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Jigsaws and absent-mindedness

(27 Posts)
chickenlegs Mon 13-Feb-17 09:12:04

I'm addicted to jigsaws - so much that when I finish one I make myself wait a day or two before starting another one. I could sit all day, listening to the radio and jigsawing.

I have wondered recently whether it is good for my brain. Increasingly I find that I forget what I was going to say. I have a thought and go to say it, but within two seconds something else will pop into my head and I forget what I was going to say. Are there any other granny jigsaw fans who have an opinion about this?

BlueBelle Mon 25-Nov-19 13:06:28

I used to love WASGIJ too, the harder the better I now do mostly online and online word games all keep my brain going
I lose the words too yesterday I couldn’t remember the word ‘shelter’ , the more I tried to remember the further away it went as soon as I stopped thinking about it it popped into my head very irritating

Farmor15 Mon 25-Nov-19 12:58:44

I've done both real jigsaws and online ones, but they're not the same. Any of the online ones I've tried have the same shape pieces for all puzzles of the same size - like they just have one template and apply it to different pictures. I may try some of the links mentioned here. The app I've used on iPad is Magic Puzzles, though I tried some others.

There's nothing to beat the satisfying sound of rifling through jigsaw pieces with hands!

Flossieturner Mon 25-Nov-19 09:31:00

@ninathena , I use jigsaw daily which has puzzles up to 400 pieces or Jigsaw Bug which goes up to 300.

J52 Mon 25-Nov-19 08:54:22

If you want a real jigsaw challenge try a WASGIJ

They’re jig saw puzzles where the picture you get is not the puzzle. The puzzle picture is what someone in the box picture is looking at.
I don’t often do jigsaws and was given this one, it was a bit like doing a pictorial Sudoku.

Riverwalk Mon 25-Nov-19 07:56:28

I haven't done a jigsaw since my children were small - they seem a bit mindless to me! Unless you're housebound or frail why would anyone spend a day on such an activity? The same with colouring-in books.

Just my opinion - each to their own I suppose.

in order to maintain an alert mind it is necessary to mix things up a little. For instance if one is a crossword addict then try something else such as sudoku or jigsaws as well

Baubles I've read that advice too and it also applies to physical exercise - so if I'm walking in the park or along the river I take different routes e.g. clockwise/anti clockwise, different paths.

Whether it will do me any good is another matter!

Lindylou51 Mon 25-Nov-19 07:38:23

Another jigsaw fan here. I can spend hours on one. The Works often sell cheap ones. I got a 1000 piece the other day for reduced from £6 to £3.

BradfordLass72 Mon 25-Nov-19 04:08:16

I make myself wait a day or two before starting another one

Why?

Life is too short to wait for anything enjoyable.

It's not as if it does you any harm and it'll keep your brain sharp. There are certainly worse things to be addicted to.

Go to it with no regrets smile

When I read the title, I didn't think of the puzzles but the actual jig-SAW and thought shouldn't be using that with a bad memory, very dangerous!!

popachat Mon 25-Nov-19 02:34:55

try: ajigsawpuzzles.com

goldengirl Thu 16-Feb-17 12:00:19

I love jigsaws and DH used to back them and hang them on the wall for me. I often see ones I like - not scenes but objects or rooms preferably - but I've not done one for quite a while now. Part of me thinks they're a waste of time but another part thinks it GOOD for the brain!

Indinana Wed 15-Feb-17 21:46:28

I'm not even going to look at your links yggdrasil grin

Indinana Wed 15-Feb-17 21:45:56

Oh no, I wish you hadn't put that link up harrigran grin. Bad enough with Jigsaw Planet. Now I shall never get off the computer gringringrin

yggdrasil Tue 14-Feb-17 10:12:20

thejigsawpuzzles.com/

www.jigzone.com/

harrigran Tue 14-Feb-17 09:51:09

nina, try jigidi.com. Jigsaws have from 12 to 500+ pieces and no time limit. I have dozens on the go and they save automatically when you switch off.

Nelliemoser Mon 13-Feb-17 23:21:52

I really wish you had not posted this. I am also an addict. I generally save them for Xmas, but once I have started one I am sitting up in the early hours.

Indinana Mon 13-Feb-17 22:53:03

nina try this site. You can select the number of pieces you want, up to a maximum of 300. You can also choose to have a 'ghost' image to help you if you wish. And if you register on the site you can upload your own images as jigsaws.

chickenlegs Mon 13-Feb-17 22:35:19

You sound like me Nina - I can spend 3 hours on one. Although I have been doing them for about three years, one after the other, I don't seem to improve and they still take me ages. I always do the 1000 piece ones which I get from charity shops but I always take them back to a charity shop when I have done them. I am lucky because we have a small table which I can use and leave my board there permanently.

I have tried the online ones but they don't do it for me.

ninathenana Mon 13-Feb-17 14:41:56

The on line ones I found have time limits and are inly 100 pieces at most. Can anyone give me a link please.

Indinana Mon 13-Feb-17 12:45:34

I love jigsaws. These days I'm more inclined to do the online ones - I am kind of permanently logged into one which has literally thousands of the things, all free.
Though I do the occasional 'real' one as well - I got one for Christmas and did it over the Christmas/New Year period. Thing is, the only place big enough to do the 1000 piece ones that I like is the dining room table and that is virtually always taken over by my sewing and knitting machines and associated bits and pieces blush. DH bought me one of those zip up jigsaw mats, but it is huge (has to be to accommodate both the jigsaw and all the pieces), so it still really has to go on the dining room table, as there is nowhere else for it except the floor, and I can't get down there nowadays sad. But at least I can zip it up and whip it out the way if I need to use the sewing machine!

#wishIhadasewingroom

harrigran Mon 13-Feb-17 12:34:15

I do jigsaws but the online variety, so easy to store. My sister bought me a 1000 piece one, a German schloss on a mountain but it remains unopened. DS was urging me to get it out he said if we did it together it would only take twenty minutes, if you believe that hmm

ninathenana Mon 13-Feb-17 12:25:46

My name is nina and I'm adicted to jigsaws smile
I spent 3 hours yesterday on a charity shop find. I have loads in the loft and re do them after a year or so. I love Mike Jupps mad designs.
I do crosswords every day and also enjoy adult colouring. I've never connected my memory to jigsaws confused

chickenlegs Mon 13-Feb-17 12:05:36

That sounds like good advice, Baubles, and I do like crosswords so will tear myself away from the jigsaw board at least once a day smile

Greyduster Mon 13-Feb-17 10:44:45

DH is a big jigsaw fan, but he bought one last year that was too big for his board and I wouldn't let him do it on the dining table, so DD bought him a very nice jigsaw keeper and a new puzzle for Christmas. He quite often picks unopened ones up at car boot sales.

baubles Mon 13-Feb-17 09:59:40

I read something recently about keeping the brain working. I've forgotten the source but the gist of the article was that in order to maintain an alert mind it is necessary to mix things up a little. For instance if one is a crossword addict then try something else such as sudoku or jigsaws as well.

I suppose it makes sense to challenge oneself.

I do the forgetting what I was about to say thing too, if it's any consolation.

rosesarered Mon 13-Feb-17 09:56:10

I love jigsaws, but now do them on the iPad ( better!) Quite a few of the jigsaw sites are free to get, some you buy ( 100 of them for a fiver) and yes, am a bit addicted, but that's ok.smile Haven't noticed it affects me in any way ( other than less housework gets done.)

bartonlady Mon 13-Feb-17 09:51:19

I love jigsaws too! Just sent my Aunt in Scotland one and she says it helps her keep occupied during the dark nights. Must remember the next one I send should be 500 pieces as the 1000 piece one too big for her to comfortably keep on her table!