I don’t know about you, but while I’m totally on board with the concept of mindfulness, I am absolutely rubbish at meditating.  Hopeless!

I sit down with all good intentions and, before I know it, I’m thinking about the Vinted parcel I’ve got to post, whether the chopped tomatoes in the cupboard are in date and when I’m next going to have time to fit in more meditating. Oh, the irony!

So, it was to my complete astonishment that I recently discovered that my solution to emptying the mind is a little more… retro.

Reader, I completed a jigsaw!

Honestly, if you haven’t tried it recently, do! And if you do, may I also alert you to the fact that jigsaws are in fact now cool!

See? It’s all thanks to Totnes dweller Simon Avery’s aptly named Happily Puzzles.  Bright, fun designs and available as mini’s (99 pieces) or whoppers (1000), once the last piece is placed, voila, you’re the owner of a new work of art – and all the happier for it too!  

Aren’t they ace? 

I came across these puzzles and, on digging a little deeper, realised there’s actually a deliberate intention to “make your brain smile”. 

When graphic designer Simon set out to launch his range, he made sure that each one is designed in a collage style which, apparently intensifies that happy hit you get when you fit the last piece. The high colour contrasts chosen give your left and right hemispheres a workout and there’s just enough shape recognition to promote alpha “meditation” brainwaves. 

So there’s actual science involved.

But, to the unsuspecting puzzler, they’re simply nice to own, showcasing the talents of award-winning illustrators and designers.

Gone are the days of bland, boring landscapes; there’s something to pique everyone’s interest in the mix, whether you’re into animals, taken by travel, or big on…beer.

And the icing on the cake? Their impact on the planet is minimal, since each puzzle is created from sustainably sourced paper, recycled board and vegetable-based ink.

So, which one are you coveting?

It’s Art Dogs all the way for me; I never could resist a bit of Andy Pawhol…

Happy puzzling!

Find Simon’s puzzles stocked in Oliver Bonas, or head online to snap one up directly.