Puzzle Talk

Hi! I wanted to let you know that Puzzle Talk is on a pause. All subscriptions have been paused as well, and no charges will be made. Nothing dramatic has happened: life is just being so full right now, that there simply isn’t enough time for the newsletter at the moment. I’m trying to focus on less at once, and I’m hoping to get back to writing in the summer. I’m truly sorry for the inconvenience, and I really appreciate your understanding! 🧡: Rosa

Welcome to MonthlyPrew, my monthly puzzle review. In this one I’ll present three puzzles from March: a 1000-piece puzzle from a new Finnish puzzle brand and two 500-piece puzzles – the most beautiful speed puzzle and a puzzle that belongs to a lovely triptych. So, let me present three favorites from last month: Finally, finally, we have a premium puzzle brand in Finland!! Tyyni makes puzzles in collaboration with amazing nordic artists.

This post includes ad-links, ad-links are marked with* The spring is here! Every year, the sunlight brings along a puzzle fever, as puzzles are best enjoyed in natural light. I, at least, have been craving to puzzle during my workdays, and I’ve had to resist the urge of starting a puzzle during a break – we all know that break wouldn’t end when intended when the “just one more piece” -mindset kicks in.

Welcome to my monthly creative speed puzzling series, I tried this so you don’t have to. This spring, I’m going through some quirky experiments to see if they help me get faster. This one has been my favorite experiment so far! I‘ve been listening to Kathi’s playlist while puzzling. The idea came from a fellow puzzler, when I gathered ideas for this post series last year, and I immediately knew I wanted to try this one out.

One of the main reasons that kicked off my puzzle culture book project was my desire to find reliable information to back up puzzler’s personal experiences. For instance, it’s a commonly shared idea that puzzles are relaxing and good for your brain. My big question has been is puzzling really beneficial, and if so, why.

A year ago, the trade war was the topic in puzzle industry. Trump’s tariffs were escalating, costs were rising, and many brands were trying to figure out how to continue their operations. Now, in March 2026, the worst panic phase has passed. The most extreme moment, 145% tariffs (I still find it hard to believe this really happened), did not become the permanent reality we feared. By May 2025, US and China concluded a truce that kept that outcome from locking in, and they extended it in August.

I’m finally back to business after a never ending flu. You’ll receive two texts this week, February’s MonthlyPrew and an article which was supposed to come out last week. So, welcome to MonthlyPrew, my monthly puzzle review. In this one I’ll present three puzzles from February: a fun collage, 1500-pieces of Japan aesthetics, and another Naomi Ibarz puzzle. All ones I can fully recommend. So, let me present three favorites from last month: Happily Puzzles is one of my all time favorite puzzle brands.

Welcome to my monthly creative speed puzzling series, I tried this so you don’t have to. This spring, I’m going through some quirky experiments to see if they help me get faster. In order to see the effects of each idea, every experimentation is at least two weeks long. The topic of this one is doing puzzles twice in a row. This experiment has been a game changer for me, and I’ll definitely continue it. In this post, I’ll walk you through my experiment and share what I discovered.

There’s a specific kind of romance that never makes it into the big screens. No airport sprints, rain-soaked confessions, or dramatic violins playing as someone yells “Wait!” Instead, it happens at a table and starts innocently. There’s a box, a plan, a couple, and the optimistic belief that the puzzle is “totally doable.” There’s a snack situation. A beverage situation. A missing box top holder, and that first wave of confidence where you’re already picturing the finished image.

Welcome to MonthlyPrew, my monthly puzzle review. I feel like my life has been revolving around puzzles, but I haven’t really done them or talked about them like I used to. That had to change and I’ve been circling back to puzzling. In January I did some great ones and this MonthlyPrew is owned to them. Three different kinds: a busy, a gradient and a collage. All 1000 pieces, and ones I can fully recommend.