| In today's world, stressed-out families are | | | | horse from a comedic ballad by William Cowper. |
| rediscovering ways to spend more affordable | | | | None of these were interlocking until nearly a |
| quality time together at home: A $1 Redbox | | | | decade later when power tools were invented. |
| movie and 1/2 cup of popcorn sauteed in a skillet | | | | Unlike the Springbok jigsaw puzzles of today that |
| with olive oil and rosemary. A game of "catch" in | | | | can actually be lifted and displayed once |
| the backyard, or an interactive video game on | | | | completed, back then even the slightest careless |
| the Wii. A board game, card game, craft, or, my | | | | move by the puzzler could ruin a whole days' |
| favorite, a jigsaw puzzle that the whole crew can | | | | effort. |
| peacefully settle around while listening to music or | | | | By 1908, upper class American adults demanded |
| even the pounding drops of a passing | | | | a new puzzle every Saturday morning for their |
| thunderstorm. | | | | weekend house parties. The meticulous sawing of |
| John Spilsbury, owner of a print shop in London, | | | | one piece at a time on these wood puzzles made |
| has been ascribed as the creator of the jigsaw | | | | these puzzles a very expensive pastime that |
| puzzle in the year 1767. In an effort to make | | | | could only be enjoyed by High Society. Once the |
| geography more fun, he glued a hand-painted | | | | Great Depression struck, however, unemployed |
| world map to wood, and then separated each | | | | architects, carpenters and skilled craftsman |
| country with a fine-toothed saw. Hence, students | | | | designed their own puzzles and sold them locally, |
| enjoyed their first jigsaw puzzle as they pieced | | | | making them more affordable. Jigsaw puzzles |
| each country and county back into its proper | | | | eventually settled into an everyman's peaceful and |
| place on the map (until the jigsaw was actually | | | | affordable escape from troubled times. |
| invented, however, this was called the "dissected | | | | How similar that sounds to why so many of us |
| puzzle.") | | | | enjoy our "puzzle time" today - it allows us a brief |
| This children's learning tool grew in popularity until | | | | respite, one quiet moment to piece together a |
| it expanded into a form of entertainment. The | | | | little jigsaw island of order in the sea of our crazy |
| earliest known light-hearted puzzle was a 1785 | | | | chaotic lives. |
| depiction of John Gilpin's wild ride on a runaway | | | | |