After deciding that she has a bad shopping habit, a friend of mine challenged herself to not purchase any new items in 2026. Now she is only shopping yard sales and charity stores. She is focusing more on offline hobbies so it sort of fits.
This brings us to the puzzle. She got a super 80s looking 1000 piece puzzle with a pictures of two white tigers on it at a charity store. After working on it off and on for a few weeks she discovered that it is missing 3 pieces.
She found an old frame for it and hung it up anyway. She says it is complete because that’s how it came to her. Is it really complete or is it simply an incomplete puzzle on the wall? Or both somehow?
Edit: Just to be clear, we are not having an argument about this. We both found the topic interesting to discuss and couldn’t really decide on any single answer.
All very interesting thoughts, I went through basically that whole conflict myself the first time I decided to not finish a puzzle.
Here’s how I look at it: a puzzle is fundamentally a challenge to see if you can solve it. (Maybe people will disagree with me on that, but in my mind, that’s what it is.) So as soon as I have finished enough of it that I can say “Yep, I’ve solved it. Only trivial moves are left. Even a baby could finish this puzzle.” it no longer is a puzzle to me. I’ve proven that I can do it, and that is the satisfying part to me.
If someone else has a different goal for puzzles (eg. they want to view the unblemished art) then maybe that line of thinking doesn’t really follow. As with all games, you can decide how to play - do whatever brings you the most satisfaction.
That actually brings me to another point. There is immense social pressure in games to play the games the “right” way. However, there is no wrong way to enjoy your recreation time (as long as you are not harming someone of course). Rule books are a suggestion, not a fact of life. Heck, there are more house rules in Monopoly than there are real rules.
Anyway, sorry about the rant, your line of thought was very interesting to me, thank you for sharing!
Thank you sincerely for the comment you posted initially! Not much these days causes the gears in my brain to stutter and seize and then restart the way the words you posted did. It’s also fairly rare that my brain holds shape long enough for me to get to chase down a thought the way I did. It was a real treat.
And please don’t apologize for the rant! Seeing your understanding and musings about this is fascinating too. You are appreciated all around.
Be well, internet stranger! Until never, maybe. :) May your life bring you satisfaction.