Displaying Puzzles

If you have a collection or a particular puzzle that you like and that looks pleasing to the eye then you will naturally want to show it off so you will want to find somewhere to display it. Depending on the location you place the brain teaser will determine how readily available it is to play with which is a factor to think about when finding somewhere to put your puzzle and other factors include how secure it would be, how visible it is and how well stored away it is. There are numerous places you can display a brain teaser that each has its own benefits but also disadvantages as well so here are some places you could put your puzzles that will really show them off.

Before you look for where to display the puzzle you should take into consideration its characteristics of it by which I mean the size, the material, the weight, does it roll, the number of pieces it contains and how delicate it is as these will determine the place you are going to put it. You will also want the puzzle to stand out from the backdrop so it should be either a different colour or pattern from whatever the backdrop is, be it wallpaper or paint. The places mentioned below are all indoors as this is most likely where you will want to display your puzzles as they will much more likely be secure from thieves and protected away from the elements, especially rain that is particularly harmful to metallic and wooden brain teasers.

A shelf is going to be the most likely place you are going to want to display your puzzles and this has the advantage of there being a wide range of them in all sizes, colours and shapes and can be custom made to suit your specific needs and tastes. Another advantage is that you can put up a shelf yourself, that is if you have the expertise as using tools to build and put up a shelf that is secure can always be potentially dangerous and tricky to do otherwise find someone who does have the expertise, in most rooms in the house with it taking little time and not much expertise to do so whilst being relatively inexpensive of course depending on the material you use. A shelf will, however, have limited room and is usually high off the ground so there is a chance whatever is on it could be knocked off for example when cleaning and therefore damaged or scattered into many pieces like a 3D jigsaw would so it is best the shelf is out of the way so at least it can't be caught by a passerby. A shelf or in particular a bookshelf is going to be ideal for puzzle books and the only decision you have to make then is the type or design of the shelf itself that will really show off your books and keep them protected. The shelf will need to be able to support whatever items you put on it so the puzzle can't be too heavy that the shelf will collapse or start to come away from the wall over time. The material used for the shelf should be durable and strong enough that it will last a long time and won't break with the load placed on it and you should ask at the store you are buying the shelf from about this as they will be able to best advise you what the best choice is.

A cabinet will give your puzzle extra protection with this being one of the safest options for it that you will likely find in the home especially if it is behind a glass pain and this may be best suited for the more valuable ones that you deem particularly precious and you are essentially both storing the puzzle away and displaying it at the same time so it ticks a lot of boxes. A cabinet will only have a certain amount of room be it inside the cabinet or on top of it so that is worth keeping in mind if you are purchasing a cabinet specifically for displaying your puzzles. With some cabinets, you have the option to lock them with a key which will keep them more secure and is an advantage the cabinet has over say a shelf as with a shelf anybody could take it as it is not locked away. Dust is an annoying problem you can avoid if you put your puzzles inside a cabinet as a cabinet itself will be much easier to clean than several puzzles that can have many crevices and you will be cleaning the cabinet anyway so you can save yourself a job. Anything you put on top of the cabinet risks being knocked off and the taller the cabinet the bigger the fall would be and the more likely the puzzle would be to break.

A desk is another place you can display puzzles whilst having them immediately at your disposal for when you have nothing to do particularly if you are at work. The puzzle should be relatively small in size as your desk will be for other activities as well and should not be easy to knock over as people are likely to brush past or knock a desk so there is that risk it could fall off and break so the puzzle should be kept far away from the edge of the desk to try to avoid this. The kind of brain teaser you put on the desk will depend on where the desk is situated so if the desk is at work for example then there will be some brain teasers that are not appropriate for that environment or your boss may not want any distractions so a puzzle would be forbidden whereas at home you can put whatever brain teaser you want on your desk without fear of consequences. A puzzle has often dual purposes so could also act as a paperweight rather than just a brain teaser so would be ideal for a desk or maybe a puzzle that is a piece of stationery as well.

A windowsill is a good place to put a puzzle as you can show it off to people who pass by your house and there is usually plenty of space for one or more of your puzzles but can be in direct sunlight depending on the side of the house the window is on and whether is it a shaded area by trees for example and this sunlight could cause damage to the exterior of the puzzle so that is something to take into consideration. You will not want the brain teaser to be too big that it prevents light from entering the room which is one of the main purposes of there being a window so you will want the puzzle to be fairly small so you can see out of it. The window sill should be big enough to fit the puzzle on without much risk of it falling off and it being in the window will mean passersby could see it so if it is precious to you may not want potential thieves seeing it.

A mantelpiece which is the centrepiece of the living room would be a nice place to put a puzzle but usually for very small ones as mantelpieces tend not to have a lot of room on them and there is always the risk they could be knocked off. You will likely have other ornaments on the mantelpiece as well so the brain teaser will have to not look out of place with the other ornaments and fit with whatever the overall theme is. A problem that could arise is that this may lead to the mantelpiece becoming cluttered and being the opposite of what you want in that you would want to show off the puzzle not for it to be lost in the clutter. If it is on the mantelpiece then anyone can take it just like if it was on a shelf so it won't be entirely safe or could be knocked off as it is likely that lots of people are going to be around this part of the house so these points are worth bearing in mind.

There are brain teasers that can be hung up, which is a unique way of displaying one, if there is a hook on it or the puzzle is on a chain or rope then it could be hung on a peg on the wall or you can use your imagination and hang it from somewhere else that can support the weight of it. If the brain teaser is made from rope then you will have to watch out for wear and tear so that the rope doesn't beak over time and it could then fall to the ground and break if it is high up and depending on what the material the puzzle is made of. The puzzle or object hanging off the rope or chain should not be too weighty as for it to break the rope or chain or make whatever it is hanging off fall down or come loose. It should be hung somewhere out of the way or way above your head so that you will not walk into it in which you could knock it down or it could potentially hurt you if it is a sharp object or you could get entangled in it.

In conclusion, it will depend on the size and type of brain teaser and the number of them you want to be displayed as to which place is most suitable for them but there are many places and opportunities to display your puzzles around the house you just have to follow the pointers above and use your own imagination and follow your own taste.

It should be noted that wherever you display your puzzle what is most important is that it is somewhere it is unlikely to be broken so that means it is out the way of anybody who could knock it over and the puzzle has enough room to be securely placed on but you can never guarantee that it won't be broken so wherever you place it there will always be this risk. Also worth noting is that none of these places are 100% secure and if you don't want your puzzle to be stolen then you should seek expert advice on how to do this (see disclaimer).