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(Photo used by permission of bobbyjack... thank you, bobbyjack)
Kids of all ages like Cars...Kids of almost all ages like puzzles... So it's only natural that kids of all ages like Cars puzzles... I've enjoyed working puzzles ever since I was Bobby Jack's age...in fact, I hated to take them apart when I was done working them... I have at least 7 puzzles that I've worked still together - several are in frames and on display... others I sort of took apart - just enough to get them back in the box... I've watched and helped my grandchildren work on puzzles - they enjoy it... and I enjoy spending the time with them.
Many Cars theme puzzles have been released... that includes puzzles from Cars, Cars Toon titles, and Cars2... some are geared to children (ages 3 to 7)... some are geared towards adults - a couple I have say for ages 7 to 99 on the box... I'm not sure many 99 year old people work Cars puzzles, but since I don't know any 99 year old people I can't answer that...
In this article, we'll take a look at some Cars puzzles...
Cars
This is where my addiction to Cars started to become serious...
I saw this puzzle in both 300 and 500 piece versions and chose the 500 piece puzzle... I got up early in the morning and started working on it... other than a couple of quick pit stops, I didn't stop until I had finished...
I told my wife I wanted to put it up on the wall... she told me I had to put it in a frame... so I did...
Later she told me that any Cars posters or puzzles I wanted to put up on the walls had to be nicer quality frames that matched... I don't think she thought I'd spend the money for the nicer frames - I wait for 50% off sales at Hobby Lobby... I probably need to get a nicer frame for this puzzle one of these days...
My next Cars puzzle was a Photomosaic puzzle...
It was only 300 pieces, but it was a lot tougher as the individual pieces contain full pictures... I had to wear my reading glasses to see what I was working... and I was getting as frustrated with the assembly as I am with Mattel Cars distribution... Finally my wife offered to help with the construction if I'd go do something else... I did and she finished it in next to no time... I don't think I have a photo of the finished puzzle; if I find one I'll add it later.
Children's puzzles
My grandson Austin saw my Cars poster puzzle framed on the wall... he was 5 at the time and thought it was neat... he liked to work puzzles... one day while we were at the store he found a couple of Cars puzzles and asked me if I'd buy them for him... Of course Papa said yes... here are 2 of our favorites...
Tunerz:
Tractor Tipping, featuring Frank:
They were only 24 pieces but he could work them pretty quickly... at that age they need tasks they can finish fairly easily so they don't get frustrated.
I also sometimes find things in the store that include games and puzzles together... here's one that we have that still hasn't been opened.
Somewhere I have a few more kids puzzles.
Arrange-Ables
The Arrange-Ables are probably my favorite Cars puzzles... There were 2 puzzles - Radiator Springs and Piston Cup... each consists of 12 48 piece puzzles that you can assemble many different ways... I figured they would be pretty easy... but it turned out they were a little more complicated to work than I first thought... My wife pointed out that each of the 12 smaller puzzles had different designs on the back... we spent time sorting them into 12 different piles (using 12 different bowls to hold the pieces) and then worked them one at a time... as you can see in the pictures, there's red trim around each individual puzzle and there are only 3 different pieces for the edges (borders) - 1 corner, 1 with holes on the sides, and 1 with pegs on the sides... and there were lots of extra edge pieces which gave you a lot of ways to arrange the finished product.
Radiator Springs:
Individual puzzles:
Finished puzzle:
Here's the Piston Cup puzzle:
Today I have both of the Arrange-Ables puzzles joined together as 1 huge puzzle on top of a computer desk... I'll clear off the Cars that are on top of the puzzles and take pictures.
The Arrange-Able puzzles retailed for $9.99 each.
Other Cars puzzles
I also have a few other Cars puzzles... I bought a 24 piece 3D puzzle that came with 3D glasses:
I also had a friend in Virginia tell me about Cars globe puzzles; he sent me a set at cost:
Cars2: Collect and Connect
When Cars2 came out, Mattel came up with an idea to appeal to both kids and collectors... the Collect and Connect series... you would buy all 4 puzzles and assemble them together into 1 race track... Puzzles 1 and 2, Mater and Raoul Caroule, came out early when the Cars2 merchandise went on sale - there were 3 of each in the box... I've seen puzzles 1 and 2 at Toys R Us and Meijer - they were $7.99 to $9.99 each.... Puzzles 3 and 4, with Lightning McQueen and Francesco Bernoulli, came out in November 2011... the second shipment had 2 Francesco, 1 Lightning McQueen, and I believe 2 Mater and 1 Raoul... all 4 puzzles featured exclusive Cars - Mater had silver rims on his tires... Raoul had a silver stripe (instead of the white stripe)... McQueen had silver rims and flames and numbers... and Francesco had silver instead of white paint.
Here's Bobby Jack with the 4 puzzles - the Cars for puzzles 3 and 4 are in the box but there was a significant glue problem with the second shipment which included puzzles 3 and 4 - the Car dropped inside the box... For openers, that wasn't a huge problem, but for mint on card collectors it was... I've only seen the second wave a the Collect and Connect Puzzles at Target stores and they're now up to $8.99; Meijer and Toys R Us got too many cases of the first releases (a common theme in Cars2 distribution) and didn't buy the second wave... I've also only seen 1 Francesco and 1 Lightning McQueen that had not dropped into the box.
(Photo used by permission of bobbyjack... thank you, bobbyjack)
Here are close-ups of the unopened puzzles:
Mater (#1):
Raoul (#2):
Lightning McQueen (#3):
Francesco Bernoulli (#4):
Here's a great picture showing the 4 exclusive Cars and the 4 puzzles assembled as a race track:
(Photo used by permission of bobbyjack... thank you, bobbyjack)
There are other Cars2 puzzles as well... I've seen several that are called lenticular puzzles; almost all are 24 pieces and are geared for children ages 3 to 7.
In conclusion
As I said earlier, kids of all ages like Cars and like to work puzzles... Cars puzzles are the best of both worlds... Some of you may have other Cars puzzles that you've bought and worked... if you'd like to share your photos we'd like to use them... send me a PM with a link to a Photobucket album or you may send me an e-mail with the picture as an attachment...
Thanks again, bobbyjack, for allowing me to use your photos in this article... Thanks for reading.
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