Publisher: Jumbo / Falcon (Germany), published 2015

Title: “Sunday Lunch” by Steve Read, 1000 pieces

Finished size: 26.8″ x 19.3″

OUR RATING: 9/10



THANKSGIVING PUZZLE WEEK:

This week I’ll be reviewing two Thanksgiving-themed puzzles that I love. On the weekend I’ll be doing a new puzzle round-up since most “Thanksgiving” themed puzzles were part of our Top Ten Fall Puzzle list.

View Thanksgiving puzzles in stock at Puzzle Warehouse

“SUNDAY LUNCH” by Steve Read REVIEW

Box Quality: (8/10)

Falcon, which is owned by Jumbo, has very sturdy rectangular boxes with a green background. The name of the puzzle and artist are featured on the front (see above).

Sides:

All four sides of the box have the Falcon logo, part of the image, the artist name, puzzle name, and the piece count. This is ideal for shelving long or short side out. Year of manufacture is also listed.

Back:

The back of the box is a generic Falcon puzzle brand back. It does show some other puzzles in the catalgue, and it’s certainly nicer than a plain white back, but I would have liked a little blurb at least on the artist.

Inside:

There is nothing inside the box except for the bag of puzzle pieces. The bag of pieces was in excellent condition with no damage to the pieces, fully seperated pieces, and a small amount of puzzle dust.

I’ve given the box an 8 score. I like how promient the artist name is and the sturdiness and sides of the box, but it does’t score as highly as boxes that include extras or an artist bio.

The Image: 10/10

I love this image for a few reasons. First, I like Steve Read’s puzzles because his artwork is really well-executed and realistic, not overly sketchy or “digitial mish mash” in tone. His work has a lot of detail but a soft, cohesive feel, like an oil canvas. Secondly, I love the subject matter. I haven’t seen another puzzle with this sort of family dinner theme. It’s perfect for the holidays. And it feels contemporary as well. Most domestic scenes on the market are nostalgia scenes. And finally, the composition is also fresh, with the large characters and close-up view of the dinning table. It’s a much closer view than landscapes and cartoon puzzles, for example.

As for its “puzzle suitability”, there’s plenty of color and pattern here and it’s well thought-out in terms of how it will be assembled. I’ve give a full 10 score to this image!

(Click on any of the images in this review for a closer look.)

Puzzle Quality: (9/10)

Falcon puzzles are made by the Dutch manufacturer Jumbo, and the quality is very similar to other Jumbo puzzles like Wasgij and Jan Van Haasteren. Jumbo ranks very highly in our brand comparison. You can see our full brand comparison on Jumbo here.

I really enjoy the feel of a Jumbo (or Falcon) puzzle. Like Gibsons, there’s a unique tactile quality to the pieces. They feel very thick and sturdy and have a soft coating. The fit is really lovely–very secure with a solid rightness when two pieces connect. They brag about their “seamless finish” (which means the puzzle cut sort of ‘vanishes’ into the picturre). That’s true, as you can see in the close-up below. I also like the matte finish.

Like most European puzzles, this is a grid or ribbon cut puzzle, but there’s a nice variety of piece shapes. Unlike Gibsons, there’s no confusion about whether a piece fits or not. If you click on the close-up below you can see the linen-esque matte finish on the pieces.

Overall, I’m giving this puzzle a 9 score for quality. It was a pleasure to assemble based on quality alone, but I happen to love the image too.

Assembly: (9/10)

This is an easy puzzle. It took me just two evening to complete, which is low for a 1000 piece puzzle.

DAY ONE:

I assembled the border first. I began working on the reds, which make up the chairs in the foreground and the grandmother’s top. I also did the two window views with the green folliage. The white vertical and horizontal panes on the windows made these pieces easy to recognize and assemble. The boy’s blue plaid shirt is also an easy pattern to find in the sorting trays.

DAY TWO:

In my second session I completed the puzzle. This puzzle is so easy and fun to work. There are many dististinctive colors and patterns — like the skin tones, clothes each character wears…

…. and the orange curtains.

The food on table was my favorite section to piece together. The orange juice and plate pattern repeat all over the table, so that was a nice little challenge. But the food objects are all unique in color and texture and easy to do. Yum! The table is “full” enough that there are very few white tablecloth pieces with nothing else on them.

The background walls, too have a color not sue used anywhere else in the composition, and the big spaces are broken up by curtains, windows, or paintings.

I liked the fact that I only glanced at the box a few times during this puzzle. Most it can be assembled based solely on color and pattern. The man’s blue shirt, for example, and all the faces.

Sometimes it’s nice to just relax and work a puzzle that is quick and light. I always want to put in ‘just one more piece’. It’s addictive!

I’ve given this puzzle a high 9 score for assembly.

Summary:

“Sunday Lunch” is a wonderful puzzle for the holidays. The subject is unusual in puzzles, with a contemporary family around a holiday table. It’s a breeze to assemble thanks to each character’s unique face, hair, and clothing, the orange curtains, the windows, and the loaded dining table. This is a puzzle you can work without constantly referring to the box lid. I found it particularly fun to piece together the “feast” on the table. The Falcon quality is excellent. It’s a grid-cut puzzle with thick, sturdy pieces, a soft matte finish, a solid ‘click into place’ fit, and a seamless finish. Highly recommended!

Where to find:

This puzzle is 15% off for the next three days (til Nov 5 2016) at Puzzle Warehouse. Click on the logo below.

JJ