Simple Puzzle Template

This weekend, I was looking at making a puzzle something like this one: (but with something other than cats):

So I drew out a template with different shapes on graph paper. My 9 and 6 year old kids saw me working on it, and asked if they could help. So we drew one with robots in it:

After drawing it, I thought: “This would be a great use of the Glowforge Camera function”. We could print out a puzzle template on paper, have the kids draw in fun things in the shapes, and have the GF cut the shapes and raster the designs on each piece.

With that in mind, I made a puzzle template we could print and use. The shapes are a little more elaborate, so that the puzzle pieces only fits in one configuration. It also allow for more imaginative drawings.

I know it’s a pretty simple design, but I thought I would share it.

puzzle1.pdf (2.1 KB)

I’m going to print one tonight, and make some more drawings with the kids. It was a lot of fun.

It’s very different from what I had in mind when I started. But I had way more fun making this than a bunch of cats (or whatever I was going to draw).

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Reminds me of Mayan stone carvings :slightly_smiling_face:

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Very cool idea. I can imagine the whole family enjoying this project.

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Love it!!! :smiley: Simple yet fun!

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Love love love it!! Simple designs are sometimes better than the overly complicated ones. Just the fact that you are getting the kids involved and having fun makes it all the much better.

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It would be cool to cut the designs out, then give each person an individual piece or three and have them draw the designs… then see what it look like when the puzzle is assembled.

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this is awesome!

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If you were to engrave little “connecting line” bits between pieces, it could be a really interesting variation on an Exquisite Corpse game.

hmm, now i’m wondering about a dry-erase version to be coupled with some sort of pictionary-type device to make a party game…

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Might be a fun idea for the people who plan to transport their forge to faire, or have small shop spaces. Design the blank puzzle, then have them sketch on the top. Then you can use the camera function and engrave their custom design in front of them.

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This is super cool! We had someone do something like this once with a trace and it was amazing, but it was their trademarked characters & they didn’t want to share, so it’s never seen the light of day.

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I really like that idea as well! I’ll have to see what I can do to integrate connecting lines between the puzzle pieces.

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My brother and I started trying to do a video Exquisite Corpse, but we both sort of faded away before getting very far. :expressionless: We each took a video of a certain length and a certain resolution, without knowing the subject matter of the others. We weren’t sure how to make the ‘rules’ up for a version like this, but I still think we should try it again someday.

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You could maybe do it “Mad Libs” style.

Assign one person the rule “you must finish with putting something in an oven” and another person “You must start with pulling something out of an oven”. Or be more overt and say “Finish your scene saying ‘…and now over to Bob, in Sports…’”

And other such shared natural transitional moments. This would be like doing Exquisite Corpse with tick marks on the connecting sides to ensure a seamless outline shape.

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Excellent suggestions. Thanks. If we ever get back to it and complete something, I will share it.

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Or a variation of pictionary where teams have one person draw a picture (movie, book, action, phrase, etc…) on the dry erase puzzle then they break them up and the rest of the team has to race (against other teams) to assemble the puzzle and then solve…

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Love it. These are the types of projects i really hope i can get my kids into once I get the GF. I really think they we love seeing their drawings come alive.
Thanks for sharing @polarbrainfreeze!

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Sweet! That’s pretty cool. And fun!
Thanks for sharing

That one hand drawn piece looks like a T3 virus.
LOL

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I had to look up what a T3 virus looks like. You are right, it does look like one.

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That is a GREAT idea! I’ve been trying to think of a cool Christmas gift/activity to give to family when we all get together this December. I might have everyone decorate a different piece as they see fit, and then give the entire collage as a gift… :slight_smile:

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