Patent Publication Number: US-2019184276-A1

Title: Studded Jigsaw Puzzle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This continuation-in-part application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/649,202 that was filed on Jul. 13, 2017, which claimed priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/233,814 that was filed on Aug. 10, 2016, which claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/202,910 that was filed on Aug. 10, 2015, which are all incorporated herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to puzzles, and, more particularly, to a jigsaw puzzle with pieces having rear attachment mechanisms for attachment to a baseplate. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Puzzles have an artistic and educational appeal as well as presenting an intellectual challenge. Typically, puzzles are assembled by matching a number of interlocking irregularly cut puzzle pieces to form a planar pictorial illustration on the surface of the puzzle. The assembling of a puzzle by a child user enhances physical skills (hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills), cognitive skills (visual discrimination, sorting, classifying, analyzing, deducing), and emotional skills (patience with a reward for completion) as well as providing play value. 
     However, storage of puzzles with an associated set of puzzle pieces is problematic for parents, schools, child care facilities, and the like, because pieces often become lost or mixed with other sets of puzzle pieces. Storing them as a cohesive unit would be advantageous. 
     Display of a finished puzzle provides similar challenges. Though the pieces of a finished puzzle can be glued together or fixedly attached to a puzzle base for display (such as by permanently gluing the puzzle pieces to the base, thereby preventing detachment and allowing vertical display on a wall), this operation precludes repeat assembly. Therefore, the skill enhancement opportunities and play value of the puzzle are limited. 
     Further, a single baseplate may not be as large as desired, and it would, therefore, be advantageous to connect two or more baseplates for enhanced play value. Or it may be advantageous to reduce shipping costs by shipping two or more baseplates that are connected before putting the puzzle together. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a puzzle that provides amusement and an educational challenge for the child user while providing pieces that are easily attachable to create a cohesive unit for storage or display and are releasable for repeat play and that optionally enables the connection of multiple baseplates. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a jigsaw-type puzzle that has shaped pieces which are interlocked to form a completed planar or non-planar front presentation (typically a pictorial or graphical illustration on the front surface of the puzzle), but adds the additional advantage that the individual pieces can be snapped down onto a plastic studded rear baseplate for storage or display while leaving an access space defined between the baseplate and the bottom of the puzzle piece. This provides the advantages that the pieces don&#39;t become misplaced between uses or fall out when displayed vertically. Yet, due to the access space the pieces can be released for play again and again either by manually using a prying object (any object that can be inserted into the access space between the pieces and the baseplate, including a pry tool, a piece of the puzzle, another toy, the user&#39;s fingertips, and the like). Additionally, a hanger and/or joiner may be provided for joining multiple baseplates or hanging one or multiple baseplates. 
     The studded jigsaw puzzle system includes at least multiple puzzle pieces and a baseplate, plus may optionally include a separate pry tool for puzzle piece removal and/or a separable hanger/joiner for joining multiple baseplates or for hanging one or multiple joined baseplates. 
     The baseplate includes a broad, planar base portion with front and back surfaces extending laterally between lateral edges and extending longitudinally between longitudinal edges. The front surface carries multiple upwardly-extending baseplate engagement mechanisms, which are termed “male studs.” 
     The puzzle pieces have a front and back surface and outer shaped edges. One or multiple puzzle piece engagement mechanisms are disposed on the back surface of each puzzle piece. Each puzzle piece engagement mechanism correlates with at least one complementary male stud disposed on the top of the baseplate. For example, a puzzle piece engagement mechanism on the puzzle pieces may fit between male studs on the baseplate, may fit onto one or more of the male studs, or may be otherwise frictionally engaged with the male studs. 
     Importantly, the puzzle piece engagement mechanism and the baseplate male studs are configured to prevent the bottom of the puzzle piece from abutting the front planar surface of the baseplate. The puzzle piece rear-facing engagement mechanisms have a height great enough to enable a narrow access space or gap between at least a portion of the bottom of the puzzle piece and the top of the baseplate front surface. This narrow gap running under the back surfaces of the puzzle pieces facilitates the lifting of the edge of any selected puzzle piece away from the baseplate to disengage the complementary engagement mechanism or mechanisms and remove the puzzle piece. The access gap is less than one inch in height and is preferably less than one-half inch in height. This removal may be performed by use of any pry object, including use of a mechanical device, such as a pry tool, or manual manipulation without a tool, such as by use of the fingertip of the user. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide convenient storage and display of puzzle pieces by allowing the puzzle pieces to be attached to a baseplate and to be released from the baseplate. 
     These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follow. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded front perspective view of an embodiment of the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the assembled jigsaw puzzle of the present invention, showing removal of a puzzle piece by a pry tool. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the first embodiment of the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a view taken along viewing line  4  of  FIG. 3  of an embodiment of the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a detail view taken from circle  6  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a detail of a portion of the side view of  FIG. 7 , the portion indicated by the circle  8  of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a front view of a single puzzle piece of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of a single puzzle piece of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a back view of a single puzzle piece of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a back perspective view of a single puzzle piece of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a pry tool removing puzzle pieces of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of a pry tool removing puzzle pieces of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is an exploded front perspective view of an embodiment of the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention including the hanger/joiner. 
         FIGS. 17-24  are left side, top side, inner perspective, inner side, bottom side, right side, outer side, and outer perspective views, respectively, of the hanger/joiner accessory of an embodiment of the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 25  is a side view of an embodiment of an embodiment of the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 26  is a back view of an embodiment of an embodiment of the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention showing the hanging function of an attached hanger/joiner accessory. 
         FIGS. 27-32  are top perspective, back, front, left side, top, and right side views, respectively, of the pry tool of the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 33  is an exploded back view of an embodiment of the jigsaw puzzle of the present invention including the hanger/joiner accessory and the pry tool. 
         FIGS. 34-41  are top side, left side, front, bottom side, right side, front perspective, back perspective, and back views, respectively, of a puzzle piece of the present invention. 
         FIG. 42  is an inner perspective view of an aspect of the hanger/joiner accessory. 
         FIG. 43  is an outer perspective view of an aspect of the hanger/joiner accessory. 
         FIG. 44  is a back perspective view of two baseplates showing the joining function of the hanger/joiner accessory. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Shown throughout the figures, the present invention is directed toward a jigsaw-type puzzle having shaped puzzle pieces  500  that can be easily attached to a baseplate  510 , but that are readily removable due to a small access space remaining under the attached puzzle pieces. The jigsaw puzzle described here has all the educational value of a conventional jigsaw puzzle, but it additionally increases the play value by adding a fun and easy means and method of puzzle piece removal. It provides the advantages of attachable pieces for convenient storage and/or display and of repeated use of the same puzzle due to the ability to repeatedly separate the pieces from the baseplate. A pry object (including the optional pry tool, other mechanical devices, or fingertips) enables the easy detachment of the pieces after storage or display. And optionally, a hanger/joiner accessory  530  for joining multiple baseplates  510  or hanging one or more baseplates may be provided. 
     The studded jigsaw puzzle system  100  ( FIG. 2 ) of the invention includes at least multiple shaped puzzle pieces  500  and a baseplate  510 , and, optionally, a pry tool  520  and/or a separable hanger/joiner  530 . Each puzzle piece  500  has one or multiple puzzle piece engagement mechanisms  505  that extend downwardly from the back surface  509  ( FIG. 12 ) of the puzzle piece. When a puzzle piece is positioned in the correct location (or otherwise over the baseplate  510 ), the puzzle piece can be manually pushed downward, and the puzzle piece engagement mechanism or mechanisms  505  are frictionally engaged to complementary baseplate engagement mechanism or mechanisms, termed “male studs  515 ,” that protrude upwardly from the front of the baseplate  510 . 
     In overview, because the puzzle piece engagement mechanism  505  includes a downwardly-protruding leg  545  ( FIG. 13 ) that has a height great enough to leave a small access gap between the bottom edge  506  of the puzzle piece and the front surface  519  of the baseplate, even when the puzzle piece is pushed firmly downward. This creates an access gap  200  ( FIGS. 3, 5, 8 ) that remains between the back of the puzzle piece and the front of the baseplate. When the user desires to remove the attached puzzle piece, this gap  200  facilitates removal of the piece using a pry object, such as the tip of a finger, the edge of a puzzle piece, another toy, or the tip  521  ( FIGS. 15, 27 ) of the pry tool  520 . The pry object is inserted into the access gap  200 , which extends under the entire puzzle piece and under any other attached puzzle pieces. When using the pry tool  520 , the handle  522  of the pry tool  520  is manually pushed downward, which lifts upward on a puzzle piece bottom edge (typically, the bottom edge  506  of puzzle piece side flange  501 ), thereby disengaging the puzzle piece engagement mechanism  505  from the male stud  515 . Other pry objects function similarly. 
     The baseplate includes a broad, planar base foundation  512  ( FIG. 6 ) extending left to right between opposing lateral edges  551  ( FIG. 16 ) and extending top to bottom between opposing longitudinal edges  553  ( FIG. 16 ). The planar base foundation  512  has a broad front surface  519  ( FIG. 14 ), an opposing broad back portion  513  ( FIG. 26 ), and, preferably, but optionally, an outer baseplate flange  511  for strength. The base foundation  512  is a rigid or semi-rigid sheet arranged with a number of upwardly-protruding baseplate engagement mechanisms termed “male studs”  515 , such as projections, pegs, knobs, protrusions, or other coupling elements. The male coupling studs  515  are preferably arranged on the front side  519  ( FIG. 14 ) of the base foundation  512  in equidistant rows, but other arrangements can also be utilized. Optionally, but preferably, the male studs  515  are sized and shaped to complement the female engagement mechanisms of conventional modular building blocks, allowing the child to utilize the puzzle baseplate as a building block baseplate for conventional modular building blocks, as well as for a foundation for the provided set or sets of puzzle pieces  500 . Each of the male studs  515  is configured to be frictionally engaged with one or more complementary engagement mechanisms  505  disposed on the rear of a puzzle piece  500 . 
     Preferably the baseplate  510  and the baseplate engagement mechanisms are formed of a plastic material, such as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic, and are formed integrally. If needed for structural soundness, the back of baseplate  510  may be reinforced with plastic or other material as may be required for sturdiness. For example, the bottom could be formed with additional plastic added in a honeycomb, matrix, or striated pattern. 
     The puzzle pieces have a front surface  504  ( FIGS. 1, 10 ) and back surface  509  ( FIG. 12 ) and outer, generally irregularly shaped lateral and longitudinal edges. A puzzle outer perimeter flange  501  forms an outer border running along all four sides of the puzzle piece (along the lateral and longitudinal edges of the puzzle piece). The height of the puzzle outer perimeter flange  501  (at least at some points, and preferably along its entire length) is less than the height of the puzzle piece engagement mechanisms  505 . This provides an open access space into which a pry object may be inserted. 
     One or multiple puzzle piece engagement mechanisms  505  are disposed on the back surface of each puzzle piece. The puzzle piece engagement mechanisms  505  are sized and configured to be frictionally engaged to the complementary baseplate male studs  515 . The puzzle piece&#39;s rear-facing engagement mechanism  505  may be in any of a variety of shapes that fit over or between or otherwise frictionally engage one or more of the male studs  515 . For example, the engagement mechanism  505  may comprise an open female slot, may comprise a cylindrical with inner ribs, may comprise a cylinder having an outer circumference equal to the diagonal distance between two male studs  515  to allow four outer portions of the cylinder to frictionally engage with four male studs  515 , may comprise other shapes allowing portions of plastic to frictionally engage with one or more portions of the outside of the male coupling studs  515 , or may in other designs that allow frictional connection with or onto the male coupling studs  515 , such as the square shape shown in  FIG. 13 . For puzzles with smaller pieces, the preferred number of puzzle piece rear-facing engagement mechanisms  505  is four, as illustrated, but for puzzles with larger pieces, such as a preschool puzzle, the preferred number of puzzle piece rear-facing engagement mechanisms  505  is one. 
     In a preferred aspect, the puzzle engagement mechanism  505  includes a downwardly-protruding leg  545  ( FIG. 13 ) that ends in a blunt leg end face  546 . Preferably, the baseplate&#39;s male stud  515  is an open, partially open, or solid cylinder having a cylinder wall  556 . Depending on the design of the complementary engagement mechanism  505  uses, the downwardly-protruding leg  545  may be an annular wall, a partial annular wall, or the downwardly-extending portion of another type of engagement mechanism  505 , such as the open squared column illustrated. 
     The front of each puzzle piece  500  is a puzzle piece front surface  504 , which may be planar or non-planar. The piece front surface  504  preferably carries a portion of a decorative presentation (not shown) that provides artistic interest, amusement, and/or educational value, with the full decorative presentation to be completed upon accomplishing the installation of all the puzzle pieces. The graphical presentation may be applied to the front of the puzzle piece in any manner known in the art, including printing, imprinting, embossing, embellishing, painting, adherence of a label or decal, or other application means, or it may optionally be incorporated into a molded puzzle piece. Generally, the shaped lateral and/or longitudinal edges and/or the displayed portion of the top surface decorative presentation may be used by the user to determine which puzzle piece  500  should be positioned in which location upon the baseplate  510  to create the completed decorative presentation. Optionally, the puzzle piece front surfaces  504  may be left plain and unembellished to allow the child user to personalize the puzzle by creating an artistic representation of his/her own choosing. 
     The outer shape of the puzzle piece varies, depending on the particular jigsaw pattern chosen and on the location (interior or exterior) of the puzzle piece. The interior puzzle pieces  500  have outer locking shaped edges  508  on all four lateral and longitudinal sides, while exterior puzzle pieces  500  have outer locking shaped edges  508  on edges facing inwardly toward another puzzle piece and typically have smoother shaped edges on perimeter edges  502  facing the outside perimeter of the puzzle. The puzzle pieces are shaped in a jigsaw-type manner with the inner shaped edges  508  of one puzzle piece being the complement of an inner shaped edge  508  of the adjacent puzzle piece. The outer perimeter flange  501  ( FIG. 13 ) is shaped in the shape (internal edge shape  508  or external edge shape  502 ) designated by the particular jigsaw cut design selected for the puzzle. 
     In contrast to a traditional jigsaw puzzle, the outer perimeter flange  501  of one puzzle piece need not very tightly abut the outer perimeter flange  501  of an adjacent puzzle piece. In a traditional jigsaw puzzle, the interlocking edges are often the only feature causing the puzzle pieces to remain in place, thus a very tight abutment is necessary. In the inventive puzzle system, the irregular outer edges help determine placement, but the complementary engagement mechanisms of the puzzle piece and baseplate are mainly responsible for maintaining the puzzle pieces in their proper places. The small separation between the flanges  501  of adjacent puzzle pieces facilitates removal of the pieces. 
     The engagement of the puzzle piece&#39;s engagement mechanisms  505  to the forwardly-extending male studs  515  of the baseplate attaches the puzzle pieces  500  to the baseplate  510 . To disengage the puzzle pieces  500  and release them from the baseplate  510 , the user may manually pry up the edge of the puzzle piece or use a pry tool  520 , if provided. 
     The pry tool  520 , best seen in  FIG. 27 , may resemble an artist&#39;s palette knife. The pry tool  520  has a handle  522  permanently affixed to a wedge  525  or formed integrally with the wedge  525 . The wedge  525  has a tip  521  which is inserted under the bottom edge  506  of side flange  501 . As seen in the side views of  FIGS. 30 and 32 , the wedge  525  may be a right triangle, with the lower flat surface forming a right angle with the back  527  of the wedge and with the hypotenuse forming the angled top surface. When viewed from the top, as in  FIG. 31 , the wedge  525  narrows as it reaches the tip  521 , thus presenting a vertically and horizontally pointed tip  521  for easy insertion into gap  200 . Thus, the top of the wedge  525  (and a horizontal cross section) has an isosceles triangular shape with blunted tip and preferably back corners, and the side (and a vertical cross section) has a right triangle shape with a blunted tip for safety. 
     The pry tool  520  may be formed of plastic, metal, bamboo, wood, a combination of materials, or other suitable materials. All edges of the pry tool  520  are preferably rounded for safety. 
     Preferably the puzzle system  100  also includes a hanger and/or a joiner  530  (“hanger/joiner”), seen in  FIGS. 16-24, 26, 42-44 . The hanger/joiner  530  has a back wall  539  extending between lateral and longitudinal perimeter edges  531 , which, when installed faces the wall the puzzle will be suspended from. This back wall  539  is configured with interior edges  538  defining a hanging hole  537 , shown as a keyhole-type hanging hole, for receiving a nail, screw or other wall anchor by which the entire assembled puzzle system can be removably attached to the wall. 
     The hanger/joiner  530  includes multiple connecting members  535  that are the counterpart of, and are removably frictionally engageable with, multiple complementary rear connecting members  514  disposed on the baseplate rear portion  513 . These baseplate complementary rear connecting members  514  are illustrated in  FIGS. 26, 33  as an array of outwardly-projecting members arranged on the baseplate rear side  513  in equidistant rows, but other arrangements can also be utilized. For example, since the hanger/joiner  530  is likely to only be engaged at the center of one of the lateral or longitudinal sides of the baseplate  520 , a limited number of complementary rear connecting members  514  may be disposed merely in the center of each of the lateral and longitudinal sides of the baseplate  520 . Though the complementary rear connecting members  514  are illustrated as male projections, female receptacles can also be used as complementary rear connecting members  514 . In that case, the multiple connecting members  535  of the hanger/joiner  530  could be any frictionally-engageable male connectors that are complementary to the female rear connecting members  514 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 26 , when the hanger/joiner  530  is utilized as a hanger, the hanger/joiner  530  may be disposed within the ridge of one of the opposing lateral edges  551  or within the ridge of one of the opposing longitudinal edges  553 . 
     In another aspect shown in  FIG. 44 , when the hanger/joiner  530  is used as a joiner, two or more baseplates  510  may be joined. In the aspect depicted in  FIGS. 42-44 , the hanger/joiner  530  has two opposing concave portions  534  defined by edges  533  inset into two opposing walls of the hanger/joiner  530 , i.e. the two opposing concave portions  534  may be disposed on opposing lateral perimeter edges  531  or disposed on opposing longitudinal perimeter edges  531 . 
     Also, in this aspect, the baseplates  510  may be configured with a flat edge portion  517  that is inset within the wall of the opposing lateral edges  551 , as shown, and/or opposing longitudinal edges  553 . When the flat edge portion  517  is inset within the baseplate edges, a first boundary  552  and second boundary  554  is formed. The boundaries  552 ,  554  are the ends of the walls  551  and/or  553  located at the opposing ends of the flat edge portion  517 . It may be visualized that the walls  551  and/or  553  are cut at boundaries  552 ,  554 , though typically, the mold would be formed in this manner. Thus, in this aspect, the walls of the lateral  551  and/or longitudinal edges  553  do not completely surround the baseplate, but they are configured with at least one and preferably two or more thinner, flat edge portions  517  along a portion of their length. The flat edge portions  517  may have a length that is significantly smaller than the length of the edges  551 ,  553 , but that is equal to or slightly larger than the distance between the two opposing concave portions  534  defined by edges  533  of the hanger/joiner  530 . To connect two baseplates  510 , the two opposing concave portions  534  are aligned with the flat edge portion  517 , the multiple connecting members  535  on a first lateral side of the hanger/joiner  530  are engaged with the complementary rear connecting members  514  of a first baseplate  510 , and the multiple connecting members  535  on the opposing second lateral side of the hanger/joiner  530  are engaged with the complementary rear connecting members  514  of a second baseplate  510 . Preferably, as shown in  FIG. 44 , two hanger/joiners  530  are used to secure two baseplates  510 . 
     To use the inventive studded jigsaw puzzle system  100 , the user obtains at least one baseplate  510  and a first set of coordinating puzzle pieces  500 . The user assembles the coordinating puzzle pieces  500  using the shaped edges  508  and any pictorial or graphical presentation on the front surface  504  of the puzzle piece for guidance. The user may also use designations on the baseplate top surface  519  applied to or integrally formed with the baseplate  510 , if provided. 
     As each coordinating puzzle piece  500  is placed, the user presses downward on the top surface  504  to engage the puzzle piece&#39;s rear-facing engagement mechanisms  505  with the baseplate&#39;s male studs  515 . Though it may not be obvious to the user, a small gap  200  remains between the puzzle piece and the baseplate. If the user wants to remove a puzzle piece for any reason (such as, a misplaced piece), a pry object may be used. In one aspect the user utilizes the pry tool  520  by slipping the tip  521  into the gap  200 . The tip  521  may be slipped under an edge puzzle piece or between two adjacent interior puzzle pieces and may be inserted from any of the four sides of any puzzle piece  500 . 
     After the pry tool  520  is inserted, the user pushes downward on the handle  522 , which causes the tip  521  to engage with the bottom surface  506  of the puzzle piece side flange  501 . The pry tool  520  acts as a lever, thus little force is needed to disengage the puzzle piece&#39;s rear-facing engagement mechanisms  505  from the baseplate&#39;s male studs  515 . This is in contrast to the much larger effort that would be required to pull upward on the puzzle piece side flange  501 , which is narrow and difficult to grip, to disengage the complementary engagement mechanisms  505 ,  515 . The same lever principal applies when, optionally, the user uses the edge of a puzzle piece, a toy, a fingertip, or another available object that is partially inserted into access gap  200  and is used to pry the puzzle piece upward. 
     When all the coordinating puzzle pieces are placed onto the baseplate and the puzzle composition is completed ( FIG. 9 ), the cohesive puzzle unit will be able to be displayed vertically or stored in any position without losing puzzle pieces. When in the storage or display mode, the pieces will not fall out if the puzzle is turned upside down, turned on one of its sides, or stored or displayed vertically. 
     After storage or display, the user removes the puzzle pieces with the pry object. When using the pry tool  520 , if the user wishes to repeat the assembly of the puzzle, the user slips the tip  521  of the pry tool  520  under the bottom surface  506  of the puzzle piece side flange  501  of an interior or exterior puzzle piece. The user pushes downward to remove a first piece, shown as an exterior puzzle piece in  FIG. 2 . By this method, one, multiple, or all the puzzle pieces  500  can be removed from the baseplate  510 . 
     Though the puzzle system is illustrated with forty-two puzzle pieces  500 , the number and size of the puzzle pieces  500  can vary depending on the age and abilities of the user, whether child or adult. 
     The puzzle pieces  500  are preferably formed of plastic, such as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic, but paperboard, laminated paperboard, cardboard, wood, layered compositions, and other materials can be used. Preferably, the puzzle pieces  500  will be injection molded as one piece with a narrow space between the puzzle pieces  500  and narrow bridges connecting the adjacent pieces  500 . This will result in the puzzle pieces  500  being connected like a web. The web of puzzle pieces  500  can then be printed in full color, such as on a color printer, and then the puzzle pieces  500  can be die cut apart. If needed, heat may be used in the die-cut process to remove the bridges and ensure a smooth edge on the puzzle pieces. 
     Optionally, the baseplate  510  may be made modularly and may be assembled into the larger baseplate shown in  FIG. 44  by the user. This modular design of the baseplate advantageously enables the use of smaller mold tools and of smaller packaging, which provides advantages in shipping efficiency and in shelf display. In this aspect, two or more baseplates are obtained and joined by at least one, and preferably two, hanger/joiners  530 . A first hanger/joiner  530  is aligned with the flat edge portion  517  of the baseplate, with the first boundary  552  and second boundary  554  of the baseplate edge aligned with, and fitting into, the two opposing concave portions  534  so that the connecting members  535  on a first side of the hanger/joiner  530  are engaged with the complementary rear connecting members  514  of a first baseplate  510  and so that the connecting members  535  on the opposing second lateral side of the hanger/joiner  530  are engaged with the complementary rear connecting members  514  of a second baseplate  510 . As shown in  FIG. 44 , a second hanger/joiner  530  is engaged in the same manner. 
     The invention illustratively disclosed herein may be suitably practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. 
     Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.