Blue Kazoo surprised me when the company first emerged over the summer. With COVID-19 swarming the world, many puzzle companies flooded the arena, and it became increasingly difficult to discern who was legitimate and who was trying to capitalize off the boredom of many a stay-at-home adult. I will admit, I was skeptical when I saw Blue Kazoo’s first collection of puzzles, even though their color series looks like candy to my eyes! I am SO GLAD I was wrong about this company! Abraham and Josh (the guys to blame for Blue Kazoo, as they say) gave me a chance to review their work, and I am thoroughly amazed by the careful attention they paid to every detail of their puzzle, from the construction of the pieces to the product’s packaging. Their latest creation, Starry Wave, is an impressive mash-up of Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night and The Great Wave by Hokusai, and as intimidating as the challenge is, Abraham and Josh created a puzzle that becomes more joyful to put together the farther into the puzzle I got into. By the time I finished the puzzle, I was shocked at how much I had accomplished given the level of apprehension I initially had going in. Blue Kazoo is by far THE NEXT FORCE to be reckoned with in the puzzle game. Should you decide to get your hands on one from this company, you will not be disappointed.
Packaging
The puzzle box is standard sized, comparable to what you may find from Buffalo Games. The puzzle box is wrapped in plastic initially, delivered in a box covered with wrapping to ensure the puzzle is not damaged during transport. The puzzle pieces came in a plastic bag. There was also an insert with a message from Blue Kazoo and a reference picture about half the size of the puzzle.
Pieces
Construction
These pieces are comparable to Ravensburger’s thick, multilayered pieces and sturdy.
Puzzle Dust
The puzzle dust was minimal. I didn’t have to use a colander to shake the dust away, and after completion, my lint roller didn’t pick up as much dust as I expected.
Appearance
These pieces were made with a semi-gloss finish, so shining them with a lamp did not create problems while assembling the puzzle. It was easy to determine which pieces went where without glare. The pieces are cut in a grid pattern, but each shape is uniquely cut so there are no false-fit issues, even in the similar color sections.
Image Quality
The image render was great! The details are as sharp as one would expect based on the painting itself, and you could tell where pieces are supposed to go, even in the similar color sections. The puzzle pops in the light when standing far away.
Assembly
I started putting the puzzle together with the frame first, followed by the moon/stars, the boats, the dark blue sky, the light blue sky, then the blue wave, and the white crests and peaks. The pieces are tight, so it was easy to assemble chunks of the puzzle at a time, then bring them to their destinations. This puzzle also passed the pick-it-up test! I even got my wife to pick the completed puzzle up, and she was surprised at how well it held together in her nervous hands! I was satisfied with the process and the solve.
Replay Value
Without question, I would put this puzzle together again! I would want to at least do it once more taking a different route to see if it would be easier to solve the wave first rather than the sky.
Satisfaction
Overall, this puzzle gets a PERFECT 10/10 from me. The artistic arrangement made approaching this puzzle methodical and fun. The pieces are sturdy, thick, and light, and easy to look upon even with bright lighting. The pieces lock together very well, making assembling and moving in parts easy. The details are crisp enough, and the pieces are unique enough to where each is supposed to go. Blue Kazoo exceeded my expectations, and I am looking forward to getting my hands on their entire collection someday!