Wentworth Wooden Puzzles facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Founded | Pinkney, Wiltshire, UK (1994) |
| Founder | Kevin Wentworth Preston |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Products | Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles |
The Wentworth Wooden Jigsaw Company makes cool jigsaw puzzles from wood. They are also known as Wentworth Wooden Puzzles. What makes them special are the unique, fun-shaped pieces that match the picture on the puzzle!
This British company started in 1994. Kevin Wentworth Preston founded it. Their main office is in a village called Pinkney. This village is near Malmesbury, Wiltshire, in a beautiful part of England known as the Cotswolds.
Contents
The Story of Wentworth Puzzles
The company began on a dairy farm. The farm needed new ways to make money because selling milk became too hard. So, some old farm buildings were turned into workshops. The farm became a place for many businesses, including the new puzzle company.
How Puzzles Are Made
Making jigsaw puzzles used to be tricky. People used a special saw called a bandsaw to cut thin wood. This needed a lot of skill and patience.
But Wentworth Puzzles found a modern way! They use Laser technology. Lasers are super-fast tools that can cut many materials. Kevin Wentworth Preston invented this laser-cutting method for puzzles in 1994.
This new technology helps Wentworth Puzzles make over 250,000 puzzles every year! They send these puzzles to more than 35 countries around the world.
The design team creates each puzzle's unique cut. Many of their designs include special "whimsy" shapes.
What Are Whimsy Pieces?
Whimsies are unique, fun-shaped pieces cut into puzzles. They were first made "on a whim" by hand cutters in the Victorian-era. This was a time when jigsaw puzzles became very popular.
Wentworth Puzzles keeps this old tradition alive. They are one of the few companies still making puzzles with these special Victorian-style pieces.
These laser-cut wooden puzzles have unique shapes that match the puzzle's picture. For example, a puzzle with animals might have animal-shaped pieces!
All Wentworth puzzles come in a cotton bag inside a sturdy box. They are cut from strong 3mm thick wood. This makes sure they last a very long time.
You can choose to get a picture of the puzzle on the box or not. If there's no picture, it's a fun challenge! You won't know what the puzzle looks like until you finish it.
Here are some cool facts about these puzzles:
- They are made from 3mm thick wood. This wood comes from forests that are managed in a way that helps the environment.
- They rarely have corner pieces or two pieces that look exactly the same.
- All standard puzzles have "whimsical" shapes that match the picture.
- They come in a cloth bag inside a strong box made from recycled materials.
Different Puzzle Styles
Classic Puzzles
All classic puzzles include the special whimsy pieces. You can find them in common sizes like 100, 250, 500, 1,000, and 1,500 pieces.
Custom Puzzles
Want a puzzle with your own picture? Wentworth Puzzles can do that! You can use your own photo or design. You can even add messages like 'Happy Birthday' or 'Happy Anniversary' to the picture.
Tricky Puzzles
The Tessellation puzzles are very challenging. Almost all the pieces in these puzzles are the same shape! Some pieces might look like animals, like deer. Others might be repetitive plant shapes, such as ivy or holly.
Puzzles for Kids
Wentworth makes puzzles for all ages and skill levels. They have special images for children. These puzzles usually have bigger, easier-to-handle pieces. The shapes and patterns are simpler too. In 2008, the company won an award for its children's puzzles.
Mini Mindful Puzzles
On May 6, 2021, Wentworth Puzzles launched a series of mini jigsaw puzzles. These were made to help people relax and feel calm. This was part of Mental Health Awareness Week. Money from these puzzles was given to Mind, a charity that helps people with mental health.
How COVID-19 Affected Puzzles
In March 2020, many people stayed home because of COVID-19. The Wentworth factory in Wiltshire saw a huge increase in orders. They got almost 400% more orders! It was hard for them to keep up with everyone wanting puzzles.
To thank people fighting the virus, the company made a special "say thank you with a rainbow" puzzle. By March 2021, they had raised almost £12,000. This money was given to a local charity helping with coronavirus efforts.
