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Jigsaw Etiquette

(16 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.