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Puzzle Detail Baffler Puzzles Chris Yates

About the Parleys

In the early 1990s relatively few craftspeople were cutting wooden jigsaw puzzles, and most were working in isolation. Rachel Page (Pagey) Elliott decided it was time to break down those barriers. She came up with the inspired idea of a "Puzzle Parley," a gathering together of jigsaw puzzle cutters to share ideas and experiences. She proposed this concept to Bob Armstrong and recruited him as organizer. Pagey and Bob, along with Debby Greeley (Pagey's sister) and Anne Williams, were the forces behind the first Parley in 1994. Below you will find documentation on the past Puzzle Parleys. You can use the side bar to navigate to specific Past Parleys.

Puzzle Detail image from Jardin Puzzles by Melinda Shebell
Puzzle Detail Jardin Puzzles Melinda Shebell

The 3rd Puzzle Parley - Worcester, MA 1997

10/26/1997

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Detail Pastime Puzzle photo courtesy Bob Armstrong
The third Puzzle Parley took place on Saturday October 25, 1997 at the Worcester (Mass.) Public Library, in conjunction with its month long exhibition of puzzles from Bob Armstrong's collection, plus some puzzles by contemporary cutters. The event attracted 34 puzzle cutters: 19 from New England, 10 from the NY-NJ-PA area, and 5 from the Midwest. Chuck Ross from North Dakota came the furthest, traveling entirely by train! Several enthusiastic new cutters joined us, including Dave Beffa-Negrini. Inspired by the 1996 Parley, he had started creating puzzles only ten months earlier.
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Bob Armstrong beginning the meeting
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Chuck Ross with Pagey Elliott and Richard and Nancy Ballhagen
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Cutters' Discussion
The meeting began at 10 a.m, chaired by Bob Armstrong and Pagey Elliott. After the initial introductions, the group engaged in a lively discussion of all aspects of wooden jigsaw puzzle production - materials, techniques, and marketing.

​Following lunch, attorney Roberta Fitzsimmons gave a presentation on copyright law as it applies to the images that puzzle makers use. Amy Scott wrapped up the meeting with a surprise presentation: a birthday gift to Anne Williams of one of Amy's hand painted wreath puzzles.
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At 4 p.m. we adjourned to the nearby home of Bob and Hildegard Armstrong for a social hour and a lovely buffet supper. Bob gave tours of his basement workshop and showed off other puzzles displayed around the house.
Early wooden featuring men with children on their shoulders. Photo courtesy Bob Armstrong.
Photo courtesy Bob Armstrong
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    Past Parleys

    All
    1994 - 1st Concord
    1996 - 2nd Lexington
    1997 - 3rd Worcester
    1999 - 4th NYC
    2000 - 5th Katonah
    2002 - 6th NYC
    2004 - 7th Concord
    2007 - 8th San Fran
    2008 - 9th Sturbridge
    2010 - 10th Salem
    2012 - 11th Salem
    2014 - 12th Salem
    2016 - 13th Salem
    2018 - 14th Rochester
    2021 - 15th Virtual
    2022 - 16th Sturbridge

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For general information or questions, please contact us at info@puzzleparley.org. 
Website managed by Janell Amely.​
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