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Jigsaw Etiquette

(46 Posts)
mumski Sun 16-Aug-26 11:53:22

I need to have a gripe and a grumble. An acquaintance came over a couple of days ago.
She had asked me if I could print something off for her, which I was ok doing.
When I came back into the room from sorting the documents, she had sat herself down at my dining room table and started doing my jigsaw puzzle! I'd put a tray and the box on top of it before hand to tidy up.
I was really taken a back at her rudeness, and it made me so cross. Or am I over reacting. I was so annoyed.
There is another really big issue with her, but I won't go into that too.
What do you think?

Oldnproud Sun 16-Aug-26 12:04:27

Personally, I think it would only really annoy me if I had nearly finished a puzzle at the point where someone decided to do some of it, but that is just me.

But i admit that how i felt about it would probably also depend who the person was, which in your case is obviously a big factor.
Given that you already have an issue with her, I can understand how this might make you very cross.

ExDancer Sun 16-Aug-26 12:05:40

That was very bad mannered of her, you are right to be irritated, but just as a matter of interest - what would you have said if she;d asked?

Farmor15 Sun 16-Aug-26 12:06:07

I would be annoyed too! Sometimes I'm doing a jigsaw and if a friend visits, we might work on it together, but if she just started without asking, I wouldn't like it.
If you have any spare jigsaws you've finished with, I think I'd ask her if she'd like to borrow one to do in her own house! It would give you a chance to explain that you prefer to do your own, on your own!

NotSpaghetti Sun 16-Aug-26 12:11:11

I think it's the other issue that made this irritating!

What's the fuss?
Is she a friend?
Did she wizz through the last nine pieces and finish it for you?

BlueBelle Sun 16-Aug-26 12:32:41

Don’t know how I d feel I ve always got a thousand piece jigsaw on the go, as I finish one I start another but it is fairly personal isn’t it, I mean you wouldn’t pick up someone’s knitting and do a couple of rows would you ?
As I ve never had anyone do that, I think personally it was bad manners and I can’t think of any of my friends that would do that, but if she’s very extravert she probably wouldn’t think the same way as I do ( I d be on my very best behaviour in someone else’s house )
It sounds as if the mystery misdeed is really what’s hacking you off, with this as an addition

valdali Sun 16-Aug-26 12:36:53

I am someone who has to try very hard to keep my fingers off an unfinished jigsaw. Don't do them myself as I'd never get anything else done..
but I do restrain myself in other peoples' homes. And you say you'd covered this one up with the box too, so I think it's bad manners in jigsaw etiquette.

sodapop Sun 16-Aug-26 13:01:34

Regarding jigsaw etiquette, I worked with adults who had learning challenges. One lady in particular was a whizz at doing jigsaws. I lost count of the people who brought in puzzles saying "this will be ok for E only a few pieces missing." Grrrr

I don't think your friend should have touched your puzzle without checking with you first Mumski

glasses Sun 16-Aug-26 14:25:26

I don't like people interfering with my knitting! I had to undo and correct it.

Cabbie21 Sun 16-Aug-26 15:10:23

Not on! Unless invited, I wouldn’t touch another person’s jigsaw, especially as you had covered it up with a tray.

mumski Sun 16-Aug-26 16:36:31

Thank you all for your replies.
I'm glad others would have found this rude. It's made me feel better about being so cross about it x

Sarnia Sun 16-Aug-26 17:13:24

That would mean a firing squad, I'm afraid. My jigsaw is exactly that, mine!

Cabowich Sun 16-Aug-26 17:15:43

I let my granddaughter put the last piece in once and it nearly killed me grin.

Doodledog Sun 16-Aug-26 17:39:36

I don't know about jigsaw etiquette, as I am not a jigsaw fan, but if anyone picked up my knitting I would be furious as people's tension is different, and I follow a pattern closely, so don't want someone moving things on without my knowledge.

I do think that in someone else's space guests should respect the fact that that they are guests, and behave accordingly, though. No helping yourself to things without asking, no wandering round uninvited, (and probably no finishing of jigsaws😀). In someone else's space you behave respectfully, IMO.

I say that as someone who has just had one of my (adult) children visiting immediately after the other, and have had three weeks of dealing with with loo rolls being put on backwards (when in use), dogs allowed to sit on sofas, used crockery left on worktops, TVs on in empty rooms and so on. A lot of my disgruntlement is because of my grumpiness (and other family stresses), which I don't deny, but I would do none
of those things in someone else's house.

Mi castillo no es tu castillo! 😎

Chocolatelovinggran Sun 16-Aug-26 17:41:11

Golly, it wouldn't trouble me in the slightest. I'm in the minority, here.

Marzipan22 Sun 16-Aug-26 17:44:24

I wouldn't mind at all, but then my jigsaw table is part of my craft room, where my sewing machine and art supplies are set out on other tables so I imagine a friend would think it was all part of the general fun to have a go while I was in another room.

StoneofDestiny Sun 16-Aug-26 21:40:46

Wouldn't bother me at all.

Maggiemaybe Sun 16-Aug-26 23:11:03

I’d be grateful. I check puzzles for a local jigsaw festival, so always have one on the go. I wouldn’t even care if they put the last few pieces in!

Wheniwasyourage Mon 17-Aug-26 10:15:52

My jigsaw is covered by the tablecloth unless I'm actually working on it, but I would be annoyed if it was visible and someone did some without asking first. Some family members who are also keen jigsawers have at times been invited to join in though.

Sarnia Mon 17-Aug-26 10:28:02

I hope nobody minds me digressing but it is still jigsaw related so here goes.
In Me and my Pal, a Laurel and Hardy film, it is Ollie's wedding day and as he walks around getting ready he frequently passes a table with an unfinished jigsaw on it. Each time he passes the table he cannot resist doing a bit more of his jigsaw. Stan, who is the best man, arrives and he gets involved with the jigsaw. The taxi driver comes to take them to the church and he starts looking for pieces. One by one, the vicar, the bride and her father, a policemen and a lot of the wedding guests are all crammed around the table doing this jigsaw. Hilarious.

stillawipp Mon 17-Aug-26 10:43:43

Oh, I’m with you OP - I came home once and found that my cleaner had finished quite a big bit of my 1000 piece puzzle!! I didn’t say anything but texted the next day to say that I thought she probably only needed 3 hours to do the house rather than 4 from now on…🤣🤣

henetha Mon 17-Aug-26 11:31:20

It's a bit rude imho.

Gin Mon 17-Aug-26 11:37:06

I would not be too upset. Every Christmas I buy a 1000 piece puzzle and my daughter in law and I get very competitive, hoarding all the pieces with a specific colour for example and it is a big race to see who will,get the last piece. The rest of the year there in nil friction between us, love her to bits!

SpinDriftCoastal Mon 17-Aug-26 12:14:20

You say acquaintance, yes, that would annoy me too. Close friend or relative, probably not so. I would be pleased they felt at home. If you also have another gripe with said acquaintance, I would probably add that that is colouring your general view of her. We're human.

LadyGracie Mon 17-Aug-26 12:18:59

It would definitely annoy me only my 9 year old GDis allowed to touch my jigsaws or Lego Technical.