Liberty Puzzles facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Founded | Boulder, Colorado (2005) |
| Founder | Christopher Wirth, Jeffrey Eldridge |
| Headquarters | |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Products | Wooden jigsaw puzzles |
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Number of employees
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~130 (2024) |
Liberty Puzzles is an American company that makes wooden jigsaw puzzles. They are known for their classic style puzzles. The company is located in Boulder, Colorado.
Contents
History of Liberty Puzzles
How Liberty Puzzles Started
Liberty Puzzles began in 2005. Two friends, Christopher Wirth and Jeffrey Eldridge, started it. Christopher's family had some old wooden puzzles from the 1930s. These puzzles were cut by hand and were very valuable. They could even sell for over $1,000 each. Christopher wanted to make similar puzzles. He decided to use new cutting machines. His goal was to make beautiful wooden puzzles that cost around $100.
Growing the Puzzle Business
By 2011, Liberty Puzzles was one of the biggest wooden puzzle makers in America. In 2014, the company opened its own store. This store is on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. Many people buy their puzzles around the end of November. This is during the Black Friday shopping time.
Puzzles During the Pandemic
Liberty Puzzles became very popular in early 2020. This was when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Many people were staying home more. They looked for fun activities to do. Puzzles were a great choice. In March 2020, the company had 10,000 orders waiting. They even had to create a waiting list for people to buy puzzles. Sometimes, people waited up to 60 days. After the lockdowns ended, the company made more puzzles. They also made their factory bigger. Demand for puzzles slowed down later. But the Christmas shopping season in 2023 was very busy. They had many orders again.
How the Puzzles Are Made
The puzzles are made in Boulder, Colorado. They use special paper and inks. These are stuck onto strong maple plywood. The wood is about a quarter-inch thick. Computer-controlled laser cutters cut the puzzle pieces. In 2020, the company had 44 laser cutters. Each cutter could make one 500-piece puzzle every hour. By 2024, Liberty Puzzles had almost 130 employees.
Puzzle Designs
Unique Puzzle Pictures
The company offers more than 650 different puzzle pictures. Many of these pictures are fine art. Some are old prints or Asian art. The puzzle designs look like those popular in the early 1900s.
Special Whimsy Pieces
Liberty Puzzles include many "whimsy pieces." These are puzzle pieces shaped like real things. For example, some pieces might look like storks or swans. More than 20% of the pieces in some puzzles are whimsy pieces. Most Liberty Puzzles have a special eagle-shaped piece. This eagle is the company's signature whimsy piece.
