thought it would've meant something more considering he wouldn't accept my 5000 piece puzzle.

By: sophist

sophist — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:14:05 -0800

Maybe he just doesn't have time for a 5000 piece puzzle.
It could also be some kind of drug code. What kind of neighbordhood was it in?

By: beaucoupkevin

beaucoupkevin — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:19:18 -0800

It could also be some kind of drug code.

They're probably wanting to invite you to their rock-and-roll parties. Where there will be drugs. And No Jesus.

(Seriously, I've known a few puzzle people that it's very common for them to trade. He may simply not have the room to do a 5000 piece puzzle versus a smaller one.)

By: mattholomew

mattholomew — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:41:35 -0800

That part about 1000 pieces or 1001 pieces is particularly strange. Why would you make that distinction? Why not just say 'up to 1000 pieces'? It does sound like he was talking in code.

By: Marit

Marit — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:52:46 -0800

Some puzzles come in 1000 and some come in 1001. That is the size he is shooting for -- he doesn't want to miss an opportunity for a 1001 by saying "only up to 1000." They are significantly smaller and less time-consuming than a 5000 piece puzzle.

Come on now, not everything has to be shady. The guy just wants to share his jigsaws and try new ones without spending money.

By: bshort

bshort — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:01:01 -0800

Dude, he just likes puzzles.

That, or it's a sex thing.

By: banannafish

banannafish — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:17:18 -0800

Urbandictionary has nothing fun or exciting about drugs or sexy times in relation to puzzles. I think he just wants your puzzles.

By: box

box — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:21:02 -0800

Did he say 'okay, so you want an eightball of puzzles?' or 'I like my puzzles shaved and uncut,' or anything like that? Did it sound like he was masturbating on the phone? If it wasn't drugs or sex, it was probably just puzzles.

By: thelongcon

thelongcon — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:21:20 -0800

Oh I just wanted to add that I called the guy around 2 in the afternoon (on a Thursday). Is it strange he was home? I'm hoping there's something more to this than just plain jigsaw puzzles.

By: Meagan

Meagan — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:25:13 -0800

Well, how do you know that posted number was his home number instead of a cell or work number? I think you're reading into this way too much.

By: boreddusty

boreddusty — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:34:55 -0800

I agree that you're reading too much into this. Especially since he told you to tell your friends if they had puzzles to trade.

I've never traded puzzles, but it seems like a thing that people would do, much like trading (in) video games after you've beaten them.

By: roue

roue — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:34:58 -0800

Buy a 1001 piece puzzle. Call him up. The truth is out there.

By: Nugget

Nugget — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:37:21 -0800

It's 2.30 in the afternoon and I'm home.

I'm doing a jigsaw too. Anyone want to swap?

By: worker_bee

worker_bee — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:38:27 -0800

I called the guy around 2 in the afternoon (on a Thursday). Is it strange he was home?

Umm... the guy spends his time doing jigsaw puzzles of a certain size and then swaps them with strangers. I would honestly expect him to be home at 2pm on a Thursday afternoon..

By: amyms

amyms — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:03:25 -0800

To get a definitive answer you should call him back, arrange to meet at a safe, neutral place to "trade puzzles" and then see if he actually shows up with a puzzle.

By: The Deej

The Deej — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:09:30 -0800

I have never heard of puzzles as a code for anything other than puzzles.

By: Malor

Malor — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:11:43 -0800

But if you follow amym's advice -- bring a puzzle of your own to trade. Not fair to make him come meet you otherwise.

By: yohko

yohko — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:14:17 -0800

Congratulations! You have been chosen to do original, front-line research on this question. Go buy a puzzle.

Let us know how it works out, we'll be filing a missing person report if we don't hear back from you.

By: TochterAusElysium

TochterAusElysium — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:20:39 -0800

Does this help? Note that it does come from the Worldwide Jigsaw Puzzles Meetup Message Board.

By: TedW

TedW — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:49:34 -0800

I agree that ~~Ralph~~ the signmaker was talking about real puzzles, not metaphorical ones.

By: ottereroticist

ottereroticist — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:57:42 -0800

My intuitive hit is that the guy is Aspergers or something like that.

By: arcticwoman

arcticwoman — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:33:20 -0800

This is a really common thing for jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts to do, you are reading way too much into this.

By: iamkimiam

iamkimiam — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:34:27 -0800

I think this guy wants to trade puzzles.

And by "puzzles" I mean boxes full of little parts that fit together in a specific arrangement to result in a pretty picture.

Or wives.

By: Tuwa

Tuwa — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:54:02 -0800

Oh I just wanted to add that I called the guy around 2 in the afternoon (on a Thursday). Is it strange he was home? I'm hoping there's something more to this than just plain jigsaw puzzles.

At my job we get to pick our days off. Mine are Saturday, Wednesday and, yes, Thursday.

By: drezdn

drezdn — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:57:58 -0800

If you're not game for actually trying to swap puzzles with him, maybe another Mefi would?

By: The Deej

The Deej — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:23:07 -0800

If you're not game for actually trying to swap puzzles with him, maybe another Mefi would?
posted by drezdn

Maybe this is a good MeFi Project. Collect old puzzles from MeFites, and deliver a crapload of puzzles to the guy all the once, just to see the look on his face.

By: agregoli

agregoli — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:49:15 -0800

He doesn't have to be too slow to do a bigger puzzle - I take it as he can't "handle" a larger puzzle cause he doesn't have room to do that in.

By: nilihm

nilihm — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:56:17 -0800

I'm with The Deej, but delivery to Australia?

By: The Deej

The Deej — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 10:04:07 -0800

Aussie mefites only.

By: The Deej

The Deej — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 10:06:57 -0800

Looks like you can send a 1 pound package from US to Australia for $10.10.

By: craven_morhead

craven_morhead — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:43:31 -0800

"Puzzles" is code for "plate of beans."

By: adrianhon

adrianhon — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:13:43 -0800

This question better not be the start of a puzzle or ARG...

By: web-goddess

web-goddess — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:40:23 -0800

I'm in Sydney, and I actually bought a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle last week from Kmart at the Broadway Shopping Centre. ($2! On sale!) My husband enjoys putting them together. But his name is not Alex, and to my knowledge he has never "traded" puzzles with anyone. But now you're making me suspicious...

By: bunglin jones

bunglin jones — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 23:58:51 -0800

I'll have a bit of time to kill in Sydney next week. If you email me (at the address in my profile) and let me know where you saw the sign and phone number, I'll be more than happy to meet the guy, puzzle in hand. I'll let you know what happens.

By: thelongcon

thelongcon — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:40:21 -0800

Thanks for the answers everyone, I was probably looking for something weird that wasn't there. I'll email you, bunglin jones, when I get the number again, probably on Monday.