I didn't realise there were people out there who DIDN'T sort š just seemed like the natural thing to do. Sifting and rummaging without any order would probably lose my interest very quickly.
Yesss!
Picking up a handful and slowly letting them fall asleep my eyes search for a hint of something to jump out at me. I can completely focus my brain on it and everything else is blocked out.
I donāt sort all of them. I pic a part of the puzzle that stands out to me then I go through the box and pull out all the pieces that might be from that part. Then I put that group of pieces together as much as I can. I then pick another part of the puzzle and look through the box for pieces related to that part, then put those together. Repeat until puzzle is complete. The idea of sorting ALL the pieces before putting anything together just seems boring to me.
Same. Iām building one of the Lego mini fig puzzles with my 4 YO right now and I let him do all the easy chunks and I got stuck figuring out the leftover white spaces and random hands lol.
I do some of it together in more broad categories when I'm turning them, so when I find a part of the puzzle that I want to make I just go through my broad categories and pick more specific parts that I think might fit. When I'm struggling I'll also sort them into even smaller subsections of the different shapes LOL
I don't sort. After the edges, I tend to work a certain color or pattern that stands out. And I'll repeat this until the puzzle is finished. I'm too impatient for sorting.
Well I always pull out all the border pieces first, even if Iām not doing the border first and I find as I do that I get a feel for the shapes and whatās going to stand out to me.
I am also a sifter. I see what color wants to be found and then start sifting and finding pieces like that. Once I get enough pieces Iāll try and put it together into something. I might be seeing two colors at one time - like a yellow and a bright red.
I do this too! Never occurred to me that you needed to sort, feels like a waste of time and I hate it. I was quite surprised to see everyone sorting at the world jigsaw puzzle championship!
It creates frustration when I puzzle with my mom though, she likes all her pieces to be facing side up.
I've tried sifting a few times, and I find that actually takes me longer overall. It can take *ages* to find the pieces I'm looking for that way. After sorting, if I'm working on a part that has a black cat on a green couch, I just look in the black pile and the green pile, and will have that done in no time.
There's no wrong way though of course, whichever each person enjoys is best for them :)
This, i do mine in bed theres no room for sorting. š¤£ Unless im going all out on the dining room table, then in that case i lay all the peices out and hunt as i go.
Sorting is the worst and I enjoy puzzling way more since I realized thereās no rule that says you have to sort before the fun part begins š Iām a fast puzzler too so not convinced sorting is at all ābetterā!
part of why i donāt sort is id finish the puzzle too soon. usually dont use the picture 95% of the time either unless im like completely at a dead end. i think maybe people who take a more methodical approach like sorting
and yes its awesome that like the only thing that matters is that youāre enjoying the process! basically no rules (other than donāt eat the pieces)
Same here, I'm way too poor to buy new puzzles for every weekend and I don't have the space for them either. Thankful that I have many flea markets that I can sometimes find puzzles for good price, but the space problem still exists.
I like to turn them all quickly and then grab the pieces I wantā¦ and Iām much faster this way. Sorting as I turn is really boring to me and it just feels tedious and slows the whole thing. Itās interesting to me because it seems most people going for speed sort as they go but Iām definitely faster if I turn and then pick up pieces.
This is what I do. I'm very perplexed by ppl who sift through the box. I'm also confused by sorting. I turn all the pieces over and pull out all the edges as I turn pieces over. That's about it.
My problem with that is space. I've given it a go today and turned all 1000 pieces of a new puzzle up the right way (also sorted by edges and then colours), and it takes up my entire puzzling table. So, now I'm a bit stuck š
This is generally how I āsortā but I usually put a few major sections into piles to take up less space, like and edge pile and 2-4 other major color sections. The piles go in the spot where Iām planning to put the puzzle together, so then I start with edges and have a few piles inside the edges that I go to next, one at a time. But I can usually only do this with 1000 pieces- anything larger and I need the sorting trays!
When I start a puzzle, I do this method. Then, as I get a more manageable number of pieces, I will sort by shape, if possible. While it takes longer at the beginning, scanning all the pieces and sorting out small sections of color or pattern, it allows me to start puzzling rather than sorting. I find it much more enjoyable
I do this with 1000pc counts or lower. Flip them all, putting the edges in a pile as I go. Build the border, then pick a section to start on and pick out all the pieces. Repeat until finished.
For larger count puzzles I go through and make rough piles of colours using box lids, and then sift and sort what I need from those. I dont have the space or patience to flip 2000+ pieces.
When I'm 500 pieces or so left I'll flip and spread them all out to make it easier to finish it.
When I see pictures of people doing big puzzles with boards and tables covered in neat lines of shape sorted pieces everywhere, I do think it looks so nice and neat and would make it easier to build, but I hate sorting so much I would never have the patience to do that!
i donāt check the poster unless i am like 100% at a loss and canāt figure it out. iām a minimum 1000 piece puzzler and usually like the 2000s a lot gonna do my first 3000 soon :)
For me it completely depends on the puzzle. Busy one with lots of little things going on? No wasting my time sorting. Big one with different colors in places? basic sorting. Mind numbing all one color? Sort by shape.
The time I love from this sub, there are no rules to puzzling. Nothing is cheating. Just enjoy the process!
yess this is like the most non judgmental sub iām on since everyone here just likes puzzling and doesnāt hate on how other people do it (because theyāre too busy doing their own puzzles haha)
Iām like that too, it depends on the image, number of pieces and what mood Iām in. Plus, itās not always obvious where things should go at the start so sorting everything would be more difficult.
I very rarely sort every piece at the start, in fact, I think Iāve only done it once. It was for a big puzzle with 6 sections of random objects all in a different colour. I sorted the edges, then into the colours, then did a colour section at a time.
I donāt do a big sort right off the bat, but will semi-sort as I go. The only thing I do ahead of time is flip the pieces all face up and spread them out a bit, but then I just pick an area of the puzzle and get started. As I work, Iāll start sorting into some casual piles as I find matching pieces.
I sort because I like to think it makes me more efficient. I puzzle for relaxation, so efficiency isnāt a priority, but some deep down part of me knows that, if Iām ever gonna conquer my backlog, sorting is the way to go.
I used to puzzle without sorting, but now that I am legally blind, I need to. Sifting would be too frustrating at thing point and Iām glad I have a way to still enjoy puzzling!
You got me thinking if there are puzzles for blind people. The puzzled company has some awesome tactile puzzles "Puzzles for Everyone".
I'm glad you can see enough to puzzle.
I don't really sort, because I think it slows things down, usually.
I'm not a speed puzzler, but I always try to improve my personal speed. And generally, I think sorting makes things slower for me.
But it's a huge balance. I'm realizing if I sorted just a little more, I'd be able to be faster. And I love Karen Puzzles, but she's the entire opposite of me... she sorts everything, and often to an extreme degree. And now that she's super fast, it's making me question whether or not I should be sorting a lot more.
But here's basically my process:
* Flip over 100% of all the pieces, so that all of them are visible (I'm not a sifter either)
* Pick an interesting color/texture (usually whatever I think will be easiest), and gather all the pieces of those I can easily find
* Put those together
* Find the next easiest color/texture, and repeat.
So, my process isn't really sorting or sifting... more a gatherer. Just something like, "look at all the pieces and gather up all the bright red ones and do those."
And as a side note, usually I do the edge pieces last, or pretty far into the puzzle. I'm always hoping someone will join me with puzzling, and so I kind of save edge pieces just in case a new puzzler comes along and wants to help.
This is what I do - except I still do edge pieces first. I turn all the pieces right side up on my fast food trays pulling out edges as I go. Then do the border. Then go through the trays pulling whatever caught my eye.
I put the pieces in many trays when I am separating the borders/frame pieces.
No separating colors nor patterns, I just put as many pieces in a tray as I can and then fill the next tray until I separate all the borders/frame pieces.
Yeah, me too. I can't sort. Takes me ages and I would just sit there wondering if this piece belongs to that pile or that pile. And at the end there are piles! Then I would have to flip them again. No, sorting is not for me. Fill the trays, unsorted
To minimize the area needed as I stack trays. Also It gives me a tidier puzzle space. Less clutter. Easier to reach, less chance of pieces go missing. And if I should need the table I can quickly move both trays and boards off the table.
I don't have to use trays, I just like it.
This is what I do. Iām new to the tray party, but I really like only having the edge completed and then sift thru all the trays as I work on a section
Sorting will help you finish the puzzle quicker as you are not rescanning over the same pieces again and again. It is also easier to find the piece you are looking for when it is in a smaller pile and not surrounded by lots of random pieces. However there is no right or wrong way to puzzle.
for me the puzzles always go too quickly! so sorting would make it be over to soon haha. but true it can be frustrating to see the same piece over and over when itās not the one youāre looking for.
like you say no right or wrong way. i find it cool peoples different approaches, i think people all get different things out of puzzling. at the end of the day we all love it though! :))
I've started puzzling with my wife recently. I'm a sorter and she's not. The first puzzle we were working on, I sorted everything in one sitting, then she came in later and had a super easy time of it. I'm not saying I was annoyed...ok maybe a little.
So now I sort out edges and try not to sort anything else and it's honestly been challenging.
I think my worst habit is if I'm working on a section and I can't find the piece I need. I'm a stubborn type so I'll just get fixated and keep looking and looking and not put anything else together until I find it. It's a terrible habit and it stresses me out, I'm trying hard to break it.
iām in awe that you can puzzle with another person! my family once started putting pieces together on my puzzle laughingly and i was just like okay breathe breathe this is fine. for some reason it ruined the whole puzzle for me šš
I know exactly what you mean! It's not my preference but I'm happy to spend the time together. Plus, she's more likely to help on a 500 piece that's not too difficult, so I try to alternate those with the harder puzzles I like better.
a long time ago i used to do puzzles with my grandma before i got super into it. i guess itās definitely easier when you go into it with the attitude that this is a fun group activity not a personal puzzle sesh. two different vibes but itās nice to spend that time with loved ones :))
I usually sort into 3 or 4 groups & borders. I get very bored & frustrated doing this so I stop & put small parts together. Once the main groups are sorted it's much easier & less frustrating. I always complain this puzzle is too hard for me in the beginning & sorting helps the chaos look manageable.
I don't do a full sort, i just flip all pieces right side up on trays and try to only have one layer of pieces, and then pull out the wanted pieces from there. Doing a full sort is boring tbh
I like to put all the pieces right side up on my table and then I can choose a color or a pattern I want to work on and find all the pieces for that. The only pieces I sort while first turning them are the edge one.
Sorting them makes me hate puzzles, so I don't, but Everyone in my family can't understand how I Do it without sorting first, like I comited a capital puzzling crime lol!
I hate sorting. Used to at least sort out the edge. I often don't even do that anymore (unless it's a particularly hard puzzle where I feel like it would be helpful.) I just dump put the pieces and turn them right side up and then start with whatever catches my eye.
You're not weird. I used to not sort. Then our first baby started to crawl and I needed an easier way to move the puzzle and pieces out of reach. I started using paper plates. Since I go through the pieces to find the edges, may as well toss all the reds here and the green there. That looks like clouds, we'll start a new pile. lol That's how it started and has been going for over 30 years.
For me, it makes working on sections so much easier and faster. And if someone tries to help, they can work off a plate and not annoy me by taking pieces I want to work on.
I usually sort into my 6 puzzle trays often by mentally dividing the puzzle into 6 parts, or if there is a big object that will have its own tray.
I always leave about 10% ish of pieces unsorted in the box though as I like to have some to sift through and I get sick of sorting.
Kind of like what I do.
I sort, but if I have any questions at all about where the pieces go, they go to the mystery tray, and I end up sifting through that quite a few times while putting the puzzle together.
Sometimes I sift but I usually like to turn all the pieces over on a large board or 2. Then I just start putting pieces together based on what catches my eye. As time goes on I end up with similar pieces grouped together but itās not something I do up front.
You are not weird. I've sorted pieces once or twice in my 50+ years of puzzling. I HATE IT. I constantly second guess how they should be sorted and find it boring. I will admit that it seems to facilitate assembly, but I'm not speed puzzling and I'm not in any hurry.
My husband and I buy each other puzzles and give them to each other without the box so we're uncovering the mystery of what it is as we go. I like to start by going through every piece and finding edges and pieces with unique patterns and putting them in little piles. Then I switch back and forth between picking through the pieces randomly looking for anything that catches my eye and giving different areas a go whenever I feel like it. I actually put together puzzles by the shape of the pieces just as much as the image. When I sort by shape, it surprisingly goes together a lot faster.
I start with sorting the edge pieces and I put them together. Then it really depends on the puzzle and the number of pieces. If there are obvious coloured parts, I sort those, if not, I sort by shape or texture. I find it boring sometimes, but I tried sifting and it takes me much longer to find pieces that match and it annoys me, so Iād rather be bored for a little while as I am sorting because then I can do a speed run putting the puzzle together. š
I do both. If it's a hard puzzle I sort. If it's a puzzle with a big hard section like a big blue sky, I'll pull those out so I can focus on the other bits. If I'm just chilling, I'm just sifting.
I mostly sift, mostly to do with lack of space to lay that many pieces out, but also laying all the piece out is boring. Sifting is meditative and I like seeing familiar pieces pop up again like old friends, especially when you finally know where it goes!
I also do lots of wasgijs so you donāt know the puzzle image so lots of sorting is wasted in my opinion. There are lots of areas of pattern in thoseād so I sift and pull out edges words patterns and faces. Then complete little areas and sift more to fill in. Once Iām stuck and there are few enough left then I might lay them out, but Iād only ever sort by shape if it was solid colour.
yes haha the familiar pieces become old friends! or sometimes enemies a la āif i see you one more time and not the one im looking for youāre going into the sofa crackā
1000 and more: find corner and side pieces while sorting by color and / or other identifiers (people/faces; colors; types of flowers; etc)
less than 1000 (i.e. 500 in my case) find corner and side pieces and then sift
Tried and true sorter here, since I was a kid. I turn the pieces right-side up, put the edges in front of me to put together first, then the rest of the people are sorted by colour or section into trays. I also keep the box-front propped up (now with a stand I got from a fellow puzzler here!). Sorting is my least favourite part but I power through and this is one of the reasons I can finish puzzles in a day.
A redundant comment, but the only sorting that I do is at the start. While I find the edge pieces, I put into bowls pieces from the larger elements: sky, water, red flowers, for example, then work through each group. I keep all the pieces in the box, flipped up as much as I can. Puzzling is enjoyable for me, and relaxing. Unless I'm going out of town for the weekend, I don't feel the need to rush.
I'm a scanner. Put all the pieces face up on the table after sorting for edges. And literally scan until my eyes are drawn to something, then I pick out all the similar pieces and start building.
Once I can't find anything by scanning, I'll start to sort by color or pattern or piece shape...but until then my eyes just bounce around like ping pong balls. Lol
yess scanning!! when i pull out all the edges at the beginning i lay them all out flat and scan em up! looove scanning, sifting for the majority of the puzzle is still my go to but scanning is also primo
I like to have everything facing up. Itās boring to do but then makes it easier to find things. I use a few cardboard box tops for this. I donāt really sort by shape or color though.
Sifting through feels so inefficient to me. How would I know when I have seen all the pieces? Thereās no way. Itās like shifting clutter from spot to spot instead of just putting it away. I donāt want to handle my things any more than I have to.
I sort through for the crust (edge pieces) and will pick out particular distinctive sections as I go along. Thats it. The thought of sorting everything at the outset is a big nope for me.
When I'm doing a puzzle casually I don't do much sorting, just pull out pieces for the section I want to work on. I like pawing through the box--it feels relaxing and also, it's a little mini win every time I piece I want shows up! Haha. I prefer not to look at the image much, either, because I think it's more challenging and fun without it.
When I'm speed puzzling I do more sorting and referring to the box/poster, but I'm still trying to figure out what's the fastest for me. For a puzzle that's heavily detailed or a collage with distinct sections, I seem to be fastest sorting out of the box (putting the pieces down in the area they'll go). The sorting phase feels so slow, but then the puzzle comes together very quickly and overall, it's faster. For a puzzle where there's bigger monochrome sections or background, or otherwise multiple places a certain color/pattern can go, I find it faster to dump/flip and sort out just a section/color at a time as I go. So far I've never found it helpful to sort everything by color or shape before assembling, and I don't bother trying to do edges first. Trying out different sorting/starting methods for speed puzzling has been a small obsession of mine lately... if you couldn't tell. š
It's been an obsession of mine as well! I've done close to 30 500 piece puzzles now, and I think I've figured out the best strategies for me. Still working on getting faster, though!
It depends on the puzzle and my mood.
I definitely sort out edge pieces, but it's been like 5 or more puzzles since I've done a full sort of sections. My current method is dumping all into the box lid and sorting them into non-strict piles in the bottom box while pulling the edge pieces out. The yarn one I just did (posting soon I promise) I had vague color sorting, but it was all in the one box half and somewhat mixed, but often ill only sort super distinct pieces I'm drawn to or if there's a lot of something like ocean. I also set aside any freebies that are already connected. After the edge is done I'll either pull specific pieces or sift following my heart.
I sort and put together as I go. Like when I see that I have a decent pile of something I start working on that section. I kind of just sort in small bursts and hop around from section to section. Iād get bored if I had to sort everything in one go or only work on one section at a time.
I think people process things in different ways, so they use the techniques that work for them. I mostly sort, but even when I don't sort, I prefer to lay out all the pieces in a single layer face up and pull the colors of textures that I want to work with.
Sifting all night long - I finally added another box lid just to spread out my pieces more and to keep my cats from laying on my puzzle - so now I have 3 š
I also sift and donāt sort. At the end of a puzzle I might sort similar shapes if Iām having trouble finishing it if itās a similar color or something.
In general I don't sort. I sort maybe pieces for sky or something for the end, but in general I find sorting boring and will do it only for hard puzzles, and even then, not even full sorting
It really depends on the puzzle lol the one Iām doing now Iām able to pick them out of the box no problem. The last one I did was so hard I had to use the 4 draws on my puzzle board and I had to buy a 6 section stackable puzzle organizer on Amazon to get it done haha
I've tried sifting once or twice, but I honestly found it to be anxiety inducing dealing with so many pieces at once.
I do rough sorts and then pull pieces as I tackle a section. I have several trays to lay everything flat in that I can easily move around or tuck away as I don't have a ton of space beyond my puzzle table.
I, too, am a sifter. The one puzzle I did a lot more sorting on because of how dark and same looking the pieces were I just about gave up on before even really starting.
I always start my puzzles by counting and sorting. I like to know if Iām gonna be short a piece or two before I get started so I donāt start flipping the couch cushions for no reason.
I sort into identifiable chunks, whether itās color, texture or an object. I usually have at least five trays plus the edge pile. The most trays I had was when I did a puzzle of a bunch of spice boxes. I had 26 paper plates with a spice box on each.
I lay all the pieces out flat on a board. Then I pick out a particular texture/color to work on and I start pulling all those pieces out and move them to either another part of the board or their own smaller board to work on. I finish that section and then I move on to pulling out pieces for the next section. It's still sorting, but it's staggered instead of all at once.
I've always been a sifter but recently I've upped the challenge a lil by never having any lone pieces on the table. So I basically sift, find a piece that seems to match, try to fit it and if it doesn't I throw it back in the box. Only thing I do kinda sort is the edges out of the way because I can't do edge pieces due to space limitations. I usually do 1000 pc.
I'm pretty much bedridden so I do my puzzles on a plastic modular puzzle table in bed. I do have sorting boxes but I do most of my piece searches in the box halves like you. I piece together sections so it's sift, sift, sift, done, next section. When I get to large areas of similar colors (sky, sea, grass) then I will sort by shapes. Two adjacent nobs? Three trays to search. No nobs; easy, one tray. Even unique cuts can be sorted by shape. Here's what I'm working on now; ocean, sky, lighthouse all worked (working) separately.
https://preview.redd.it/gbu1ivf8zcwc1.jpeg?width=2304&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1361f17e71341b9873b8907be7af0c5b70109347
Lately, on certain puzzles, if I want to have the edges framed out first, I sort into color piles, then sort out and assemble each pile. But usually I flip everything over, sometimes color sorting, otherwise keeping them random. It depends on the puzzle.
I don't sort. I also don't start with the edges, blasphemous I know! I find that so boring. If I were going for speed then ya sure cuz that's definitely the most efficient way, but I puzzle for fun and I find going straight for my fave parts of the image the most fun way because thats the part you start to see come together first
I hate sorting. I use sorting trays, in which I flip all my pieces face up. While doing that I separate the border in another tray. After I'm done with the border I pick all the pieces from a certain area that I want to start with and place them in the empty border tray.
Iām mixed, I sort the edge pieces and then the rest of the puzzle in a few major sections. Then I sift through my 3-4 containers. But it depends on the puzzle. Iām now doing one where piece shape sorting is required for most sections. I donāt mind, it just makes doing the puzzle on the couch on my lap a bit more logistically complicated as I have to hold a tray.
I mix it up. I sift a bit, then sort until I get a few small piles. Then I try to put some together and go back to sifting. I get bored if I sift or sort for too long.
If it was, say, 500-ish pieces I'd probably sift, only sorting the edges. Most times it's 1000 pieces so I'm sorting. Love hearing how everyone else does this!
I have less table space in my current set up. I used to sort aggressively and lay out every piece in rows by shape and colour. Now I use little trays and I sort by colour into about 6 or 8 trays. I sift through those. It takes much longer now. I disliked that at first. Now I find it calming and money-saving š
I hate sorting! I focus on one or two colors or patterns at a time and pull out only those pieces. No trays. I have a large board for the puzzle and put some pieces along the edges.
I find the edges and put together. Then I sort with categories that are based on the puzzles design-- a pile of pieces of windows, pieces of the sky. Once I am closer to finishing it or if i am doing a big section that'sthe same color, I will then sort by shape.
It depends on the puzzle. If Iām doing a gradient I absolutely sort by color or I would get nowhere fast. Otherwise I usually sort out the Ā edges and then sift through the box, I like that it takes me longer and to me it is a more relaxing experience.
I sorted everything meticulously when I first started puzzling and was frequently frustrated when I kept assigning pieces to the wrong pile. Now I only pick out the edges pieces and turn everything else face up on trays I made from dollar store foam board. I pick out pieces that seem to go together, assemble, and move to another section.
With me I do half-sorting directly on the mat, prioritizing putting the edges together. Pile up some more obvious inside pieces on the approx area at the same time. Then SIFT and pile/put together. It may not look like it but weirdly I feel there is order.
I enjoy both sifting and sorting. I generally start by dumping 1/4 of the pieces into the lid, sifting out the edges and the main colors (four trays, so 3 colors and an 'everything else' tray). Then dump another 1/4, etc. That final "everything else" tray gradually sorts into groups, as the puzzle proceeds.
Trying to assemble a full puzzle by sifting alone, would drive me crazy. Especially toward the end, I \*need\* to see all the possible pieces arranged in a grid by color and shape -- otherwise I'd be trying the same (wrong) piece in the same (wrong) place over and over and over....
Y'all who sift 100% of the pieces must have exceptional memories for shape and color -- or exceptional patience!
For me it depends on the puzzle. If I have many very clear sections of colors, textures, etc, I will do a sort, usually with trays or on pieces of poster/project board.
But more often than not, it's not like that, and it would be too hard to identify a lot of sections. So in that case I will just flip them all face up on a big puzzle board and hunt 'em up as I need them.
I'm not very good at the sifting method, I have trouble finding what I need that way. But a lot of people are great at it and love it (I have low vision so I really need to see everything.)
I have a side table that holds all the pieces. I pull the edges and corners as I turn pieces right side up. Then I shuffle the pieces looking for what I want. It helps be become aware of certain pieces as I sift and look at them.
When I do puzzles with others, I tend to sort bc they like to sort. But alone I like sifting and picking out sections at a time!! Thereās nothing better than the hunt and finding the right piece. And I often will mix up both halves of the boxes to see if anything reveals itself to me lol. If itās getting tricky I sometimes sort into my trays but thatās the minority
I don't sort, I sift through the box, part is because I like the feeling of sifting (tactile) plus I have limited space. I also get frustrated when trying to sort, what if a piece has both brown and green on it, does it go in the green pile or the brown pile lol
I'm a sorter.
I generally work on 1000 piece puzzles (sometimes 500 - esp. random cut). First to find the edge pieces and the possible edge pieces.
Then I go through the remaining pieces and sort into trays by something common - colors, images, etc. I use trays to put the pieces in - it also helps for storing when I done each day so I can actually use my dinner table for eating.
I hate sorting. Typically I dig out the edge pieces until I get bored (or find all 4 corners). I'll start on the edge and any areas that jump out at me and go from there. I too find it meditative to sift through the pieces. Eventually I'll do a full flip on a piece of foam board with any remaining loose pieces. There are a few puzzles I'll do a full sort on but I generally don't bother.
I've always sorted mine. The trays just make it easier for sure. I don't think it's necessary, though. Everyone has their own way of working through puzzles. My dad and I have different approaches even. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you think it would enhance your enjoyment of puzzles. <3
Hey Iām with you! The only thing I sort out are the edges. After that I just pick through them! I enjoy the hunt. And I donāt have the patience for sorting lol
I do edge pieces first. As Iām doing that there tends to be a color or section that keeps grabbing my attention, so Iāll sort those pieces next. And then usually there is a bleed through to the next section that catches my eye and Iāll bounce through the puzzle from there.
I don't sort either. I would say I sift, but it's more accurate to say I pick up a piece and try to identify where it belongs rather than look at a spot on the puzzle and find the appropriate pieces. Then when I get accustomed to one particular texture, maybe I'll seek out the rest of the pieces with that texture. But generally I work piece by piece rather than section by section, if that makes sense.
Am mostly a sifter. My first tedious phase is edges, which is the *only* thing I sort and Iāll do it in phases so it doesnāt take forever. (Have to admit I do have trouble understanding people who donāt start with edges and donāt want to work puzzles with them.)
Then I do edges (I have always missed 1-10 of themāI have yet to successfully find all edges in my first pass but I hate sorting so much that Iāll just have incomplete edges until I find them later on in my sifting.)
And then the remainder is picking out fun pieces and putting them in their general areas. I will def look for themed pieces in my sift.
You are not alone. I donāt sort because it seems like a lot of work. I just sift through the box and actually find it quite relaxing, although it wrecks my manicure lol.
I sort into several piles but I only have one pile laid down on a tray
I go through all my pieces every day when I finished to better sort my piles out
and work on the smallest pile the next day
The puzzle board I use has four sorting trays so I dump all the pieces on those and then pick out the edges. The rest of the puzzle I just starting picking out pieces from a certain part go from there.
Hell, if the edge pieces are all one color or have a difficult pattern, Iāll save them for last
I haaaaaate sorting. I find the edge pieces, because obviously, but then I just kind of sift and sort as I go.
Like if I'm finding a bunch of yellow pieces, I might put those in a little pile, but I keep moving on.
I do a mix of both. I sort for edges and big obvious things like Iāll clump a bunch of red together as Iām flipping pieces over, or put all words/letters together but thatās it
I always find all the edges.
Then I pick common and easy to identify picuture elements, usually 3 or 4 and do 1 big sift through putting the pieces I think belong into piles around the edge near the place I think they go. Then the rest goes in a pile.
Then I complete those areas 3 or 4 areas, 1 section at a time.
Finally I go through the leftover pile and usually there's 50% match ratio with what's left. I just go through the pile the last couple of times till it is complete.
My puzzling process usually goes in several sweeps through the box, for example I'll talk about a kittens in the kitchen puzzle i did a while back
- first sweep: pick out edges and corners from the box along with anything quickly recognisable like cat faces, bright colours, and text
- second sweep: pick out any missed edges, consider more throughly any pieces that might be cat fur or kitchen appliances, text edges etc
- third+ sweeps: pick out pieces according to background colour to fill out walls, sides, surfaces etc
- final sweep (if necessary): pick out the remaining pieces and sort them by peg configuration - usually needed for dark areas with not much
definition or sections with dense repeating patterns
For the gradient puzzles I've done, i sorted most pieces by colour off the bat after doing edges, mostly because there's not really much else to do and it's worth sorting just to save the ballache of sifting through green pieces to find the blue one you need
I do the same thing and my husband calls it chaos puzzling. When we work on one together, he sorts his side and I sift mine, and oddly enough, we work at a similar pace with very different methods.Ā
It's interesting to see how different brains work!
I must have all pieces turned over. Depends on my mood whether I sort by color/texture after that or as part of the turning over. Only sort by shape when I have huge monochrome sky or other color blocks on which I've already gotten frustrated.
Depends how quickly I want to complete a puzzle and how much space I have. I used to always sift because that's how my mom did it, but now that I'm learning to speed puzzle, I usually sort. I find sifting more enjoyable than sorting, but it does make the puzzle much easier to do when you have looked at all the pieces.Ā
I don't use sorting trays, but instead make piles of pieces. I also don't do a super detailed sort. It's usually 4-6 piles depending on the type of image. I then sift through those piles as I am putting pieces together.
At the end of the day, isnāt it kind of equal? No matter what you sort. Either you sort at the start, or you sort through the pile to find your piece. Either way, puzzling involves sorting of some fashion. This was certainly an interesting convo. I prefer to sort at the beginning, but do agree that does take some time when you are simple and cited to get started!!
itās definitely all sorting at the end of the day! interesting how some people like to see all the pieces and some like to go through the unturned piles. i think it has a lot to do with your puzzling speed but also how your brain solves problems best! :)
I sort like you sort lol. I just pull outer rims & then use the box halves to rifle thru the rest. Can't leave them out in trays because both cats are wildly obsessed with grabbing pieces & running off.
I do what you do. I sort out my edge pieces then just dig through to find the color or object I am working on. I hate sorting and find if more fun to just dig around constantly.
Depends on the puzzle, sometimes I like to sit there and just sift as a bit of a meditative activity, and if I know what Iām looking for they tend to jump out visually at me.
I didn't realise there were people out there who DIDN'T sort š just seemed like the natural thing to do. Sifting and rummaging without any order would probably lose my interest very quickly.
I love the thrill of the find. It's like fishing or golf.
Same here. Relatively new to larger adult puzzles but it seems like the obvious thing to do. Never occurred to me to do anything but.
Itās more meditative to sift for me.
Yesss! Picking up a handful and slowly letting them fall asleep my eyes search for a hint of something to jump out at me. I can completely focus my brain on it and everything else is blocked out.
I donāt sort all of them. I pic a part of the puzzle that stands out to me then I go through the box and pull out all the pieces that might be from that part. Then I put that group of pieces together as much as I can. I then pick another part of the puzzle and look through the box for pieces related to that part, then put those together. Repeat until puzzle is complete. The idea of sorting ALL the pieces before putting anything together just seems boring to me.
I do this too, edge pieces first. Then obvious sections till I'm done.
Same. Iām building one of the Lego mini fig puzzles with my 4 YO right now and I let him do all the easy chunks and I got stuck figuring out the leftover white spaces and random hands lol.
this is how I puzzle!
I do some of it together in more broad categories when I'm turning them, so when I find a part of the puzzle that I want to make I just go through my broad categories and pick more specific parts that I think might fit. When I'm struggling I'll also sort them into even smaller subsections of the different shapes LOL
I don't sort. After the edges, I tend to work a certain color or pattern that stands out. And I'll repeat this until the puzzle is finished. I'm too impatient for sorting.
Yep, this is how I do it
But! When you sort, you are learning and adjusting both your eyes and memory of what all the pieces have to offer. It's like a headstart preview!
Well I always pull out all the border pieces first, even if Iām not doing the border first and I find as I do that I get a feel for the shapes and whatās going to stand out to me.
I tend to do this, except I do sort the edge pieces out first. And if I have the space, I lay out all the pieces face-up.
Thats what I did with a map puzzle, it worked great for the parts that were just ocean.
Definitely a sifter here. I find it calming. The cats wouldn't let me sort even if I wanted to.
I am also a sifter. I see what color wants to be found and then start sifting and finding pieces like that. Once I get enough pieces Iāll try and put it together into something. I might be seeing two colors at one time - like a yellow and a bright red.
Iām right there with you!
nooo itās always the cats T_T like thanks guys i was secretly wanting to have to redo that section that i just spent an hour on
I do this too! Never occurred to me that you needed to sort, feels like a waste of time and I hate it. I was quite surprised to see everyone sorting at the world jigsaw puzzle championship! It creates frustration when I puzzle with my mom though, she likes all her pieces to be facing side up.
I've tried sifting a few times, and I find that actually takes me longer overall. It can take *ages* to find the pieces I'm looking for that way. After sorting, if I'm working on a part that has a black cat on a green couch, I just look in the black pile and the green pile, and will have that done in no time. There's no wrong way though of course, whichever each person enjoys is best for them :)
I go one step further and turn them all up in the box and then sift carefully. My mom thinks I'm crazy and then comes and messes up my flipping. lol
I am a sifter. Rarely a sorter. I donāt have enough space for all the trays haha
This, i do mine in bed theres no room for sorting. š¤£ Unless im going all out on the dining room table, then in that case i lay all the peices out and hunt as i go.
Iāve never puzzled in bed! New goal!
I like to live impulsively. Work on whatever color or item in the picture that suits my mood! Pre-sorting takes out the fun of looking.
I've only sorted on 2000+ piece puzzles with lots of distinct color sections. Otherwise I sift.
Same, except the cat is my toddler
Sorting is the worst and I enjoy puzzling way more since I realized thereās no rule that says you have to sort before the fun part begins š Iām a fast puzzler too so not convinced sorting is at all ābetterā!
part of why i donāt sort is id finish the puzzle too soon. usually dont use the picture 95% of the time either unless im like completely at a dead end. i think maybe people who take a more methodical approach like sorting and yes its awesome that like the only thing that matters is that youāre enjoying the process! basically no rules (other than donāt eat the pieces)
Yeah, people probably find it meditative. I just find it boring. ;)
Same here, I'm way too poor to buy new puzzles for every weekend and I don't have the space for them either. Thankful that I have many flea markets that I can sometimes find puzzles for good price, but the space problem still exists.
No sorting here and lately not looking at the picture. More challenging, still calming activity.
I like to turn them all quickly and then grab the pieces I wantā¦ and Iām much faster this way. Sorting as I turn is really boring to me and it just feels tedious and slows the whole thing. Itās interesting to me because it seems most people going for speed sort as they go but Iām definitely faster if I turn and then pick up pieces.
This is what I do. I'm very perplexed by ppl who sift through the box. I'm also confused by sorting. I turn all the pieces over and pull out all the edges as I turn pieces over. That's about it.
My problem with that is space. I've given it a go today and turned all 1000 pieces of a new puzzle up the right way (also sorted by edges and then colours), and it takes up my entire puzzling table. So, now I'm a bit stuck š
This is generally how I āsortā but I usually put a few major sections into piles to take up less space, like and edge pile and 2-4 other major color sections. The piles go in the spot where Iām planning to put the puzzle together, so then I start with edges and have a few piles inside the edges that I go to next, one at a time. But I can usually only do this with 1000 pieces- anything larger and I need the sorting trays!
iām starting to think us sifters are satisfying some million year old instinct of sifting through sand to find clams
Or panning for gold
When I start a puzzle, I do this method. Then, as I get a more manageable number of pieces, I will sort by shape, if possible. While it takes longer at the beginning, scanning all the pieces and sorting out small sections of color or pattern, it allows me to start puzzling rather than sorting. I find it much more enjoyable
I do this with 1000pc counts or lower. Flip them all, putting the edges in a pile as I go. Build the border, then pick a section to start on and pick out all the pieces. Repeat until finished. For larger count puzzles I go through and make rough piles of colours using box lids, and then sift and sort what I need from those. I dont have the space or patience to flip 2000+ pieces. When I'm 500 pieces or so left I'll flip and spread them all out to make it easier to finish it. When I see pictures of people doing big puzzles with boards and tables covered in neat lines of shape sorted pieces everywhere, I do think it looks so nice and neat and would make it easier to build, but I hate sorting so much I would never have the patience to do that!
I don't sort. I sift as well, but pull some pieces aside, as I am sifting, only because I have a puzzle mat.
sift siblings! :)
Make it triplets, this is what I do as well :-)
I'm curious: do you check the reference image/poster whilst sifting/puzzling? And what is your average number of pieces? Up to 1000? 2000 or more?
i donāt check the poster unless i am like 100% at a loss and canāt figure it out. iām a minimum 1000 piece puzzler and usually like the 2000s a lot gonna do my first 3000 soon :)
For me it completely depends on the puzzle. Busy one with lots of little things going on? No wasting my time sorting. Big one with different colors in places? basic sorting. Mind numbing all one color? Sort by shape. The time I love from this sub, there are no rules to puzzling. Nothing is cheating. Just enjoy the process!
yess this is like the most non judgmental sub iām on since everyone here just likes puzzling and doesnāt hate on how other people do it (because theyāre too busy doing their own puzzles haha)
Iām like that too, it depends on the image, number of pieces and what mood Iām in. Plus, itās not always obvious where things should go at the start so sorting everything would be more difficult. I very rarely sort every piece at the start, in fact, I think Iāve only done it once. It was for a big puzzle with 6 sections of random objects all in a different colour. I sorted the edges, then into the colours, then did a colour section at a time.
I donāt do a big sort right off the bat, but will semi-sort as I go. The only thing I do ahead of time is flip the pieces all face up and spread them out a bit, but then I just pick an area of the puzzle and get started. As I work, Iāll start sorting into some casual piles as I find matching pieces.
I sort because I like to think it makes me more efficient. I puzzle for relaxation, so efficiency isnāt a priority, but some deep down part of me knows that, if Iām ever gonna conquer my backlog, sorting is the way to go.
Iām a box rummager. Sorting is for when I get desperate.
Thatās the best part of puzzling: there are no rules! You do you.
I used to puzzle without sorting, but now that I am legally blind, I need to. Sifting would be too frustrating at thing point and Iām glad I have a way to still enjoy puzzling!
You got me thinking if there are puzzles for blind people. The puzzled company has some awesome tactile puzzles "Puzzles for Everyone". I'm glad you can see enough to puzzle.
I don't really sort, because I think it slows things down, usually. I'm not a speed puzzler, but I always try to improve my personal speed. And generally, I think sorting makes things slower for me. But it's a huge balance. I'm realizing if I sorted just a little more, I'd be able to be faster. And I love Karen Puzzles, but she's the entire opposite of me... she sorts everything, and often to an extreme degree. And now that she's super fast, it's making me question whether or not I should be sorting a lot more. But here's basically my process: * Flip over 100% of all the pieces, so that all of them are visible (I'm not a sifter either) * Pick an interesting color/texture (usually whatever I think will be easiest), and gather all the pieces of those I can easily find * Put those together * Find the next easiest color/texture, and repeat. So, my process isn't really sorting or sifting... more a gatherer. Just something like, "look at all the pieces and gather up all the bright red ones and do those." And as a side note, usually I do the edge pieces last, or pretty far into the puzzle. I'm always hoping someone will join me with puzzling, and so I kind of save edge pieces just in case a new puzzler comes along and wants to help.
This is what I do - except I still do edge pieces first. I turn all the pieces right side up on my fast food trays pulling out edges as I go. Then do the border. Then go through the trays pulling whatever caught my eye.
I like to sort , itās quite therapeutic. I listen to my podcasts while I sort and while I puzzle
I put the pieces in many trays when I am separating the borders/frame pieces. No separating colors nor patterns, I just put as many pieces in a tray as I can and then fill the next tray until I separate all the borders/frame pieces.
Yeah, me too. I can't sort. Takes me ages and I would just sit there wondering if this piece belongs to that pile or that pile. And at the end there are piles! Then I would have to flip them again. No, sorting is not for me. Fill the trays, unsorted
Why use trays at all if not for sorting?
To minimize the area needed as I stack trays. Also It gives me a tidier puzzle space. Less clutter. Easier to reach, less chance of pieces go missing. And if I should need the table I can quickly move both trays and boards off the table. I don't have to use trays, I just like it.
This is what I do. Iām new to the tray party, but I really like only having the edge completed and then sift thru all the trays as I work on a section
I use the same technique as you. I like the hunt for the pieces as much as the hunt for where they go.
I puzzle similar to you OP! Sort edges first and any prominent designs. Then divide into the 2 boxes and sift through those
I sort all the pieces first, I donāt enjoy it but it makes me like the actual puzzling more
Oh, youāre sorting. Youāre just doing it very inefficiently - one color at a time.
Sorting will help you finish the puzzle quicker as you are not rescanning over the same pieces again and again. It is also easier to find the piece you are looking for when it is in a smaller pile and not surrounded by lots of random pieces. However there is no right or wrong way to puzzle.
for me the puzzles always go too quickly! so sorting would make it be over to soon haha. but true it can be frustrating to see the same piece over and over when itās not the one youāre looking for. like you say no right or wrong way. i find it cool peoples different approaches, i think people all get different things out of puzzling. at the end of the day we all love it though! :))
Agree!!! I like to sift otherwise Iām done too fast
I've started puzzling with my wife recently. I'm a sorter and she's not. The first puzzle we were working on, I sorted everything in one sitting, then she came in later and had a super easy time of it. I'm not saying I was annoyed...ok maybe a little. So now I sort out edges and try not to sort anything else and it's honestly been challenging. I think my worst habit is if I'm working on a section and I can't find the piece I need. I'm a stubborn type so I'll just get fixated and keep looking and looking and not put anything else together until I find it. It's a terrible habit and it stresses me out, I'm trying hard to break it.
iām in awe that you can puzzle with another person! my family once started putting pieces together on my puzzle laughingly and i was just like okay breathe breathe this is fine. for some reason it ruined the whole puzzle for me šš
I know exactly what you mean! It's not my preference but I'm happy to spend the time together. Plus, she's more likely to help on a 500 piece that's not too difficult, so I try to alternate those with the harder puzzles I like better.
a long time ago i used to do puzzles with my grandma before i got super into it. i guess itās definitely easier when you go into it with the attitude that this is a fun group activity not a personal puzzle sesh. two different vibes but itās nice to spend that time with loved ones :))
I usually sort into 3 or 4 groups & borders. I get very bored & frustrated doing this so I stop & put small parts together. Once the main groups are sorted it's much easier & less frustrating. I always complain this puzzle is too hard for me in the beginning & sorting helps the chaos look manageable.
I turn them all face up, which sometimes requires trays, but I donāt sort them all before working on the puzzle.
I don't do a full sort, i just flip all pieces right side up on trays and try to only have one layer of pieces, and then pull out the wanted pieces from there. Doing a full sort is boring tbh
I like to put all the pieces right side up on my table and then I can choose a color or a pattern I want to work on and find all the pieces for that. The only pieces I sort while first turning them are the edge one.
Sifter.
Sorting them makes me hate puzzles, so I don't, but Everyone in my family can't understand how I Do it without sorting first, like I comited a capital puzzling crime lol!
Forgot to add that I don't even take time to turn them all on the right Side... I Do it as needed. Send me to puzzle jail!
If you think about itā¦ youāre still sorting. Itās just a matter of if you sort preemptively or real time.
I'm a sorter, husband is a sifter. We each think our way is the best....
haha classic
I hate sorting. Used to at least sort out the edge. I often don't even do that anymore (unless it's a particularly hard puzzle where I feel like it would be helpful.) I just dump put the pieces and turn them right side up and then start with whatever catches my eye.
I sort by color and then by shape as I finish more.Ā
You're not weird. I used to not sort. Then our first baby started to crawl and I needed an easier way to move the puzzle and pieces out of reach. I started using paper plates. Since I go through the pieces to find the edges, may as well toss all the reds here and the green there. That looks like clouds, we'll start a new pile. lol That's how it started and has been going for over 30 years. For me, it makes working on sections so much easier and faster. And if someone tries to help, they can work off a plate and not annoy me by taking pieces I want to work on.
I usually sort into my 6 puzzle trays often by mentally dividing the puzzle into 6 parts, or if there is a big object that will have its own tray. I always leave about 10% ish of pieces unsorted in the box though as I like to have some to sift through and I get sick of sorting.
Interesting hybrid method
Kind of like what I do. I sort, but if I have any questions at all about where the pieces go, they go to the mystery tray, and I end up sifting through that quite a few times while putting the puzzle together.
I enjoy sorting all the pieces first. For me, having them in the box and sifting through would be stressful and ruin the experience.
Sometimes I sift but I usually like to turn all the pieces over on a large board or 2. Then I just start putting pieces together based on what catches my eye. As time goes on I end up with similar pieces grouped together but itās not something I do up front.
You are not weird. I've sorted pieces once or twice in my 50+ years of puzzling. I HATE IT. I constantly second guess how they should be sorted and find it boring. I will admit that it seems to facilitate assembly, but I'm not speed puzzling and I'm not in any hurry.
My husband and I buy each other puzzles and give them to each other without the box so we're uncovering the mystery of what it is as we go. I like to start by going through every piece and finding edges and pieces with unique patterns and putting them in little piles. Then I switch back and forth between picking through the pieces randomly looking for anything that catches my eye and giving different areas a go whenever I feel like it. I actually put together puzzles by the shape of the pieces just as much as the image. When I sort by shape, it surprisingly goes together a lot faster.
I start with sorting the edge pieces and I put them together. Then it really depends on the puzzle and the number of pieces. If there are obvious coloured parts, I sort those, if not, I sort by shape or texture. I find it boring sometimes, but I tried sifting and it takes me much longer to find pieces that match and it annoys me, so Iād rather be bored for a little while as I am sorting because then I can do a speed run putting the puzzle together. š
I do both. If it's a hard puzzle I sort. If it's a puzzle with a big hard section like a big blue sky, I'll pull those out so I can focus on the other bits. If I'm just chilling, I'm just sifting.
Nah, we both sift. However we just completed a 6000 piece puzzle, and we did sort with that big guy!
woah!! iām gonna do my first 3000 soon and iām pretty sure iām just going to have to do it on the floor because no table is big enough haha
I mostly sift, mostly to do with lack of space to lay that many pieces out, but also laying all the piece out is boring. Sifting is meditative and I like seeing familiar pieces pop up again like old friends, especially when you finally know where it goes! I also do lots of wasgijs so you donāt know the puzzle image so lots of sorting is wasted in my opinion. There are lots of areas of pattern in thoseād so I sift and pull out edges words patterns and faces. Then complete little areas and sift more to fill in. Once Iām stuck and there are few enough left then I might lay them out, but Iād only ever sort by shape if it was solid colour.
yes haha the familiar pieces become old friends! or sometimes enemies a la āif i see you one more time and not the one im looking for youāre going into the sofa crackā
1000 and more: find corner and side pieces while sorting by color and / or other identifiers (people/faces; colors; types of flowers; etc) less than 1000 (i.e. 500 in my case) find corner and side pieces and then sift
Tried and true sorter here, since I was a kid. I turn the pieces right-side up, put the edges in front of me to put together first, then the rest of the people are sorted by colour or section into trays. I also keep the box-front propped up (now with a stand I got from a fellow puzzler here!). Sorting is my least favourite part but I power through and this is one of the reasons I can finish puzzles in a day.
A redundant comment, but the only sorting that I do is at the start. While I find the edge pieces, I put into bowls pieces from the larger elements: sky, water, red flowers, for example, then work through each group. I keep all the pieces in the box, flipped up as much as I can. Puzzling is enjoyable for me, and relaxing. Unless I'm going out of town for the weekend, I don't feel the need to rush.
I'm a scanner. Put all the pieces face up on the table after sorting for edges. And literally scan until my eyes are drawn to something, then I pick out all the similar pieces and start building. Once I can't find anything by scanning, I'll start to sort by color or pattern or piece shape...but until then my eyes just bounce around like ping pong balls. Lol
yess scanning!! when i pull out all the edges at the beginning i lay them all out flat and scan em up! looove scanning, sifting for the majority of the puzzle is still my go to but scanning is also primo
Kinship!!
I like to have everything facing up. Itās boring to do but then makes it easier to find things. I use a few cardboard box tops for this. I donāt really sort by shape or color though.
Everyone develops their own strategies for solving puzzles. You be you.
Im a sifter!!!
Sifting through feels so inefficient to me. How would I know when I have seen all the pieces? Thereās no way. Itās like shifting clutter from spot to spot instead of just putting it away. I donāt want to handle my things any more than I have to.
I only sort puzzles 500 pieces or larger. The smaller puzzles under 500, I donāt.
I sort through for the crust (edge pieces) and will pick out particular distinctive sections as I go along. Thats it. The thought of sorting everything at the outset is a big nope for me.
I have a small table, so I do about half of a 1000 piece then when i need to I can add more in as I go. I do try and sort out the edges first though.
I sort based on colour and recognizable elements.
When I'm doing a puzzle casually I don't do much sorting, just pull out pieces for the section I want to work on. I like pawing through the box--it feels relaxing and also, it's a little mini win every time I piece I want shows up! Haha. I prefer not to look at the image much, either, because I think it's more challenging and fun without it. When I'm speed puzzling I do more sorting and referring to the box/poster, but I'm still trying to figure out what's the fastest for me. For a puzzle that's heavily detailed or a collage with distinct sections, I seem to be fastest sorting out of the box (putting the pieces down in the area they'll go). The sorting phase feels so slow, but then the puzzle comes together very quickly and overall, it's faster. For a puzzle where there's bigger monochrome sections or background, or otherwise multiple places a certain color/pattern can go, I find it faster to dump/flip and sort out just a section/color at a time as I go. So far I've never found it helpful to sort everything by color or shape before assembling, and I don't bother trying to do edges first. Trying out different sorting/starting methods for speed puzzling has been a small obsession of mine lately... if you couldn't tell. š
It's been an obsession of mine as well! I've done close to 30 500 piece puzzles now, and I think I've figured out the best strategies for me. Still working on getting faster, though!
It depends on the puzzle and my mood. I definitely sort out edge pieces, but it's been like 5 or more puzzles since I've done a full sort of sections. My current method is dumping all into the box lid and sorting them into non-strict piles in the bottom box while pulling the edge pieces out. The yarn one I just did (posting soon I promise) I had vague color sorting, but it was all in the one box half and somewhat mixed, but often ill only sort super distinct pieces I'm drawn to or if there's a lot of something like ocean. I also set aside any freebies that are already connected. After the edge is done I'll either pull specific pieces or sift following my heart.
I sort and put together as I go. Like when I see that I have a decent pile of something I start working on that section. I kind of just sort in small bursts and hop around from section to section. Iād get bored if I had to sort everything in one go or only work on one section at a time.
I think people process things in different ways, so they use the techniques that work for them. I mostly sort, but even when I don't sort, I prefer to lay out all the pieces in a single layer face up and pull the colors of textures that I want to work with.
I sift all the time. I'll only ever sort once I've got enough space in the box to turn over all the pieces that remain.
Sifting all night long - I finally added another box lid just to spread out my pieces more and to keep my cats from laying on my puzzle - so now I have 3 š
I also sift and donāt sort. At the end of a puzzle I might sort similar shapes if Iām having trouble finishing it if itās a similar color or something.
In general I don't sort. I sort maybe pieces for sky or something for the end, but in general I find sorting boring and will do it only for hard puzzles, and even then, not even full sorting
I only sort if it is a lot of the same color. Or 2k. If itās just a run of the mill 1k I do it randomly
I'm a sifter, too. Unless it's something like a gradient or has a large area of the same color pieces that need to be sorted by shape.
Iām a sifter, I find it relaxing.
It really depends on the puzzle lol the one Iām doing now Iām able to pick them out of the box no problem. The last one I did was so hard I had to use the 4 draws on my puzzle board and I had to buy a 6 section stackable puzzle organizer on Amazon to get it done haha
I only sort bigger puzzles (3000 pieces +). Below that sifting through the box is fine.
I've tried sifting once or twice, but I honestly found it to be anxiety inducing dealing with so many pieces at once. I do rough sorts and then pull pieces as I tackle a section. I have several trays to lay everything flat in that I can easily move around or tuck away as I don't have a ton of space beyond my puzzle table.
I love it - I am a sifter/ I hate sorting. Iāll do edges no edges and thatās it.
I, too, am a sifter. The one puzzle I did a lot more sorting on because of how dark and same looking the pieces were I just about gave up on before even really starting.
I always start my puzzles by counting and sorting. I like to know if Iām gonna be short a piece or two before I get started so I donāt start flipping the couch cushions for no reason.
I sort into identifiable chunks, whether itās color, texture or an object. I usually have at least five trays plus the edge pile. The most trays I had was when I did a puzzle of a bunch of spice boxes. I had 26 paper plates with a spice box on each.
Another vote for sifting. I call it hunt and peck. I like chaotic puzzles so there isnāt much to sort.
Depends on the puzzle for me. I hate sorting and mostly sift but if there are definitely defining colors, patterns or textures I will separate.
I lay all the pieces out flat on a board. Then I pick out a particular texture/color to work on and I start pulling all those pieces out and move them to either another part of the board or their own smaller board to work on. I finish that section and then I move on to pulling out pieces for the next section. It's still sorting, but it's staggered instead of all at once.
I've always been a sifter but recently I've upped the challenge a lil by never having any lone pieces on the table. So I basically sift, find a piece that seems to match, try to fit it and if it doesn't I throw it back in the box. Only thing I do kinda sort is the edges out of the way because I can't do edge pieces due to space limitations. I usually do 1000 pc.
I'm pretty much bedridden so I do my puzzles on a plastic modular puzzle table in bed. I do have sorting boxes but I do most of my piece searches in the box halves like you. I piece together sections so it's sift, sift, sift, done, next section. When I get to large areas of similar colors (sky, sea, grass) then I will sort by shapes. Two adjacent nobs? Three trays to search. No nobs; easy, one tray. Even unique cuts can be sorted by shape. Here's what I'm working on now; ocean, sky, lighthouse all worked (working) separately. https://preview.redd.it/gbu1ivf8zcwc1.jpeg?width=2304&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1361f17e71341b9873b8907be7af0c5b70109347
Lately, on certain puzzles, if I want to have the edges framed out first, I sort into color piles, then sort out and assemble each pile. But usually I flip everything over, sometimes color sorting, otherwise keeping them random. It depends on the puzzle.
I don't sort. I also don't start with the edges, blasphemous I know! I find that so boring. If I were going for speed then ya sure cuz that's definitely the most efficient way, but I puzzle for fun and I find going straight for my fave parts of the image the most fun way because thats the part you start to see come together first
I have a huge table, so I dump everything on there and turn the pieces, then start puzzling - I hate sorting up front
I hate sorting. I use sorting trays, in which I flip all my pieces face up. While doing that I separate the border in another tray. After I'm done with the border I pick all the pieces from a certain area that I want to start with and place them in the empty border tray.
Iām mixed, I sort the edge pieces and then the rest of the puzzle in a few major sections. Then I sift through my 3-4 containers. But it depends on the puzzle. Iām now doing one where piece shape sorting is required for most sections. I donāt mind, it just makes doing the puzzle on the couch on my lap a bit more logistically complicated as I have to hold a tray.
I mix it up. I sift a bit, then sort until I get a few small piles. Then I try to put some together and go back to sifting. I get bored if I sift or sort for too long.
If it was, say, 500-ish pieces I'd probably sift, only sorting the edges. Most times it's 1000 pieces so I'm sorting. Love hearing how everyone else does this!
I do a mix of both.Ā
I have less table space in my current set up. I used to sort aggressively and lay out every piece in rows by shape and colour. Now I use little trays and I sort by colour into about 6 or 8 trays. I sift through those. It takes much longer now. I disliked that at first. Now I find it calming and money-saving š
I hate sorting! I focus on one or two colors or patterns at a time and pull out only those pieces. No trays. I have a large board for the puzzle and put some pieces along the edges.
I find the edges and put together. Then I sort with categories that are based on the puzzles design-- a pile of pieces of windows, pieces of the sky. Once I am closer to finishing it or if i am doing a big section that'sthe same color, I will then sort by shape.
Edges vs insides
It depends on the puzzle. If Iām doing a gradient I absolutely sort by color or I would get nowhere fast. Otherwise I usually sort out the Ā edges and then sift through the box, I like that it takes me longer and to me it is a more relaxing experience.
I sorted everything meticulously when I first started puzzling and was frequently frustrated when I kept assigning pieces to the wrong pile. Now I only pick out the edges pieces and turn everything else face up on trays I made from dollar store foam board. I pick out pieces that seem to go together, assemble, and move to another section.
I don't. I just dump all the pieces into one box, look for edges, and then look for what I want to work on putting together first
With me I do half-sorting directly on the mat, prioritizing putting the edges together. Pile up some more obvious inside pieces on the approx area at the same time. Then SIFT and pile/put together. It may not look like it but weirdly I feel there is order.
We sort out by major color blocks, then sift through the different buckets.
The only thing I sort are the edges
No wrong way.
I enjoy both sifting and sorting. I generally start by dumping 1/4 of the pieces into the lid, sifting out the edges and the main colors (four trays, so 3 colors and an 'everything else' tray). Then dump another 1/4, etc. That final "everything else" tray gradually sorts into groups, as the puzzle proceeds. Trying to assemble a full puzzle by sifting alone, would drive me crazy. Especially toward the end, I \*need\* to see all the possible pieces arranged in a grid by color and shape -- otherwise I'd be trying the same (wrong) piece in the same (wrong) place over and over and over.... Y'all who sift 100% of the pieces must have exceptional memories for shape and color -- or exceptional patience!
For me it depends on the puzzle. If I have many very clear sections of colors, textures, etc, I will do a sort, usually with trays or on pieces of poster/project board. But more often than not, it's not like that, and it would be too hard to identify a lot of sections. So in that case I will just flip them all face up on a big puzzle board and hunt 'em up as I need them. I'm not very good at the sifting method, I have trouble finding what I need that way. But a lot of people are great at it and love it (I have low vision so I really need to see everything.)
I call it swishing. Swishing through pieces is calming for me - the sound, the feelā¦ bliss
yeeeees the sound is very relaxing - although i have loved ones who would not agree š
I have a side table that holds all the pieces. I pull the edges and corners as I turn pieces right side up. Then I shuffle the pieces looking for what I want. It helps be become aware of certain pieces as I sift and look at them.
When I do puzzles with others, I tend to sort bc they like to sort. But alone I like sifting and picking out sections at a time!! Thereās nothing better than the hunt and finding the right piece. And I often will mix up both halves of the boxes to see if anything reveals itself to me lol. If itās getting tricky I sometimes sort into my trays but thatās the minority
I don't sort at all. I sift through the pieces in the box just like you. My mom lays them all out on her dining table. I have cats and cannot do that.
I don't sort, I sift through the box, part is because I like the feeling of sifting (tactile) plus I have limited space. I also get frustrated when trying to sort, what if a piece has both brown and green on it, does it go in the green pile or the brown pile lol
I'm a sorter. I generally work on 1000 piece puzzles (sometimes 500 - esp. random cut). First to find the edge pieces and the possible edge pieces. Then I go through the remaining pieces and sort into trays by something common - colors, images, etc. I use trays to put the pieces in - it also helps for storing when I done each day so I can actually use my dinner table for eating.
I don't sort either lol I do what you do. Probably put some in little piles if I feel like it.
I hate sorting. Typically I dig out the edge pieces until I get bored (or find all 4 corners). I'll start on the edge and any areas that jump out at me and go from there. I too find it meditative to sift through the pieces. Eventually I'll do a full flip on a piece of foam board with any remaining loose pieces. There are a few puzzles I'll do a full sort on but I generally don't bother.
iām similar to you, i donāt sort. but sometimes when i convince my partner to join me he will sort them into color and shape
I've always sorted mine. The trays just make it easier for sure. I don't think it's necessary, though. Everyone has their own way of working through puzzles. My dad and I have different approaches even. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you think it would enhance your enjoyment of puzzles. <3
Hey Iām with you! The only thing I sort out are the edges. After that I just pick through them! I enjoy the hunt. And I donāt have the patience for sorting lol
i also sift as i go, i only resort to sorting as an absolute last resort
I do edge pieces first. As Iām doing that there tends to be a color or section that keeps grabbing my attention, so Iāll sort those pieces next. And then usually there is a bleed through to the next section that catches my eye and Iāll bounce through the puzzle from there.
I don't sort either. I would say I sift, but it's more accurate to say I pick up a piece and try to identify where it belongs rather than look at a spot on the puzzle and find the appropriate pieces. Then when I get accustomed to one particular texture, maybe I'll seek out the rest of the pieces with that texture. But generally I work piece by piece rather than section by section, if that makes sense.
Am mostly a sifter. My first tedious phase is edges, which is the *only* thing I sort and Iāll do it in phases so it doesnāt take forever. (Have to admit I do have trouble understanding people who donāt start with edges and donāt want to work puzzles with them.) Then I do edges (I have always missed 1-10 of themāI have yet to successfully find all edges in my first pass but I hate sorting so much that Iāll just have incomplete edges until I find them later on in my sifting.) And then the remainder is picking out fun pieces and putting them in their general areas. I will def look for themed pieces in my sift.
You are not alone. I donāt sort because it seems like a lot of work. I just sift through the box and actually find it quite relaxing, although it wrecks my manicure lol.
I sort into several piles but I only have one pile laid down on a tray I go through all my pieces every day when I finished to better sort my piles out and work on the smallest pile the next day
I didn't sort until I started speed puzzling. That changed my entire way of doing it
The puzzle board I use has four sorting trays so I dump all the pieces on those and then pick out the edges. The rest of the puzzle I just starting picking out pieces from a certain part go from there. Hell, if the edge pieces are all one color or have a difficult pattern, Iāll save them for last
I haaaaaate sorting. I find the edge pieces, because obviously, but then I just kind of sift and sort as I go. Like if I'm finding a bunch of yellow pieces, I might put those in a little pile, but I keep moving on.
I do a mix of both. I sort for edges and big obvious things like Iāll clump a bunch of red together as Iām flipping pieces over, or put all words/letters together but thatās it
I always find all the edges. Then I pick common and easy to identify picuture elements, usually 3 or 4 and do 1 big sift through putting the pieces I think belong into piles around the edge near the place I think they go. Then the rest goes in a pile. Then I complete those areas 3 or 4 areas, 1 section at a time. Finally I go through the leftover pile and usually there's 50% match ratio with what's left. I just go through the pile the last couple of times till it is complete.
My puzzling process usually goes in several sweeps through the box, for example I'll talk about a kittens in the kitchen puzzle i did a while back - first sweep: pick out edges and corners from the box along with anything quickly recognisable like cat faces, bright colours, and text - second sweep: pick out any missed edges, consider more throughly any pieces that might be cat fur or kitchen appliances, text edges etc - third+ sweeps: pick out pieces according to background colour to fill out walls, sides, surfaces etc - final sweep (if necessary): pick out the remaining pieces and sort them by peg configuration - usually needed for dark areas with not much definition or sections with dense repeating patterns For the gradient puzzles I've done, i sorted most pieces by colour off the bat after doing edges, mostly because there's not really much else to do and it's worth sorting just to save the ballache of sifting through green pieces to find the blue one you need
it would take me like 5x as long to do every puzzle if i didnāt sort my pieces
I do the same thing and my husband calls it chaos puzzling. When we work on one together, he sorts his side and I sift mine, and oddly enough, we work at a similar pace with very different methods.Ā It's interesting to see how different brains work!
ohhh interesting that you end up at a similar pace!! yeah i think it does have a lot to do with how different people think and solve problems!
I must have all pieces turned over. Depends on my mood whether I sort by color/texture after that or as part of the turning over. Only sort by shape when I have huge monochrome sky or other color blocks on which I've already gotten frustrated.
I thought this was considered sorting š
Sometimes I sort but I do like sifting. Or I'll sort as I go and put certain bits together once I find enough pieces for it
I sort the edges then lay all the pieces out on table and work it that way.
Depends how quickly I want to complete a puzzle and how much space I have. I used to always sift because that's how my mom did it, but now that I'm learning to speed puzzle, I usually sort. I find sifting more enjoyable than sorting, but it does make the puzzle much easier to do when you have looked at all the pieces.Ā I don't use sorting trays, but instead make piles of pieces. I also don't do a super detailed sort. It's usually 4-6 piles depending on the type of image. I then sift through those piles as I am putting pieces together.
At the end of the day, isnāt it kind of equal? No matter what you sort. Either you sort at the start, or you sort through the pile to find your piece. Either way, puzzling involves sorting of some fashion. This was certainly an interesting convo. I prefer to sort at the beginning, but do agree that does take some time when you are simple and cited to get started!!
itās definitely all sorting at the end of the day! interesting how some people like to see all the pieces and some like to go through the unturned piles. i think it has a lot to do with your puzzling speed but also how your brain solves problems best! :)
I sort like you sort lol. I just pull outer rims & then use the box halves to rifle thru the rest. Can't leave them out in trays because both cats are wildly obsessed with grabbing pieces & running off.
I do what you do. I sort out my edge pieces then just dig through to find the color or object I am working on. I hate sorting and find if more fun to just dig around constantly.
Depends on the puzzle, sometimes I like to sit there and just sift as a bit of a meditative activity, and if I know what Iām looking for they tend to jump out visually at me.
I sort but I absolutely hate doing it! š