Ravensburger Positively Puzzling Spring 2023

With this new advertorial magazine from Ravensburger, we’ll be lifting the lid on puzzles and celebrating the pastime that has so many of us hooked. Whether you’ve got a puzzle shelf to turn us green with envy, or you’re just discovering the joy of putting the pieces together, we hope you’ll find something to inspire you.

In this issue, we look at the positive benefits of puzzling, get inside the world of leading puzzle artist Howard Robinson and take a look at some of the new Ravensburger jigsaws to hit stores in 2023.

We hope you enjoy some wonderful puzzle moments with us soon!

HAPPY PUZZLING!

Ravensburger UK Puzzle team

Positively Puzzling is an advertorial publication produced by Ravensburger UK Ltd, Unit 3-5 Avonbury Business Park, Bicester, OX26 2UA. Published January 2023.

Images copyright Ravensburger unless otherwise stated.

Puzzle information is correct at the time of publication, and any puzzles included are subject to availability. To contact the team please email service.uk@ravensburger.com

Welcome to the first issue of Positively Puzzling!

Bits & PIECES

What’s in a name?

Did you know that a person who loves doing jigsaws is officially called a dissectologist? Erm, not exactly conjuring images of mindful moments and the joy of adding that final piece. It is likely this rather clinical (if not a little gruesome) sounding name springs from jigsaw history. The first puzzles were maps that were sectioned up to be pieced back together – they were called ‘dissected maps’. We prefer to simply be a ‘puzzler’. How about you?

Going LARGE

With the surge in interest in puzzling of recent times, higher piece counts are becoming ever more popular. Fancy upping your puzzle game? Try Garden of Sun Signs (17135), a 3000-piece puzzle, new for 2023, by Ukrainian-born artist Sveta Dorosheva.

Sort it out!

Are you an organised puzzler or do you just dig in and hope for the best? Great for getting all those pieces under control, Sort & Go trays are a perfect puzzler’s companion.

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Taking care of your ‘shelfie

Social media is bringing puzzle fans from all over the globe together. Sharing ‘puzzle shelfies’ is just one way puzzlers are inviting others into their jigsaw world. We don’t know about you, but looking at some of the insta-perfect collections certainly inspired us to get our puzzles organised!

Take flight with our cover puzzle

The incredible puzzle featured on our front cover is the work of Minehead-based artist, Leo Davey. Based on one of Leo’s original paintings, the Rainbow of Birds 1000-piece puzzle reflects the artist’s fascination with birdlife. It’s new to our range for 2023 and features 89 colourful birds from around the world, perched as if ready to take to the skies at any moment – a true feast for the eyes.

Rainbow of Birds (17478), 1000pc

1008: A Puzzle Oddity

Our most popular puzzle piece count is the 1000-piece puzzle. But, this favourite of the puzzle world is hiding a secret. One thousand piece puzzles by Ravensburger actually have 1008 pieces. Yes. That’s right. Due to our manufacturing process, it isn’t possible to make a jigsaw with a perfect 1000 pieces. There’s a similar story with other piece counts too.

&PEOPLE PLACES Behind the puzzles

Robert Howe is one of the latest artists to join our happy family! While much of his work is more familiarly seen on gallery walls in London, Grandparents’ Hideaway (17480) is now also a 1000-piece Ravensburger puzzle. We love the bold colours, busy scenes and unique art style in Robert’s work.

If you’re a fan of the My Haven collection of puzzles, No. 7, The Beach Hut, probably hasn’t passed you by. This sanctuary space isn’t a work of pure imagination, however. The Beach Hut, beautifully created by Essex-based artist, Steve Read, was inspired by the seaside getaway of Sindy Randall. Sindy, who works in product development at the Ravensburger UK office, has owned this waterfront escape on Dunster Beach, Minehead for around six years.

“As soon as I park up, I instantly feel relaxed,” Sindy explains, “there is nothing better than being near the sea and hearing the sound of the waves hitting the rocks. The friends I have made here are for life. This is my little piece of heaven.”

Steve has embellished the interior of the hut to create lots for puzzlers to get to grips with, but some aspects are firmly set in reality; Sindy herself is featured in the puzzle looking out to sea, and her dogs, Dylan and DJ, make an appearance too.

“This is my little piece of heaven”

My Haven Series No. 7, The Beach Hut (15000), 1000pc

We love the bold colours and busy scenes in Grandparents’ Hideaway by Robert Howe

Calm in a box

Why the humble puzzle is more than just a fun pastime…

You’ve just looked at the clock. Wow, where did that time go? If you’re a puzzle fan, you’ve been there. Time just seems to melt away and, for more than a few moments, you’ve been absolutely lost among the pieces. Jigsaw puzzles have the power to pull some of us in like nothing else, but are there more benefits to puzzling than just a way to keep hands busy?

Going with the flow

Mindfulness is on the agenda more and more these days as many of us look to take time out from the day-to-day stresses of modern life. Experts agree that regularly connecting with the here and now is powerful in supporting our mental wellbeing. This focus on the moment is the principle at the heart of mindfulness and jigsaw puzzles can play a part in this practice thanks to their ability to completely absorb our attention. Psychologists sometimes refer to total immersion in an activity as being in a ‘flow state’ – to you and me, this is better known as being ‘in the zone’. There is no doubt that time flies when you’re piecing together a fabulous jigsaw puzzle but there are even more positives to puzzling.

Getting in the know

Did you know that completing puzzles activates both the left and right sides of our brains? As you puzzle, both sides are working together: organising and putting the pieces together works the left, logical side of your brain while imagining and seeing the imagery unfolding draws upon the right, creative side of your brain. A study in 2018* highlighted that puzzling engages many of our cognitive abilities, including short and long-term memory, as well as mental rotation and spatial perception. While these benefits may not be immediately obvious when you’re enjoying a little jigsaw time, there is no mistaking that lovely feeling of satisfaction when that elusive piece is finally slotted into the right place. This sense of accomplishment is great for our general wellbeing, and it’s one of the reasons so many of us simply love a puzzle.

These are just a few of the great things about putting those pieces together. So, if you ever need an excuse to while away some time with a jigsaw, rest assured there are plenty to be had.

Source: The Ulm Jigsaw Puzzle Study (Fissler, 2018)

Photograph by John Day Photography

Ready to get, set, go for the flow ?

When it comes to finding your happy place with a puzzle, we’ve got a few pieces of advice that might just help.

The right challenge for you

Choose a puzzle that offers just the right level of challenge - too little and you’ll quickly become bored, too much and frustration will set in. Puzzling those thousands of identical baked beans might seem like a good idea, but perhaps not when achieving a calm mind is the goal.

Less can sometimes be more

Choose a piece count that doesn’t daunt you and an image that draws you in from the outset, whether it’s a favourite pastime, a place that invokes peacefulness or simply a beautiful, contemporary image that floats your boat.

Are you sitting comfortably?

Make sure you find a comfortable spot and one that doesn’t put pressure on your back. A puzzle easel can help with this if you have one, but if not use a table at a height that suits you best. And, don’t forget to grab your favourite cuppa too!

Make a Puzzle Gift Hamper

Give the gift of mindful moments to a puzzler you know by creating a beautiful jigsaw gift hamper. Add in special ingredients to help them while away some wonderful time spent among the pieces.

Try

y A puzzle you know they’ll love!

y Scented candle

y Their favourite brew

y Puzzle Conserver so they can preserve that special memory for a lifetime

of retailers nationwide.

MINDFULNESS PICK – Relax with afternoon tea Vintage Tea Party (14838), 500pc

MINDFULNESS PICK – Escape to a holiday haven Down the Lane No.3, Seaview Lane (17476), 1000pc

We used Garden Visitors (17137), 500-piece puzzle and Puzzle Conserver. Candles, tea, crates and baskets are available from a variety

Howard’s Wild World

He’s big in art and big in heart – we find out more about

‘Selfies’ creator, Howard Robinson.

Do horses laugh? They certainly do in artist Howard Robinson’s world. He’s the illustrator behind the phenomenally successful ‘Selfies’ art collection. From smiling sloths to posing pandas and a happy herd of animals in between, Howard has brought unique wildlife personalities to life and captured imaginations across the globe.

affinity with animals. He often spent time helping at the local farm or looking after injured animals, but it was a chance encounter with a stray foreign bird on his school roof that he credits with beginning his journey to becoming a wildlife expert. “I quickly got hooked on exotic birds and spent many years studying and breeding rare species,” Howard explains. His work with rare birds saw him invited to speak at international wildlife conventions and, during these events, he soon became friends with other world experts in the field who inspired him to start his travels around Africa.

Wildlife adventures and painting the President’s dogs

A natural affinity with animals

Born and still based in County Durham, it was clear from childhood that Howard had a natural

It was on one such expedition in Africa that ‘Selfies’ was born. Howard noted that in every country, and all different cultures, people were taking photos of themselves. While travelling in Uganda the thought struck him that animals might soon be wanting selfies too – and so the Selfies story began. Already having a keen interest in art, on his return to the UK Howard created his first animal portrait. It featured a

Selfies, Horsing Around (14695), 500pc

group of grinning horses and, as fans of his work will know, many more pieces like this have followed. Such is the popularity of his work that ‘Selfies’ can be found adorning many dozens of different products including, of course, the popular Ravensburger jigsaw puzzle collection. As well as this, Howard has received many industry accolades and accomplishments, not least a commission to paint former President Bush’s pet dogs for his official 60th birthday present from the White House.

“…a little help can change a life.”

Howard is passionate about creating opportunities to enable others to achieve their own dreams. “I have always made sure I pass on acts of kindness, so on my travels I try to spot a talent or need where a little help can change a life,” he says. This dedication to community also inspired Howard to create the Selfies Beach Resort in the Philippines, which employs dozens of people in the area and provides engagement and support to the community including sponsoring local sports teams and schools. “The project has been rewarding in so many ways and is constantly changing lives,” Howard continues. “Our sponsored students have now qualified as a police officer, an architect, an accountant, and a customs officer. They and their families have a great future to look forward to.”

A Traveller’s Animal Journal is a Ravensburger exclusive puzzle, new for 2023 (17322), 1000pc

He’s got his own slice of rainforest in Northumberland, complete with poison dart frogs

Not one to sit still for long, Howard has recently installed in his studio a large vivarium housing his collection of rainforest plants, not to mention a few poison dart frogs. They may not be your average housemates but then Howard Robinson is not your average artist.

Find out more about Howard Robinson and Baker’s Cottage at www.ravensburger.co.uk

From fauna to flora with the Country Cottage Collection

Country Cottage Collection, Baker’s Cottage (16873), 1000pc

As well as characterful animal portraits, Howard Robinson is also the artist behind Ravensburger’s Country Cottage collection “Gardening is a passion that my mum and I share, and the portraits in the Country Cottage collection are very much steeped in nature,“ he explains.

Among the latest in the collection is Baker’s Cottage, with its thatched

roof and a garden that would impress even Alan Titchmarsh. Like all cottages in the series, Baker’s Cottage is based on a real home. Puzzle fans will be pleased to know they can spend time at the cottage enjoying a ‘Cotswolds scone-baking experience’ courtesy of hosts and owners Chris and Christophe.

Find out more at www.UnmissableEngland.com

art

OUTSIDE the BOX

Get creative to bring your passion for puzzles alive in your home

Putting that final piece of a stunning puzzle in place is so satisfying. There is nothing quite like it. Let’s face it though, some jigsaws are just too beautiful to take apart again. Why not make the most of them to add colour and personality to your home?

Floral & Functional

Your walls are not the only place you can display your puzzles. We gave a simple circular coffee table a new lease of life by adding a stunning floral puzzle as a table topper. It was created by sandwiching the finished jigsaw between two sheets of acrylic, clear for the top and opaque white for the bottom. You can find acrylic cutters both online and locally who can provide a ‘custom cut’ service with finished edges to suit any table. Don’t forget to use rubber bumpers between the layers to keep your puzzle nice and secure.

In the frame

One of the easiest ways to showcase your favourite puzzles is to frame them. It’s easily done with Puzzle Conserver and a picture frame. Here’s how:

1 Measure your puzzle and grab yourself a frame with the right size aperture. A photo mount can give a professional touch.

2 Cover a large surface with some plain paper that’s big enough for the puzzle plus extra around the edges. Place your puzzle on it face up – this is really important!

3 Now add plenty of Puzzle Conserver all over the top of the puzzle using the sponge tip. Don’t be afraid to overdo it, it does take a generous amount to glue the puzzle and it will dry clear. Leave it to dry.

4 Give it a test to make sure all the pieces are securely stuck. If not, repeat step 3.

5 Once you’re happy that your puzzle is glued together well, you can frame your piece. Trim the excess paper, add into the frame and voilà! A work of art and even better because you pieced it together yourself.

A cut above

Sometimes those large picture frames can be costly, or simply just not practical. What about just choosing your favourite part of the puzzle to frame, or creating a set that works together? We divided a circular puzzle into quarters to make this impactful display.

We used Flowers (17167) and Oceans (17170), both 500-piece puzzles from the Circle of Colours series.

Photography by John Day Photography

It’s no secret that if you’re a jigsaw fan, it’s a pretty safe bet that you like other kinds of challenge too. So, here’s a little something for the sharp-eyed among you. Artist Steve Read created this stunning, fantasy-inspired artwork for our Look & Find Enchanted Lands puzzle. It reveals a feast of characters, with many evocative of favourite faces from books such as Alice in Wonderland. But, the image also holds a secret. Can you spot the hidden bunnies in the picture? We’ve circled one to give you a hand. How many more can you find?

Look & Find No.1, Enchanted Lands (16962), 1000pc

Puzzle PICKS

Whether you’re in love with nostalgia or looking for a contemporary twist, you’ll find the perfect puzzle in our collection. Here’s just a taster of our best-sellers plus some new jigsaws for 2023 to tantalise your puzzle taste buds. What are you waiting for? Get puzzling!

Beautiful places

Kinsale Harbour (16487), 1000pc

Around the UK and Ireland (17142), 1000pc

delights

Disney fans will love our new collection of Disney Castle 1000-piece puzzles coming in 2023. Take a look inside the fantasy homes of Ariel, Snow White and other favourite Disney princesses.

Disney Jasmine Castle (17330), 1000pc

© Disney

Stepping up the challenge

Puzzling and problem-solving are combined in our Escape Puzzle range. Can you put together the pieces and find the clues to solve the riddle?

Escape Puzzle – Lighthouse (17528), 759pc

Escape to the Cotswolds (16934), 500pc

Fantastically floral

Glorious Gardens (17139), 4 x 500pc

Cottage Garden Favourites (17485), 1000pc

Our cover puzzle is ‘Rainbow of Birds’ (17478) by Leo Davey

This 1000-piece puzzle is new for 2023 © 2023 Leo Davey, Leo Davey Studios