Our Puzzle Caper

At first, I thought the problem was that all three 100 piece puzzles were purchased from Walmart. What are the odds that all three puzzles would be missing 3-8 pieces each?

I had purchased the puzzles on a whim, since Grace had showed a really interest in puzzles and needed more of challenge than the puzzles we had on hand. We have a perfectly square sized coffee table down in the basement that is waist high and accomodates the art of puzzle solving.

I gave Grace instructions on laying out the puzzle, finding the corners first, and then finding all the edge pieces - to frame things off and eliminate some of the overwhelming feels that can occur when you first "dump" the puzzle out. Grace listened to the instructions, and set to work putting the first puzzle together (a lamb in tulips). She worked on it for a few hours, and I assisted with encouragement and a few pieces. As we neared the end, I did a quick calculation, and agonized knowing that we were short by 3 pieces. After looking under couches, tables and everywhere else...I think..."It's Walmart - what do you expect?".

Grace handles the missing pieces well, and unphased dumps the next puzzle out: A golden retriever puppy. This one takes longer to work on. A few minutes here, a few minutes there. After a few days, it is complete - minus 5 pieces. I couldn't believe it! What are the odds?

Determined...she dumps the next puzzle - a kitty. Days later...it is complete, but once again, short up to 6 or 8 pieces. We have looked everywhere for the missing pieces to all of these puzzles, and found nothing. And then a clue. One gummed up puzzle piece shows up in the mouth of our 80 lb. Golden Retriever (Maggie). The next day, we find her with another.

Maggie has been snacking on puzzle pieces for two weeks!!! She is the only 8 year old dog I know who finds used tissues to be a delicacy. We should have put it together. But she is stealthy! Never once has she been spotted actually swiping the pieces from the table.

Bad dog. Bad, bad, dog.