It stood out in the display of Bepuzzled mystery jigsaw puzzles at last week's Toy Fair 2011 at the Javits Center--as it would on any toy store puzzle shelf. Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle, unlike other Bepuzzled product like Murder On The Titanic, Recipe For Murder and even Sherlock Holmes & The Speckled Band, was packaged in a black-and-white box, featuring photos of the Master of Suspense and his signature profile.
Part of the University Games' puzzle division's adult-targeted "Classic Mystery" line, the multi-leveled puzzle/game itself is 1,000 pieces, revolving around a psychopathic killer obsessed with Hitchcock's famous movies The Birds, Psycho and Frenzy. The finished 23 x 39-inch puzzle is a secret, as it's not pictured on the box.
"People typically start with the box cover image when putting a puzzle together," says Bepuzzled general manager Elise Gresch--speaking of all "Classic Mystery" puzzles. "But here there are clues within the puzzle scene that solve a murder mystery."
With the Hitchcock title, "there's a mystery booklet that basically talks about his famous movies and gives references to them," Gresch continues. "The puzzle shows items that would potentially belong in those movies--and you see where there are mistakes."
The booklet and the puzzle itself then tie together in tying up the murder mystery.
"It's a great fit for fans of Alfred Hitchcock, because there are so many references to his movies," says Gresch. She adds that it and the other Bepuzzled titles are "doing really well" in a toy marketplace where "more attention is being placed on puzzles."
"The economy is still rebounding, and [jigsaw puzzles are a] less expensive form of entertainment," explains Gresch. "And during the winter months, people stay indoors more and are looking to keep entertained without needing to bundle up."
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