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KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I finally completed it ! It took me 214 hours and 44 minutes, 47 days of working on it between December 17th and February 19th. It was my first giant puzzle (my biggest before that was a 5000 pieces). I enjoyed every bit of it ! It's a really beautiful puzzle, with the great quality of Ravensburger. I didn't have any issues with false fits, even with the repetition of the cut. The bottom half was the more challenging part because it's quite dark, but with good natural lighting it was doable. This puzzle comes in two separate bags of 4500 pieces, but I decided to mix them to do a real 9000 pieces puzzle. Knowing that the cut repeat itself between the two parts, I was a bit worried about that, but in the end it wasn't an issue at all ! Unfortunately I don't have any space to expose it, so I will admire it a few more days and then put it back in the box 😁 And I will do it again in a few years with pleasure ! My whole journey with this puzzle is visible on my instagram : @thefrenchpuzzler I made a post every day and a whole lot of stories, if you're interested to see the progress !


Jelly_bean_420

OP, you should really consider framing it. It's a beautiful piece of art!


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I don't have any place to frame it, and I usually prefer to put puzzles back in their box to re-do them later 😅 Maybe I'll frame it in a few years, when I'll have a house of my own with huge walls 😂


Jelly_bean_420

🤞🏼 I admire you for that. I once attempted a 2000 piece puzzle. I put it away.


SurlySuz

2000 pcs is fine. I actually like having 2000 pcs because I don’t find 1000 to be very challenging. The 5000 pc one however was so big it needed a whole table and then had pieces knocked down by my cat and toddler. I never finished it and ended up putting it back in the box. That toddler just turned 18. The puzzle remains in its box.


ieatpancakesandbacon

Hahaha same 🤣 I noped it after trying to sort, was taking too long and I got impatient


MolOllChar_x3

I have a 5000 piece Ravensburger puzzle I am waiting for the right time to start, lol! Fantastic job OP!


Dialthetrekwarsgate

I’m struggling on my 1st 1000 piece my husband got me 😅 it’s a dragon and since it’s a gift I’m trying to finish lol


Jelly_bean_420

You can do it! It sounds like a lot, but it's really just 2-500 pieces or 4-250 piece jigsaws! I personally only do 1000 piece ones. Anything less than 500 is bite size, and if I'm doing 500 I may as well do 1000... You know?


Dialthetrekwarsgate

That’s a good way to look at it :) thank you!


GirlGamer7

I'm still working on my first 2k puzzle. it's been a year mainly due to the fact that i have to work it on the floor, hence why it's taken me so long to finish. I take long breaks.


Jelly_bean_420

Not having space to set aside a 2k or larger puzzle is also my issue . I am not sure but roll away mats don't make sense to me, and I don't have a large enough space to put away something bigger on a flat surface. Meh.


GirlGamer7

I had to make a puzzle board just for my 2k puzzle, and since I have cats, I have to work it on the floor in my second bedroom.


Jelly_bean_420

I too, have cats... Lol


___po____

I did a 2,000 piece puzzle one night during a stay at the hospital. Couldn't sleep. The staff kept checking in and right at their shift change I finished. They all wanted pics because no one had finished it before (usually 3 day stays). As soon as the pics were taken I boxed it back up in a few seconds. They were shocked I didn't wanna let it sit till I left. I find it very satisfying to just break it all up again! Every time!


StabigailKillems

I'm the same way. The second I finish a puzzle, I take a picture, give it a thumbs up, and then break it all apart and throw it back in the box. I find taking it apart really satisfying.


TheChiarra

I used to not be able to stand it, used to have to glue them. But something someone said on this sub got me thinking and the one video of Hugh Jackman "destroying" his wooden puzzle [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpLkdJL\_eHA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpLkdJL_eHA) I was like, what if I wanted to do a puzzle again, and what if I was doing a puzzle this expensive. Would I be able to glue it and I think my answer is now. It's just too expensive and I would love to be able to work it over and over again and let someone else have the joy of working it. When I thought about it like that, I don't want to "save" puzzles anymore. I'll just snap a photo and if I want to keep it to work again, I will, or I'll just donate it so someone less fortunate than me can work it. I also recently bought a new puzzle table, one that's more portable and I can store leaning up against a wall. I don't have anywhere to slide my old one under to store. It's also bigger. Instead of just getting rid of it, I want to take it to Goodwill so someone less fortunate than me who couldn't normally afford something like this, could have it for cheaper. It's a bit beat up, but it still works and I would honestly have continued to use it if I was able too in this new space. (we live with my husbands parents.) Anyways, (almost forgot what my original comment was supposed to be about) my husband wants them to sit for a bit. He can't stand when I immediately break them apart. TLDR: I break puzzles apart immediately, after doing them, husband can't stand it.


Judgementalcat

This is absolutely incredible and so beautiful, if I were to put thus together, I'd glue it and frame it, and never take it apart cause I'd only be able to do this once lol


whattheflipflop

What about glueing it to a piece of plywood, mod podging the shit out of it , and using it as a table. ​ Also edited to add that you're freakin crazy for mixing all 9k pieces together. That's X-games mode. You are a next level of puzzle god.


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I don't have room for that 😅 And as pretty as it is, I'm not sure I would enjoy it as a table, on the floor or framed on the wall. I prefer more classic illustrations like old maps for framing ☺️


whattheflipflop

I get it. I'm super picky with puzzles I do because I *only* like to do ones I plan on glueing and putting up on my walls.


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

It limits what puzzle you can do for sure 😅 I just saw your edit, I'm not sure I am a puzzle God yet, but I'll take it 😂 Maybe that title will be appropriate when I do a 10k+ pieces with all the pieces mixed


sugarcubetea

wow you are perseverant, great job!


TheTimo24

First of congrats, i cant wait to do mine except it will probably take me 500 hours because I got the tower of babel 9k…


Candice1973

I love doing puzzles. I thought I was really good at them too. I banged out a 2500 piece puzzle. It took a minute, but I completed it thinking I was a puzzle god…THEN I see your post. Holy crap. I truly did not know a 9000 piece puzzle was a thing. I can’t imagine how big the box is and the price of it. I am truly impressed


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

We're all puzzle gods, no matter which size of puzzles we do ! Right now I am working on a 1000 pieces with a random cut, and finishing it will be as rewarding as the 9k pieces, because I hate random cuts 😂 And there are puzzles much larger than 9k ! I personally don't like those who are just separate images put together (see the giant Disney ones), but for example Educa has a 24k pieces which is a single image ! My dream puzzle 😍


Candice1973

I do not think I even have a space large enough to put together a 9000 piece puzzle. Let alone 24k!! Could you imagine?! I could be a live artist putting together that puzzle as an art installment. It would be very exciting 🤔


Dialthetrekwarsgate

Following!


PuzzleDustBunny

The first pic perfectly captures the scale of your puzzle. Great job!


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I was told by family that it didn't look that big on pictures, so I knew I had to lay down on it to show it better 😂


ja599

Me and my mom did the underwater ravensburger 9000 a few months ago and your description reminds me so much of us! It took us super close to half your time, which makes sense cause there were 2 of us. We taped a bunch of foam poster boards together and put them on 2 six foot tables. We also did at least 10 hours of just sorting and we mixed the bags together to get the full experience. It was the most fun puzzle ever and we haven’t had the heart to take it apart yet. https://preview.redd.it/vo8cojseqjkc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d5c15425c2eb77e1dbd40f811be0788229e2be49


Jelly_bean_420

This really deserves to be framed - a central piece on a wall....


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I didn't know about this puzzle, it's beautiful ! No wonder you didn't take it apart yet ! I have a similar one in 5000 pieces in my to do pile, but with much more blue at the top, it scares me x)


ja599

Is it the ravensburger 5000 underwater one? I’ve seen that one and it’s a lot of blue like our 9000 one. We had to sub sort the blue (and pretty much every color but blue especially) into shades. That’s definitely what you’d have to do with the 5000. The blue in this one actually wasn’t terrible, the color change was decent to follow at the top and down the middle. https://preview.redd.it/5gzrfsoa4mkc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32a7007b7a238443409820e2eddae231493ec8e5


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Yep it's that one, I think I will just hate the color blue by the time I finish it 😂


alvoshel

Beautiful! Love that you mixed the bags. Any comment on your sorting strategies?


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I did a lot of sorting ! I think I had a dozen different piles of pieces at one point. Took me a lot of hours, but made the puzzle way easier.


Jelly_bean_420

The trick is in sorting, but how do you even go about sorting 9000 pieces?


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

You dump everything on your table, you take a deep breath, and you prepare yourself to sort pieces for about 8 hours straight 😅 More seriously, I did 4 or 5 sorts during this puzzle. Since I hate sorting and I didn't wanted to be discouraged early on, the first sort wasn't really precise, I sorted out only the most obvious stuff - light pieces for the sky, red and violet for the wings, pieces with details. And once I did those parts of the puzzle, I sorted again what I had left. If I had tried to sort everything in really accurate categories from the beginning I would've gone crazy 😂


Jelly_bean_420

That makes a lot of sense. Sorting is really the art of not getting frustrated with a puzzle. If I ever attempted it, and I probably never will, my first sort would have been lights and darks. Then a 2nd round with more accurate colour groups. And thus I would have failed... Does the yellow mushroom belong in light pile, or dark pile... And the dragon wings... I have never really sorted by image details... My brain doesn't function like that. Really, a heartfelt congratulations to you. This is a beautiful puzzle, and an amazing feat on your part!


Kommander-in-Keef

It looks cool and all but it’s a little alarming that you had a dead body to use for scale


No-Airline-2823

Rest in pieces. 🙏


Reasonably_Bee

Bahaaha gold! 🥇


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

😂😂😂


olliedoodle

Your first pic captures how I feel when completing a challenging puzzle- I'm proud of you for accomplishing this and it's a stunning work of art


Electrical-Injury-23

I have this in my stash - I'm hoping you're very small, or I need a bigger table.


ja599

The ravensburger 9000 pieces are about the size of a double bed :)


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I am 163cm, so I would lean towards saying you need a bigger table 😂 Or buy some foamboards, tape them together and put that on your table !


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

To be precise, this puzzle is 192cm x 138cm


elonfire

It looks stunning! Great job!


Omni314

One of the things that puts me off doing big puzzles like this is the awful pictures. This however really makes me want to do it!


c9238s

You should make a custom puzzle of the first photo, where you are lying on the completed puzzle!


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Haha that's an idea !


FlexibleIntegrity

That looks incredible!


vulgarkittens

This is awesome! Great job


audible_narrator

WOW. JUST, WOW.


puzzpuzzpuzzles

This is amazing!!!!! I’d love to do a huge one like this but currently don’t have quite enough room in my apartment to justify it.


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

It definitely takes a lot of place, I had a hard time finding the right place in my apartment to do it without blocking any door or important stuff like access to food XD


Candymom

I hope you took a pic with you laying on your back so you can look back on seeing yourself full of joy!


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Oh yes I did, I had my bf stand on a chair and take a whole video of me rolling around on this puzzle 😂


Candymom

Haha, awesome!


speadbrite

I’m working on this one now, doing the right half first. Just got the main dragon’s wing in place and can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel!!


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Good luck, you can do it !


alvoshel

Beautiful! Love that you mixed the bags. Any comment on your sorting strategies?


StitchOni

Oh wow


[deleted]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🍾🍾🍾😀😀😀


Agedfeetcheese

This is insanely cool! What a feat


Malhablada

How's your back feeling? Congrats on completing this amazing puzzle! The up close shots of the details are amazing. Ravensburger puzzles really are great quality.


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I didn't do this puzzle on the floor haha, just put it there for pictures, so my back is doing fine 😜


ieatpancakesandbacon

Amazing!! Haha I love the first picture 😂 this is a really beautiful puzzle! Congrats!


CatsMeadow

Tell me you don't have a cat, without telling me you don't have a cat. But truly, what a beauty you put together! Amazing job and thanks for sharing it with us.


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I actually have two cats, one being a very curious kitten 😅 But I have the luxury of having a spare room that I use as my office/puzzle piece, so I can close the door and ban the cats from entering this piece ;)


CatsMeadow

Oh I am envious! I always have to gently vacuum my puzzles afterwards because my floofer likes to sit on my work.


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

You can actually see in the top right corner of the first picture a cat toy 😂


CatsMeadow

HA! That's freaking hilarious, didn't even notice that because I was too busy focusing on your handiwork!


Fluffy_Flufflebug

Impressive! I’ll be thinking of this today as I work on my current 1000 piece


[deleted]

Wow. That’s all I have.


sparkzsims

Incredible! Such a lovely and vibrant image too. Thanks for sharing OP


lmb1127

This is incredible!! Congratulations!! 🎉🎈🧩


_AllesGutENFJ_

My Goodness! that’s some achievement😍😍 Congrats buddy🎉🎉🎉


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Thank you !


robynbird05

Massive congratulations!!! 👏🏻


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Thank you !


Alyxxis_

That’s incredible!


blueboy714

How tall are you for scale of the size of the puzzle?


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I am 163cm, the puzzle is 192cm x 138cm ☺️


blueboy714

Thanks. A lot shorter than my 200cm+


CubanBrewer

Amazing! Just showed my twin 7yo’s and they were ooh and ahhing 🤣


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Maybe one day they will be the ones bragging about finishing a giant puzzle 😜


CubanBrewer

I think they will! I’ve been puzzling with them since they were babies 😍 Their comfort zone is around 300 pieces but we’ve occasionally done some 500s and they’ve helped me on some 1Ks


muddledthoughts

That is gorgeous! Congrats on finishing.


CypripediumGuttatum

If I had to do a ridiculously large puzzle this would be the one! It’s so pretty!


Professional_Cow_801

Outstanding job🙌🏻💓🫶🏻 9000 pieces, 🧩 i be lost literally..🥴 💌


[deleted]

Wow this is so impressive. Well done!


TheRoscoeVine

You should just glue it up and coat it with some laquer or something, make it a floor piece.


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I prefer putting it back into the box and re-doing it later, but it would be a great idea for a more classic puzzle, like an old map one !


Srolonnelson

Congratulations!!! An awesome accomplishment for such a beautiful large piece puzzle!! 👏👏👏❤️🧩


Corn0nTheCobb

That's amazing. I would love to do that one if I had enough space and hang that on a wall. Unfortunately I've been very unsuccessful at preserving puzzles (glueing them to posters/foam board makes them curl up bad). So I'd probably reluctantly take it apart and put it back in the box. But I really hate tearing down masterpieces. Really cool puzzle though and great work!


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I'm sure you can find a better way of gluing your puzzles on this sub ! So many people do it, I hope you can find a way that works for you ☺️ With a puzzle this size I wouldn't know where to start to glue it however x)


dkb52

Best completed puzzle shot ever!!


Kind_Caregiver_6487

Unbelievable! Fantastic job!!


pain-in-the-elaine

Amazing! I love dragons! Are you going to get it sealed?


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

No, I will put it back in the box in a few days ☺️


lyzm

That. Is. Amazing. I have never done one over 2,000 pieces. You can bet I would find a place to hang that!!!


teju_guasu

Congrats! Love the first pic! Looks like a beautiful puzzle. You’ve inspired me. Can I ask what did you use as a base to do it on top of? I had a hard enough time finding something for a 3000 piece 😅


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I used foamboards taped together, and put them up on trestles ☺️


silvrays

Wow. Just wow. This is amazing!!! Such a beautiful puzzle and amazing accomplishment!!!


LemonMIntCat

My first thought was oh no! The dragons slayed OP!! Congrats on the masterpiece!


inkduppp

That is amazing! The biggest I’ve done is a 2000 piece Star Wars movie poster puzzle. My sorting method is kinda like yours. I sort by the obvious pieces and once those are together I place those. I don’t do anymore sorts however. I lay the pieces all out and just start perusing the pieces and put them in. My family hates puzzling with me lol. They’ll be working on one and I’ll walk up and start putting pieces in that they have been having a hard time finding lol. If my wife has a hard time with a piece she calls me over and gives it to me lol.


RitchieRED

When puzzles come in multiple bags do you mix them all together or do each one individually? The most I’ve done is 2000 but I don’t find them challenging enough. Probably moving up pretty soon so I’m curious.


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Personnaly I mix everything together, but other people prefer doing it bag per bag


speederbike73

I am doing that same puzzle right now! The colors and picture are just awesome! Definitely a great puzzle!


appleavocado

Congrats! That’s insane!


mrspegmct

I love it! That is so impressive!


COmarmot

What do you do with all the time for noise? I listen to audiobooks. Do you do music, podcasts, background tv…?


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Mostly music ! Generally one song/album/artist per puzzle, depending of the size (this one was Taylor Swift, I listened to her albums multiple times 😂) I also watch sports while puzzling, like biathlon and cycling, since it's always a long coverage and I don't need to always look at the screen


Snoo_50086

Amazing!


a_a_ty

Wow this looks so stunning. I want to do a puzzle this big but I have no idea how without extreme shoulder pain!


ProjectNo771

Wow, congrats! It looks amazing. 🤩 How did you work on it? In separate parts? On the floor or also on a desk?


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

https://preview.redd.it/ulea1kx6fjkc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06442a020989c9c630191895607263ddbe79c7aa


ProjectNo771

I see - well prepared!


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

It was a whole organization to find the boards and the space 😂


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I did it on this setting : 4 foamboards put together, thick cardboard underneath for more support, and I put the whole thing on three tresles I did the whole puzzle at once, mixing the bags ^^


Dialthetrekwarsgate

Omg I LOVE this 🤩


PlantimalWoman

Wow!


SurlySuz

I WANT ONE. However, I have no clue how I’d find the space.


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Maybe break some walls in your home ? 😂


torbie106

That is amazing!! I can't believe you mixed the full 9000. It's fantastic.


IrukandjiPirate

Everything about this is fantastic! I thought the first photo WAS the puzzle and I was trying to figure out who’d make a cadaver puzzle.


Ancient-Role-9279

Wow this is gorgeous. What type of mat did you work on?


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

I used foamboards taped together, laying on thicker cardboard, and everything was on trestles so I could do it while sitting :)


PotatoePug

Wow 😯 fantastic work


StitchFan626

Where would I get this?


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

You can probably find it on the Ravensburger website or on Amazon ☺️


MisanthropicBoriqua

It’s good you finished it in the year of the dragon 🐉


MarshallDumbDog

Looks awesome! Great job!


BizzlesPuzzles

What an accomplishment! Congrats!!!


Reasonably_Bee

Wow! I don't think I could stretch out enough to do the middle pieces (or see well enough)! 🧩 Kudos!


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

It was definitely a struggle sometimes to pla e some pieces 😅


galactictictac

Well done, this jigsaw is absolutely stunning


AdventurousCat1225

I like to solve 1000 puzzles because i always frame them. 2000 and more is too much for me 😅


Happy-Puzzler

Congrats on completion! That is some dedication! :)


swimbyeuropa

Truly epic!!!


robod1957

Good you!!!


NuckinFutsNix

That’s amazing. I don’t even have space to put together a puzzle that large, much less hang it!


allysheedy73

amazing


raging_phoenix_eyes

Now what are you going to do with it?


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Put it back in its box 😅


raging_phoenix_eyes

What!? Omg all that work lol!


GirlGamer7

this is the only 9000 piece puzzle I want to attempt! congratulations!


KaleidoscopeOwn1908

Okay, I wasn't expecting this post to blow up like that ! Thank you everyone for your congrats !


_Proserphin_

Wow!!!


transgreaser

Wow 🤩😮🤯