Wanting to do a very specific type of jigsaw puzzle or coloring book

December 16, 2020 9:18 AM

Winter break is coming up and I really want to get a puzzle to do. BUT I am very picky about the kind of puzzles I like to do.

I like really busy, detailed, colorful cartoon scenes, preferably in domestic settings or cityscapes. Two puzzles that I've done in the past and LOVED are this one and this one. Anybody got any good sources or favorite puzzles like this that they've done in the past?

I'd also LOVE a coloring book of scenes likes this but have never found one, so bonus points if you can help me with that!

posted by Jess the Mess to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (14 answers total)

Did you see this previous question? I bet there's a lot of overlap.
posted by phunniemee at 9:21 AM on December 16, 2020 [2 favorites]

How do you feel about Where's Wally / Where's Waldo? There's a colouring collection that might be of interest; you can download a free sample from W.H. Smith (UK book and stationery shop).
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 9:31 AM on December 16, 2020

Response by poster: I did not, thank you! The suggestions there are getting close to what I'm looking for but one difference is I don't care so much about the people in the puzzle but am more interested in detailed settings/backgrounds, though it's okay if they have people in them. Sorry, I know I am being ultra specific :(.
posted by Jess the Mess at 9:36 AM on December 16, 2020

I came here to recommend Colin Thompson's Awesome Alphabet series, which I see is also mentioned in the other list -- each tiny little item in the picture starts with the featured letter, so it's also a fun word puzzle as well as a jigsaw puzzle. It's wonderful and from preview of the ones you've loved, I think would be just up your alley. I had a fantastic time with them over lockdown!
posted by idlethink at 9:56 AM on December 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I have two Hallmark ones like this, which are not SUPER available anymore because COVID but can be found. Here’s a space station one and a ski slope that I can’t find in stock with the title “Mountainside Park.” The artist on that one is Robert Blair Martin and a Google search for that plus puzzle took me to some other options that might work for you in the scrolling shopping options at the top.
posted by charmedimsure at 10:12 AM on December 16, 2020

I've done a couple of Charles Wysocki jigsaw puzzles that have this sort of flavor. Busy domestic scene, busy town scene.
posted by rabbitbookworm at 10:33 AM on December 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

Building on idlethink's answer, Ravensburger has more Colin Thompson puzzles that seem to be what you are describing.

E.g. at this link (just a Colin Thompson search on ravensburger.us, Bizarre Bookshop 2, Collector's Cupboard, The Gardener's Cupboard, and Kitchen Cupboard are all 1000 pieces. If you want to go super intense, Bizarre Town with 500 pieces. If you want to work on the same puzzle the rest of your life and can dedicate a whole room to your puzzle, Magical Bookcase with 18000 pieces.

Ravensburger puzzles have been hard to find (at the normal prices) recently, but it seems like they are finally starting to get restocked, and I have been able to find some that I've been wanting for the prices on the Ravensburger website (rather than 2-10 times as much). You can't buy directly from the Ravensburger website right now, but they are carried at many stores, e.g. Barnes and Noble seems to have a good number on hand. But basically, if you can't find the ones you want right away, give it some time and check again.
posted by ktkt at 11:03 AM on December 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Magic Puzzle Company are now selling the puzzles that they Kickstarted earlier in the year. I backed it and am giving the puzzles out as gifts, so I haven't actually constructed one, but they look right up your alley.
posted by tchemgrrl at 11:31 AM on December 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The British colouring book periodical Colouring Heaven still has a Colin Thompson 40 page issue in stock, they've got international shipping. See their facebook page for a discount code (* today it works for me for this particular issue).
posted by sukeban at 12:34 PM on December 16, 2020

Best answer: Check out puzzles by Jan van Haasteren - definitely in the category you're looking for. The link is to their site, but the puzzles seem to be pretty widely available, including Amazon.
posted by homesickness at 12:49 PM on December 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

I very much enjoy Aimee Stewart puzzles, which tend to be very colorful and have scenes with lots of objects and no people. I think this family vacation one was the first one I did.
posted by LKWorking at 2:49 PM on December 16, 2020

The Magic Puzzle Company puzzles sound very much like what you want. I got all three from the kickstarter, and so far have done the Mystic Maze and most of Happy Isles, and I've really enjoyed them. The Sunny City looks like it might have a little less color/variety but everything I've seen so far I highly recommend. Lots of fun little details and variety, and while they're quite busy scenes, there's enough context to each area to make it fairly easy to figure out where things go. There's a "surprise ending" to the puzzles, and it's good to be un-spoiled on the nature of it. We encountered a little frustration early on regarding the shapes of some of the pieces, but the delight far outweighed that.
posted by kite at 4:44 PM on December 16, 2020

Thirding the Magic Puzzle Company!
posted by soelo at 8:22 PM on December 16, 2020

Since you listed Verticalville as an example of what you're looking for, you might also want Pops-Town, which is another Springbok puzzle by the same cartoonist with a similar busy cityscape image.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 9:33 PM on December 17, 2020