At Spaghetti Tree Games, we create puzzles for what we affectionately call the "casual puzzler." While some puzzle enthusiasts love a serious challenge—whether that's an all-white puzzle, a color gradient, 5,000 pieces, or even a clear puzzle—we believe puzzling doesn't always have to be difficult to be enjoyable. Sometimes, the perfect puzzle is one that's fun, approachable, and relaxing. That's the niche Spaghetti Tree was created to fill: beautifully illustrated puzzles that are engaging without being overwhelming, making them perfect for a cozy evening, a family gathering, or simply unwinding after a long day.
What is a casual puzzler?
The casual puzzler is someone who loves sleeping in on rainy Sundays, loves a mug of hot coffee, and loves puzzling with others—or enjoys a cozy night in with a puzzle and their latest Netflix obsession. They love putting on their chillest playlist and puzzling to their heart’s content. A casual puzzler loves the process and the feeling of accomplishment that puzzling brings. They aren't interested in breaking records — at least not all the time!
What makes Spaghetti Tree puzzles the perfect casual puzzles?
Grid-style puzzles
We designed our grid puzzles especially for puzzlers who don’t want to feel frustrated or overwhelmed by one large image. These are designed as a collage of similarly themed motifs, so in the end, it feels like several small puzzles combined into one! These puzzles are especially great for group puzzling. It’s easy to divide up the work, and they naturally encourage teamwork—everyone can do their part and contribute to completing the full puzzle.
“Collection” puzzles
These types of puzzles feature a collection of a certain subject (pumpkins, butterflies, snowflakes, etc.), with each individual element displaying a different pattern, color, and texture. Typically, a puzzle like this could be quite challenging and may appear that way at first glance. But look a little closer, and you'll notice plenty of differences that help distinguish one object from another. Is it still challenging? Of course. Will you become stumped, frustrated, and want to quit? Probably not! This design approach helps you keep making progress and enjoy the puzzle at a relaxed, comfortable pace.
Landscape puzzles
Our landscape puzzles are also great for the casual puzzler. Loni (our co-owner and artist) sneaks unique floral designs and patterned textures into our these puzzles so that you never have to get stuck (we’ve all been frustrated when ⅓ of the puzzle is left and it's all the same colored pieces of sky!)
Piece quality and random cut
Another element of our puzzles that makes them fun and unique is the random, irregular cut. There are no two pieces that are exactly the same–this makes it a lot easier to find the piece you are looking for—but watch out for false edges!
10 Casual Puzzle Pairings
One of the best things about casual puzzles is that they leave plenty of mental space for other relaxing activities. Here are some of our favorite casual puzzle pairings:
- Yuletide Gleam 500 piece holiday puzzle, charcuterie board, and a Hallmark movie
-
An audiobook and our Booked All Day 150 pc mini puzzle before bed
-
Let’s Go Camping 1,000 piece puzzle, chill music, and a cup of coffee on a rainy day
-
Our easy-to-sort 500 piece One More Chapter puzzle with the family on a Sunday afternoon
-
500 piece Butterfly Bouquet, chatting with friends, and a glass of wine
-
Christmas Cookies 500 piece puzzle at grandma’s house with some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
-
1000 piece Patchwork Pumpkins after family dinner, gathered around the kitchen table, with root beer floats
-
Farmers Market 1000 piece puzzle, in the park, on a picnic table, on a Saturday afternoon
-
Yellowstone 150 piece mini puzzle with a crisp Diet Coke and a true crime podcast
-
Mountains and Valleys 1000 pc puzzle, after a hike back at camp
We hope this inspires you to take some time to try out some of our casual puzzle designs! Let us know if you have any pairings to add to the list :)