The Wild Elephant Wooden Puzzle
Paisley ears wider than the head – the most symmetrical of the portraits, 103 pieces
Specifications
| Material | Wood |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 24 × 22 cm |
| Thickness | 4 mm |
| Pieces | 103 |
| Recommended age | 14+ |
| Made in | Ukraine |
Shipping
Every order ships from our fulfilment centre in France – never dropshipping. Orders are dispatched within 24 hours on working days; order before 10:30 and it leaves the same day. You’ll receive your tracking number by email at dispatch.
France: 2–4 working days – free home delivery from €40.
Rest of Europe: 2–10 working days, depending on destination.
Returns
You have 14 days from delivery to change your mind – no reason needed. Write to us first at info@creatifwood.com, then send the product back unused, in its original packaging.
Return shipping is at your charge; we refund the full order amount within 14 days, to your original payment method.
Received a damaged or wrong item? Contact us within 14 days with photos – we’ll make it right.
About this product
Ears that fill the board
The elephant faces forward with both ears spread wide, and they take up more of the surface than the head does. The ornament is paisley rather than tribal, worked in deep red, violet and blue, with the trunk running down the centre as columns of beadwork and the yellow curves of the tusks either side.
It is the darkest of our frontal portraits and the most symmetrical, since an elephant seen head-on is almost perfectly mirrored.
Two ears, one problem
The ears carry near-identical paisley across both sides, and they are the largest area on the board. A piece from the left ear will sit convincingly in the right ear's gap until the pattern is checked for direction.
There is no colour variation between them to help, and the paisley motifs repeat at a small scale, so the two ears have to be built alternately rather than one after the other.
What is cut into the ears
Figural pieces sit across the ears and the head: a wolf, a bull, a fish, birds, a pineapple, leaves. They are less thematically tied than on the cat or the fox, and the mix is deliberately unexpected.
On a board this symmetrical they serve a second purpose: each one is unique, so a figural piece is the only thing here that cannot be confused with its opposite number.
The trunk is the anchor
It runs down the centre line in a texture of its own – beaded columns where everything around it is paisley – and belongs to neither half. Build it first, then work outward into the ears.
There is a second elephant in the range: our Watercolour Elephant, the same subject in flat colour blocks and an easier build.
Our craftsmanship
Made by our family, piece by piece
Every creatifwood puzzle starts as a sheet of birch plywood in our family workshop. We laser-cut every piece into its own shape – no two are alike – check each set by hand, and pack it in a gift-ready box. No production lines, no shortcuts – just a small family that loves working with wood, and takes it personally that your puzzle brings people together around the table.
Meet the family behind your puzzleFrequently asked questions
Why does this puzzle have no straight edges?
The outline follows the shape of the design itself, so the usual approach of building the border first does not apply. Most people start from the area with the strongest contrast – in animal designs, usually the eye – and work outward from there.
What are the animal-shaped pieces for?
They are called whimsy pieces, a tradition that goes back to Victorian puzzle cutters who added recognisable shapes on a whim while working. Parker Brothers made it a standard in 1908. They do not interlock the way ordinary pieces do, so the pieces around them hold them in place.
Is this harder than a cardboard puzzle of the same size?
Yes, for three reasons. There is no straight border to anchor from, the ornamental patterning repeats so colour sorting barely helps, and the piece shapes are irregular rather than a uniform knob-and-socket grid.
How long will it take?
Honestly: longer than you expect. With no border to anchor from, repeating ornament and irregular pieces, a wooden puzzle takes noticeably longer than a cardboard one with the same count. We think that is part of the pleasure – it is made to be savoured, not raced.
Can I glue it and hang it on the wall?
Yes. Use a glue made for puzzles rather than a general craft adhesive: it runs into the joints and dries as a thin clear film that protects the face. We stock the Cléo'Puzzle glue-varnish, rated for cardboard, wood and MDF, with a precision nozzle for boards that have no straight edges. Work in thin coats and let each one dry. Gluing is permanent – if you would rather rebuild the puzzle one day, or keep the front matt, dry adhesive film on the back is the alternative. Once sealed, the board can be framed or hung as it is.
Why does it smell of wood when I open the box?
Laser cutting leaves a light trace of scorching on the edges. We clean the pieces before packing, but a faint smell of cut wood in the first days is normal and fades.
Which age is it suitable for?
It is shown on each product page under Specifications. Most designs in this range are marked 14+, and a few simpler ones are suitable from 3.
What if a piece is missing or broken?
Write to us with a photo and we will send a replacement. Details are on our Missing Pieces page.