Random Cut vs Ribbon Cut

Wackadoo! Quirky! Diabolic! Peculiar! Off the wall! Bizarre! Wacky... and the list goes on.

These are just a few of the adjectives that we have heard to describe Cobble Hill puzzle piece shapes. We like to think of our Random Cut puzzle pieces as pleasingly adventurous or fun(ky)!

So what are Random Cut puzzle pieces? These are puzzle piece shapes that do not look alike. Pieces can be short and wide, long and thin, curved, square, small or big. When assembled, they do not conform to standard grids, but rather create an abstract pattern. Random Cut puzzle pieces take you on an unpredictable adventure!

Random Cut pieces can curve and move in diagonal directions, there's no uniformity or pattern (Puzzle shown is More Ice Cream).

Over the years, we have found it interesting that there are two complete opposite schools of thought when it comes to Random Cut puzzles. Some puzzlers find our Random Cut puzzle pieces shapes to be more challenging, while others find that it makes puzzling simpler. Huh? We haven't scientifically figured out what makes one seek out Random Cut puzzles, while others are repulsed by them. We do have some theories that we'll test out in another blog!

Ribbon Cut puzzles create a consistently predictable pattern. Each piece has a uniform squared off shape and the pieces line up in a strip, creating an even grid pattern. These puzzles are quite common in the jigsaw world and popular with European brands like Ravensburger, Clementoni, and Heye. Traditional is a good adjective for these puzzles, and there is nothing wrong with traditions.

You can see the neat rows and columns that create a uniform grid.

Everyone has their own way of assembling puzzles. Some like to start with the frame. Others refused to look at the box or poster. And some prefer to sort every piece before connecting a single piece.

While the difference in puzzle piece shapes is clearly obvious - the reason why puzzlers gravitate towards one style more than the other is not very clear. We're thankful for everyone who enjoys our quirky pieces and we hope you have fun with the signature feature of our brand. Thank you!

Visit our Cobble Hill Thrill page to test if you know the difference now!