Meet the Artist
My name is Geoff Cota and my passion for jigsaw puzzle design began back in 2011 when I started working at Stave Puzzles. Since then, I’ve built on the skills and techniques I learned in the hand-cut jigsaw puzzle world to create truly unique, laser-cut designs. My goal is to explore the endless possibilities of innovative jigsaw puzzle design and push the boundaries of what a puzzle can be.
Fathom Puzzles is a family-owned and operated business based in Barnard, Vermont. I believe that a puzzle's difficulty should come from thoughtful design—not just the number of pieces. All the artwork, cut designs, manufacturing, and order fulfillment are done in-house, with care and attention to every detail. My passion is creating high-quality wooden jigsaw puzzles that bring joy, challenge, and beauty into your life.
Figure Shaped Pieces
There's something exciting about picking up a figure shaped piece and having it tell it's own story. Usually the first hint of personality you get from a puzzle is from it's colors. These figure shaped pieces help show some character immediately out of the box. Though, with that said, they do make a puzzle easier to assemble so I try to limit their use to only around 10% of the puzzle's overall piece count. These pieces are from our puzzle A Friend for Dinner.
Cutting Between Different Colors
When the design allows, I use a proprietary technique to cut the line exactly between two different colors. The way I do this guarantees that there is no bleed of color from one piece to the next. This is done to mess with those puzzlers who like to assemble based on color. For instance, in Friendship in Bloom, when an orange piece connects to a white piece, you won't know until you've had to assemble the rest of each color.
The Wood
The base material for all these puzzles is 1/4 inch plywood. It has a cherry veneer with a medium density fiber core which gives it consistent thickness across an entire sheet. These puzzles are cut into pieces with an average size of two pieces per square inch and I have a special method of cutting that eliminates the burn marks (known as flashback) that you might find on some competitor's laser cut puzzles.
More Than Just Wood
Wood is a great material for a puzzle but why limit ourselves? I continue to experiment with different types of materials such as the transparent acrylic pieces in Majestic Monarch. This adds a whole new level of difficulty as you don't know which side is up or down.
Enter the Third Dimension
Utilizing 3D printing technology, these puzzle pieces can go beyond two dimensions! Check out The Tusk at Hand to see how these pieces stack and click together, adding a whole new element never seen in jigsaw puzzles.
What's With the Octopus?
One of my favorite traditions of wooden jigsaw manufacturing is that of the signature piece. When a manufacturer makes a puzzle they'll cut a special piece that signifies their brand and I want to continue that tradition with Fathom puzzles. Now, why did I choose an octopus to represent the brand? To Fathom something is to understand a difficult problem after much thought. It is also a measurement of ocean depth. Since the octopus is an extremely intelligent problem-solving sea creature, it was a no-brainer! Can you outsmart the octopus?
Puzzle Difficulties Explained
Puzzle difficulty is designed around completing them without referencing the box or website artwork. For the full Fathom experience, it's recommend to try the puzzle without any image assistance. However, if you find yourself stuck, don't hesitate to take a peek. If it gets too tough you can reach out and I'll be happy to offer a hint!
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EASY
As easy as it get! A leisurely puzzling experience when you don't have time to commit to a large puzzle. They're perfect to take to the cafe with a friend and assemble while having a coffee.
(Seriously, try this. It's a lot of fun.) -
PAINLESS
Slightly challenging. I won't say they're easy but hopefully they won't make you pull your hair out. recommended for any experience level.
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MODERATE
These puzzles pack a bit of a punch. They'll make you stop and think about your next move. However, they won't be hard enough to make you kick and scream.
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HARD
These are the difficult ones and include new types of challenges. Whether it's the style of the cuts or different materials, these might make you want to yell.
It's important to note that puzzle difficulties are subjective. Please send a message if you feel the difficulty rating of your puzzle didn't reflect your experience.