May 2010 New Specialty Toys — Puzzles & Skill

Puzzlers can visit the Duck Pond, Noah's Ark, Llama's Castle and more at this Children's Zoo Wonderland. This 500-piece jigsaw puzzle can be a family activity. Adam Silver, CEO of New York Puzzle Company, told TDmonthly, "All of our jigsaw puzzles are made in the USA from extra-thick puzzle board to provide for better play and a better overall fit."

This reversible alphabet puzzle has English letters on one side and Spanish letters on the other side. Color-coded puzzles makes it easy for the child to complete the floor puzzle and learn the English/Spanish alphabet.

This colorful and informative puzzle is designed to help develop an early appreciation for geography. It icludes illustrations of all 50 U.S. states, 32 Mexican states and other North American countries, allowing kids to learn country and state names in both English and Spanish. The puzzle has 48 large, easy to grasp pieces and measures over 6' square when fully assembled. Durable, extra-thick pieces store easily in the reusable box. Ilango Sankaralingam, president of Smart Play, told TDmonthly, "All Ingenio products are bilingual. In addition, this map puzzle covers the entire North American region and has colorful illustrations of all countries in this region."

This high-quality 1000-piece 19" x 30" jigsaw puzzle features an upgraded puzzle board.

This 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle measures 20" x 27" and features a thick, upgraded puzzle board.

This special-shaped, 600-piece jigsaw puzzle features an upgraded board.

This is a great puzzle for the vintage muscle car fanatic. Puzzlers piece together the profile of 12 mid-century American automobile icons featured on the cover of the February 1957 edition of "Popular Mechanics." Adam Silver, CEO of New York Puzzle Company, told TDmonthly, "All of our puzzles are made in the USA from extra-thick puzzle board to ensure a better fit."

The Night Cafe by Vincent Van Gogh (1888) Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle has 499 whimsy and character pieces and measures 16.25" x 12.75". Liberty Puzzles Manager Jeff Elridge told TDmonthly, "Liberty Puzzles are classic wooden jigsaw puzzles, made with quarter inch maple plywood and the finest archival paper and inks. No two pieces in any puzzle are alike, and each puzzle features dozens of intricate, charming whimsy pieces."

The 508-piece View of Krumau by Egon Schiele (1916) wooden jigsaw puzzle measures 16" x 12.75". Jeff Elridge, Manager at Liberty Puzzles, told TDmonthly, "Liberty Puzzles are classic wooden jigsaw puzzles, made with quarter-inch maple plywood and the finest archival paper and inks. No two pieces in any puzzle are alike, and each puzzle features dozens of intricate, charming whimsy pieces."

Liberty Puzzles puzzle designs are modeled after some of the most intricate jigsaw puzzles ever made. The Berlin Street Scene by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1913) is a 496-piece 12.75" x 17.50" wooden jigsaw puzzle filled with charming whimsy and character pieces. Liberty Puzzles Manager Jeff Elridge told TDmonthly, "Liberty Puzzles are classic wooden jigsaw puzzles, made with quarter-inch maple plywood and the finest archival paper and inks."

From the Signature Collection, this premium, high quality, 1000pc glare-free puzzle features Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper".

Known worldwide for the elegant and often playful photographs of his Weimaraners, William Wegman's work has entertained audiences of all ages. Featuring beloved dogs Fay, Batty, Chundo, Crooky and Chip, these puzzles capture William's spirit, passion and wit.

The Great Outdoors puzzle series features peaceful artistic scenes of nature and our interactions with nature. This particular puzzle depicts a scene of a family of bears foraging for food at an unattended camp spot.

The Living Seas jigsaw puzzle series with vibrant colors and popular sea life combine in each aquatic image. Dive into the mysteries of the deep with the playful images of The Living Seas. Relax and explore the underwater world of dolphins, whales and tortoises in each of these vibrant scenes.

Buffalo Games' Shorelines 500pc jigsaw puzzles allows one to discover peace and serenity along the water's edge. Each masterful painting such as this Dawn's Early Light, was selected to provide the perfect escape and captures the spirit of our most impressive maritime landscapes.

Dennis Lewan 1000pc jigsaw puzzle American Holiday is inspired by the Old Masters. Lewan relies on his extensive collection of refernces, accumulated over some twenty years, to capture the nostalgic lifestyle of the 18th and 19th centuries.

This unique African Spots 700-piece specially-shaped jigsaw puzzle features an upgraded, thicker puzzle board.

The 658-piece Classic Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle of Castle Neuschwanstein is 15.75" by 20.75" in size. Jeff Elridge, manager at Liberty Puzzles, told TDmonthly, "No two pieces in any puzzle are alike, and each puzzle features dozens of intricate, charming whimsy pieces."

A 443-piece large wooden jigsaw of Vincent Van Gogh's "Blossoming Chestnut Branches" painting, this puzzle measures 16.25" x 12.75". Liberty Puzzles Manager Jeff Elridge told TDmonthly, "Our puzzle designs are modeled after some of the most intricate jigsaw puzzles ever made."

Reeves International's innovative brain bender features its most recognizable animal and symbol for conservation: the Panda. The package includes a 15-piece Panda themed beechwood 3D puzzle and playing instructions. The wood used in this toy is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, signifying compliance with the highest environmental standards. Launch date: 2010.

These hardwood maple and cherry chess pieces are made in Vermont. The pieces are blocks with a traditional characters engraved on two sides. All the pieces are 1" wide and 1" deep, varying in height depending on the strength of the character. The pawn stands at 1.25" tall and the Queen is 2.25" tall. Each set comes with a cloth pouch for piece storage when not in use. Barbara Rainville, marketing manager for Maple Landmark Woodcraft, told TDmonthly, "Each piece has a diagram to show how that character moves engraved on the bottom — for new players or those just a bit rusty." Launch date: March 13, 2010.

The Name Puzzle Stool can be personalized with child's name and has a back that flips down so child can use it as a step stool. Launch date: April 2010.

Telepathy is a game that combines strategy, logic and deduction. The game board consists of 18 squares by 18 squares which total 324. There are nine different colors and nine different symbols. Each row and column contains two of each color and two of each symbol. There are 81 different colored symbols and 4 of each colored symbols on the board. In this puzzle solving challenge of deduction, logic and intuition, players go head to head to see who can be the first to guess their opponent's secret square. Every action turn brings you closer to finding the hidden, ancient symbol.
Awards: 2009 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval; 2009 Parents' Choice Recommended Award Winner

Quadrilateral Pieces is a geometry puzzle. Kids of all ages can improve their spatial sense as they rotate, turn and flip the pieces to construct five different quadrilaterals. "Teachers and students will love it because students can use the puzzle to help them remember what they learn about different types of quadrilaterals," Mary Kay Bacallao, President, Learning by Design, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010.