A dissectologist's tips and tricks for putting big puzzles together | ABC Australia

[@mmalariem1]

Wow these puzzles are beautiful. I'm a novice and have just purchased my first 1000 piece puzzle which I hope to frame. I'm determined to do this because I have glaucoma and my eyesight is deteriorating rapidly due to the extensive damage my eyes have sustained over years. I came looking for some tips and was blown away by the puzzles I've seen here. Would love to purchase one and hang it in my livingroom as a source of encouragement. Trying to take in all the beauty I can at this point. God bless all!!

[@MindFiend]

What a fascinating and interesting man Gus Wrethman is. He's so knowledgeable about his subject and his passion about it is utterly compelling. The jigsaws he owns are stunningly beautiful. I could listen to him talk about them for hours. All the emotions they bring out is clear in his voice, from the rapt love of attention to detail when he discusses why some pieces seemed to fit where they did not, to the angst he feels over not having room to display all the ones he's glued together already. He's a gentleman and a true ambassador for Dissectologists the world over.

[@guswrethman2156]

ta, glad you got something from it.

[@Katie-vy5rd]

@@guswrethman2156 I have a question for you. You said your collection is a result of not being able to buy beautiful jigsaw puzzles anymore. I'm just curious what you meant by that are they in short supply or do they not make them anymore I'm just curious I just recently got into puzzling I'm addicted now and do Seem to have similar taste in puzzle style and composition as you. I just recently purchased 22 beautiful puzzles on eBay paid about 7 times the MSRP.. But they are about 20 years old so can't find them anymore. Thank you so much for showing the ones you've put together that was super cool! Do you have a penchant for holiday puzzles at all?

[@paxhumana2015]

@@guswrethman2156 , hey, I wonder if you put together those super big puzzles from Ravensberger, Educo, Kodak, and Dowdle yet? I think that those four puzzles are, even by themselves, the ultimate challenges for any dissectologists. (I also never knew that people that people that put together puzzles had names.) The Ravensberger one is called "Disney Moments", it has 40,320 pieces, and it has the dimensions of 267 1/2 inches in length by 74 2/5 inches in width. The Educo one is called "Around the World", it has 42,000 pieces, and it has the dimensions of 295 inches in length by 61 3/4 inches in width. The Kodak one is called "27 Wonders from Around the World", it has 51,300 pieces, and it has the dimensions of 342 inches in length and 75 inches in width. Finally, the Dowdle one is called "What a Wonderful World", it has 60,000 pieces, and it is 348 inches in length and 96 inches in width.

[@paxhumana2015]

@@Katie-vy5rd , you can probably luck out and get some complete ones in garage sales, yard sales, flea markets, swap meets, farmers' markets, thrift stores, consignment stores, pawn shops, church/synagogue sales, and vintage stores. I snagged some pretty good sized 2,000 to 3,000 piece puzzles from Ravensberger and Milton Bradley in a thrift store once. You should have also gotten them from Amazon, as they are cheaper, or checked some online puzzle sales websites like Puzzle Warehouse, or, if you want some new ones, maybe Target, Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco, or a physical Amazon store, or, if they have good prices, a toy and games store. Also, Karen Puzzles has a video on what to do in case you are missing some puzzle pieces and how to make your own puzzle pieces, or you can get them from Puzzle Warehouse, Hasbro, or some other puzzle selling websites.

[@matiasbenavidesdigitalvisu9511]

that is an entire museum of art pieces

[@sc0mer]

I have some tips to pass on that makes putting puzzles easier...for me anyway. 1. Lay all the pieces in rows. When your looking for a certain piece you just run your finger along the rows and look for it instead of searching a big blob of puzzle pieces. 2. Some puzzles have a "grain" in the paper. If you hold the piece so the the light reflects on it you will see the grain. (usually up or down or side to side. Then lay all the pieces out so the grain goes the same way. You have just cut out 50% of the guessing that way on multiple same colored pieces or puzzles that have the same small repetitive picture. 3. some pieces fit together but wont lock together. Use a small piece of painters tape to hold them together until you find the locking pieces around it. 4. When you take pieces from your rows, move the outer pieces in to fill their spots. This keeps the area you are searching in tight and smaller each time. 5.I use flat pieces of cardboard to put my color groups on. They stack nicely and the pieces dont move around on them easily. That way when your tired of working a certain color, you grab the next board of colors and put it next to the puzzle and work it for a while. 6 Take a break from a difficult puzzle and do a easy one. You will find when you come back to the hard one you will do much better. Hope this helps.:)

[@russell5078084]

I start by putting together the edges or boarder of the puzzle then working my why in. Once i got a 1500.00 piece puzzle of The Last Supper. Got it almost completed. Then discovered there were 2 pieces missing. I cannot describe how aggravated i was.

[@RandomGame-o4z]

I now have fear that my 2000 pieces puzzle is incomplete.

[@russell5078084]

​@@RandomGame-o4zsorry. Just got another one of the last supper by DE Venchie. All pieces there no problem.

[@stijnzoe9850]

He really got a lot of beautiful puzzles!

[@vanyadolly]

Ahhh that Mucha puzzle! I've been looking everywhere for that one. It's so beautiful and I wanted it to be my first 2000p puzzle.

[@guswrethman2156]

Yeah, Mucha is pretty cool isn't he. Fortunately, there are lot of his works available as puzzles, both old and new. Seek and ye shall find.

[@stephm411]

You have such an amazing collection of puzzles. I am so jealous! I would love to do a 3000+ piece puzzle but I just don't have the table to do it on, so I do 1000-1500 which only take me a couple of days to do. What I enjoy about putting puzzles together is I can daydream at the same time. I create stories in my head like movies that play out and they tend to be nice happy movies that lift my mood. So it's a great distraction for me to puzzle and also it gives great satisfaction when it's finally put together.

[@guswrethman2156]

if ever you plan to take on a larger puzzle, understand that it almost as much about logistics as it is puzzling. Choose the image wisely. If you can do it in say 1000 pieces, you can do it in 3000. Don't go on 'oh, that looks nice', rather, ask yourself if you can or could do it. The satisfaction of completing larger puzzles is immense. Try it :)

[@Martel4]

Its so therapeutic. Like meditation.

[@guswrethman2156]

you don't need a large table, just a large piece of wood sitting on a smaller table.

[@pamelamack6808]

Very beautiful collection of puzzles. 🙂

[@pamelamack6808]

You have the most beautiful puzzles I've ever seen. Where did you purchase from and how much did they cost. I would like to purchase some large beautiful unique different puzzles. What type of glue did you use

[@guswrethman2156]

Where? ebay, Amazon, Gumtree, private sales, Facebook marketplace, 2nd hand shops, dedicated puzzle sites. In other words, I spread my net wide :) How much, that'd be telling. Some were cheap, others, not so much. You might need to sit down with the price of some of the more sought after ones. Mod podge matte, and less is more with this. Enjoy. It's not a race.

[@pamelamack6808]

Thank you so much.

[@michelinemorin7056]

Beautiful. Thank you for making this video.

[@pingman2]

Me and my wife have started puzzling again, we have put together around 5 puzzles at 2000 pieces in the last few weeks, we are now going to start looking for the 3000 to 6000 piece puzzles. I myself find it very easy to put puzzles together, I feel as though I have an eye for locating shapes but, to do what Mr. Wrethman does, I don't know about that. I do enjoy listening to him talk, he is a very interesting man. I would be interested in buying some of his puzzles, if I knew how to get them.

[@guswrethman2156]

You assume he would be interested in selling them :) They all can be bought, just not from me, you just have to hunt them down.

[@pamelamack6808]

What glue do you use

[@SafSaf_17]

I respect this guy's patience 😂

[@guswrethman2156]

do hobbies require 'patience'? I don't think so. Maybe it depends on your own definition of the term? :)

[@guswrethman2156]

zero patience involved mate.

[@christineb.655]

@rainbowdino9629 Every hobby (designing something, writing, creating, even sports) , requires patience, but if you really enjoy doing something, you get lost in it & forget what patience is & (and in my case) before you know it its 3am & you didn't realise you've been doing the jigsaw for x amount of hours😅

[@davidgatt9563]

How do you hold them together like that please for transporting around the house

[@christineb.655]

Probably strong calboard or thin hardboard. Although a good question, would love to know the answer to that too @guswrethman2156

[@guswrethman2156]

@@christineb.655 mod podge matte :)

[@guswrethman2156]

well, the purpose was never transporting around the house, and now, I've done a 180. I used to glue them all, now I glue. None. I want them to live again. Mod podge matte.

[@nadersarieddine399]

Amazing collection, I can see you have framed an amount of different size of puzzles. I am currently fixing a 9000 pieces with dimensions 193cm x 139cm, I wonder what will be the best way of framing it? Appreciate your advise

[@guswrethman2156]

my advice is leave it to the professionals :) It will be costly, but it is a one of expense, for a lifetime investment.

[@guswrethman2156]

My advice is 'take it to a professional'. That is not me being funny. :) I've seen a ton of home made jobs, and I cringe. Without the tools and the skillset, I think framing a large puzzle is fraught with danger. Framing one that large (Garden of Earthly Delights?) needs helpers. That said, there's a guy on Facebook in the Piles of Pieces group that has framed ALL the big puzzles, and I mean big, and he's got tons of vids how he (and his team of helpers) did it.

[@JulietLo]

what's the name brand of the fine art puzzles Gus is referring to? 1:01

[@guswrethman2156]

Yup, D-toys. Grafika also have a huge range, though only in small piece counts. Puzzle Manufacturer (in Poland, but that doesn't matter) also have a growing range of fine art, in both small and larger piece counts. Amazing puzzles.

[@robinjohnson8861]

Love those art puzzles also!!!

[@mounirjamal9933]

What Brand is that World Map puzzle i looked up over 6 brands with no luck if anybody can help would be thankful

[@queenkitty6119]

Wow😮 he can do puzzle sizes that i cant. When he does it it looks so easy. But im doing it its getting frustrated at some times espiacially dark pieces.

[@LacrimarvmValle]

I've solved 4 puzzles of 500 pieces, 1 of 1000 and I'm currently working on my second 1000 piece one. I'm 22 so if I keep up solving them and move on to bigger ones, I hope to one day have a collection such as his!!

[@christineb.655]

You and me both, we will probably have same (or maybe more, I dread to think😬) amount of jigsaws at his age if we keep it up😅.... I already ran out of wall space before I was 26yrs old..... What will become of us at age 50 or even 70👀😅.....but at least it's good for us, health wise 😜

[@katarinazonjic3960]

Oh you have no idea how fast collections grow , give it a year or two 😂

[@Youtuberkt]

Where to get thesenpuzzles?

[@belocrno9674]

aaand what are the tips and tricks? Are they in a bonus video?

[@nathanhallisey441]

Fantastic work

[@Fgoblin2014]

What is the name of that puzzle that has all of the same shapes except the boarder?

[@guswrethman2156]

hmm, not sure which you are referring to. Several brands only have one basic shape, or mainly one. Tomax and Educa (though not 6k) are more or less all 'twosies' (two knobs, two holes, or k-h-k-h). Most other brands have more variety.

[@johnpatricknarvaez405]

Wow

[@christineb.655]

@guswrethman2156 I'm having same issue, not enough walls to frame them all😁. So i end up keeping (what's not framed) in big folders or putting them back in box (slice my slice as I don't have the heart to distroy back into small pieces what I worked so hard to put together). Just imagine if there was some Jigsaw museum for us dissectologist, where the most dedicated (such as you) dissectologist would put some of your most important & favourite work.... And then the centerpiece - biggest jigsaw in the world - 60,000 piece "What a Wonderful World" puzzle, completed by various dissectologist....if there are art galleries, why not jigsaw galleries 😊

[@guswrethman2156]

Trust me, the only place that puzzle belongs is in the bin. It is disaster. The panels won't join up. Refunds are flying thick and fast. I think they probably went a bit overambitious. 1k puzzles one day, 60k the next. The museum can't have my faves :) they're all mine!

[@UknownWorlds]

I love it

[@billclapperton1338]

Look up Stumpcraft. They are wooden and very odd shapes. Made in Calgary Alberta.

[@skooter6235]

His collection is better than mine

[@guswrethman2156]

you haven't seen my collection ;)

[@i2harry]

1:19, anyone know the name of this?

[@guswrethman2156]

Castorland C300020 - Lady in the Purple Dress (3K)

[@Fairpavel]

@@guswrethman2156 And the painter is Władysław Czachórski. By the way, I get it from the video you don't get angry with misfitting pieces and take it as a challenge instead. Don't you wish for better quality? D-Toys also leaves much to be desired in that respect. But I love the pictures.

[@guswrethman2156]

@@Fairpavel I have seen many dozens of examples of 'misfitting pieces' and in virtually every case, they were rather misplaced pieces. I could show you many example of this, so many that you would begin to understand my point. As I often say to people on FB, 'fitting and almost fitting, aren't the same thing'. A lot of this comes down to experience and familiarity with brands and how they 'work', and an understanding of the 'rules' that almost all grid cut puzzles have. It comes down to experience basically. This all being said, puzzles today are not as good as they were in the past, they also don't have the same price tag. Puzzles today are WAY cheaper than they used to be, relatively speaking.

[@obparrot6390]

Hello @GusWrethman, great video, thank you. May I ask the name of the other part of a piece? There's 'knob' and...? I have been calling them 'male' and 'female' but I'd love to know what the proper name is. Many thanks.

[@frankwalton1628]

I don't think there is a "proper name" as such. Gus refers to them as "Knobs and holes" I prefer to them as balls and sockets.

[@guswrethman2156]

Hello :) As Frank said, there is no official name, but generally they are referred to as knobs and holes, but it doesn't really matter what you call them, provided it is descriptive. They need names so they can be written down, eg. k-h-k-h, k-k-h-h, k-k-k-k- h-h-h-h, k-k-k-h, h-h-h-k, that describes all six grid cut shapes.

[@guswrethman2156]

Well, there's no 'official' term, but most people call them knobs and holes, probably because that's what they are ::)

[@TANGASCITY]

That's dope 💯

[@maxcat7630]

That’s me!!!

[@dawnpiccolo7044]

I have been doing puzzles for years. My largest puzzle was Noah's Ark. I glue puzzles together that I love or ones that I can use for decoration for all holidays. I'm like you I have glued so many I'm not doing that anymore. I'm out of room. I'm still working puzzles and because of the lockdown I've borrowed some from my neighbor. If you are getting rid of some of yours I would be thrilled to take them off your hands. Happy puzzleing!!

[@guswrethman2156]

I'm sure you would :P Won't be shedding any right now, but never say never Dawn. :) Enjoy.

[@tiagooliveira650]

@@guswrethman2156 hello! from the other side of the world (Portugal), how do you glue up the puzzle? i have the 33600 puzzle (very big puzzle)

[@roxemary]

@@tiagooliveira650 o melhor método é usando cola para puzzles. A educa costuma incluir na caixa com o puzzle, mas as outras marcas vendem separadamente a cola. É mesmo questão de procurar opiniões acerca de qual a melhor marca. Em alternativa há quem use película transparente de forrar os livros no verso do puzzle ou cola branca diluída, também no verso

[@guswrethman2156]

@@tiagooliveira650 mod podge matte. Less is more, grout not drown. Practice on a small cheapie first.

[@Fairpavel]

Noah's Ark - you mean the 2000 pieces by Heye?

[@lovepositivethinker]

Love life Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steal love life

[@금강이조은]

I want it done in 5minutes Let me grab a drink when I get back I want

[@mjelement89]

Puzzle used to be amazing but today the pictures sucks......

[@guswrethman2156]

there are some new brands that are bringing out some decent puzzles, you just have to look for them.

[@mikatu]

The guy talks a lot but is impossible to understand what he is saying.

[@jadehei538]

Oh, I didn't think so! Maybe put cc on?

[@tofathi195]

I prefer more the new puzzles depicting ballons and donuts, that classical art is boring.

[@christineb.655]

Anything goes for me😁 did asian, animals, fantasy, holographic (don't ask me how I managed to finish it, in every piece the colours & shapes moved & it was a colourful flower vase), jigsaws with non-straight edges, 3D jigsaws, glow in the dark jigsaws. Although I don't have interest in starting classical art jigsaw any time soon 😁 Although I'm working on "Cherry Blossom Time" by Veronique Oodian, which from what I can gather, originally was oil painting, so i guess an 'art' too.

[@faithhopelove9567]

Everyone has their favorite motives ;)

[@TRICK-OR-TREAT236]

IT BOGGLES MY MIND WHY ALMOST ALL PUZZLE PICTURES ARE HORRIBLY UGLY. ARE THESE PEOPLE REALLY THAT BRAINLESS ?

[@yolandamackey9671]

??????????

[@yolandamackey9671]

Most of them aren't ugly

[@yolandamackey9671]

🤔🧐🤦‍♂️🤦‍♀️