About Wasgij
Wasgij – produced and manufactured by Jumbo Games – is the UK’s number one adult jigsaw puzzle range, a position it has enjoyed since 2005 (Source: NPD). Wasgij – is jigsaw spelt backwards and is pronounced ‘Woz-gidge’
This was not an ‘overnight’ success story, but a brand which has been increasing in popularity since it first came to market in 1997. Even in the early years Wasgij received positive praise from puzzlers; Wasgij Original 6: Blooming Marvellous – was the UK’s 2nd bestselling adult puzzle in 2001 and Wasgij Original 7: Bear Necessities – was ranked the 3rd bestseller in the same year (Source: NPD).
The Wasgij range has a different set of rules when it comes to jigsaws – instead of following tradition and asking puzzlers to piece together the same image as that printed on the box, Wasgij truly broke the mould – by challenging puzzlers to use their imagination!
There are four different concepts in the current Wasgij range. They are very different from each other, but with one common theme – the picture on the box is not the picture you will be puzzling! The first concept, released in 1997, was Wasgij Original – the brainteaser puzzle that requires puzzlers to use their imagination (and a few clues provided) to put themselves in the position of a particular character that appears in the picture shown on the box. Once the puzzler has done this, they need to imagine what that character is looking at in front of them – that is the image they must piece together. The addictive concept is designed to keep the puzzler guessing right up until they have completed the puzzle and is the reason why Wasgij is the brand it is today.
But having just the Wasgij Original concept wasn’t enough for Jumbo – they wanted to go one and even two pieces further – welcoming the creation of Wasgij Destiny, that was then followed a couple of years later by Wasgij Mystery and Christmas, then Wasgij Imagine…? and Back to…?. Wasgij Destiny is the ‘Time Travelling’ concept where puzzlers must use their imagination to piece together what they think the scene and characters shown on the box will look like in the modern day.
The third concept in the current range is Wasgij Mystery – with this one puzzlers have to use their imagination and piece together what will happen within the next few minutes to the characters shown in the box image.
The fourth concept is Wasgij Christmas. It follows the Wasgij Original concept, where you have to use your imagination to piece together what the characters in the scene printed on the box are looking at.
We also used to do two other different concept puzzles. However currently we have paused the production of our Imagine…? and Back to…? concept puzzles and may make a return in the future.
Wasgij Imagine…? is the fifth concept in the Wasgij range and was launched in January 2015. This Wasgij concept asked puzzlers to use their imagination to piece together what they think the scene and the characters shown on the box will look like if imagination turned into reality.
Wasgij Back to…? is the sixth, and most recent concept to join the Wasgij range and was launched in June 2015. This Wasgij concept asked puzzlers to ‘time travel’ by using their imagination to piece together what the scene would have looked like in years gone by.
The six different Wasgij concepts are unique in their own right – offering puzzlers something different from traditional puzzles. Each is entertaining, challenging and most importantly amusing – with pictorial humour scattered throughout each puzzle. Wasgij Original has been a puzzler’s favourite for many years, probably because of the genuine surprise element associated with building a puzzle when you don’t know what it is that is catching the interest of the characters shown on the box image. This is the reason why there are over 50 jigsaw puzzles in the Wasgij range . . . and many more to come!