Jose Arias

Repurposed Puzzle

Puzzle sketch

Retrospective

One December day, I saw a kiosk with wooden puzzles. But one puzzle, in particular, caught my eye. After sketching the "CCO" puzzle, I was curious enough to make one using discarded wood. However, I did not know how to use the necessary machinery to do so.

Discarded wood

Wood on the saw bench before being cut

Fortunately, I found a workshop in Brooklyn where I was taught the basics of using a saw bench to cut the wood into the shapes I required. I also went to a store operated by the municipal government of New York City where I found the discarded wood I was looking for.

Wood on the saw bench after being cut

The process of making the puzzle was one of the greatest moments I have experienced. The respect you have for an idea and its trajectory from intangible concept to tangible reality is grounded in appreciation. In some way or form, it influences the way you think, feel, and do when approaching problem-solving opportunities or other ideas.

Finished puzzle (Left angle)

Finished puzzle (Right angle)

Pursuing the initial curiosity I had for making this puzzle was a challenge. Though it was a self-imposed challenge that helped me express my creativity. In the end, bringing the puzzle to life from thought to paper, to finished piece turned out to be a challenge worthwhile.