1000 piece jigsaw puzzle with 3 pieces missing. Bin or charity shop?

[Viot]

Option 1: Bin it

Option 2: write on the box: "3 pieces missing" (with little crosses to show where in the picture) and donate back to the charity shop I bought it from so they can sell it again for another couple of pounds.

I suppose I ought to bin it, but on the other hand I've just had a perfectly nice time putting it together and I'm not miffed that it wasn't complete. That's just a risk when you buy second hand jigsaw puzzles. And if I write on it, people will know the deal.

I made a missing piece for a lovely jigsaw which is about 30 years old. I traced the piece and painted it and it looked great. I later found the missing piece in my dressing gown pocket.

I’d ask the charity shop what they want. Personally, if I liked the image I wouldn’t mind if I knew pieces were missing, but they’ll know if that actually sell. But then I’m really fussy with images I solve so having a puzzle I love the look of in the charity shop is rare so I’ll take it!

If you do bin it, you’ll probably have to bin the pieces and not recycle. I’ve heard from other puzzlers that the prices are too small to be recycled.

Explain to the charity shop and ask if they want it.

Charity shop or see if you have a local jigsaw library

Agree with @musicalfrog. The activity is about the process, not the finished product - it’s not as though you don’t know what it’s going to look like! If you’re forewarned that there are a couple of pieces missing, you won’t be disappointed.

That said, I’m not sure a charity shop would be able to shift an incomplete puzzle. Freecycle?

Local freebies site and see if anyone wants it.

Fair enough. Then I'd ask the charity shop instead of binning immediately.

I think why would you do a jigsaw is more the question - the whole picture is on the box.

They certainly sell missing pieces jigsaws in the local charity shop- they are marked down but seem to sell well.

Bin.
I do a lot of jigsaws and essentially use charity shops as rental places for them, so I don't have to store them i.e. I buy them, then once finished, take them back to the charity shop and buy another.

I always bin them if there is a piece missing because I find missing pieces irritating.
Although, maybe I should rethink after reading this thread!

It's actually quite unusual to get one with a piece missing TBH.

I'm a really keen jigsaw person- I've loads at home and also regularly do the jigsaw in the local library which is there for anybody to contribute to.
The library jigsaws are donated by people. And not all, but most of them,
have at least one piece missing and it's really really annoying.
I buy my own jigsaws generally from charity shops and I've never bought one that has a piece missing.
I suppose my take on this is yes donate it to the charity shop so long as it's clearly marked as having a piece missing. I wouldn't buy it myself but someone might, especially if a slightly lower price than the complete ones.

I’ve got loads of jigsaws in my loft - I didn’t even consider donating to a charity shop even though I donate clothes there lots!
I don’t think there’s any pieces missing from them but there could be? When I do them, I often lose pieces primarily because they fall off the table and get hidden or stolen by the cats - I always find them. I don’t think I’d mind if there were a couple of pieces missing from a 1000 piece puzzle; as someone said, it’s the process that I enjoy.

I think if I liked the look of a charity shop jigsaw I would not mind a small number of missing pieces, especially if the positions were marked. It’s the process not the end result that I like.

Not quite on topic, but may help others:

I bought one of those 4 puzzles in one box,.(new), where each was in a sealed plastic bag.

Did the the first puzzle and it had 3 EXTRA pieces!
I stupidly threw these away.

Did the second puzzle, and I'm sure you've guessed..... Yes, there were 3 pieces missing.

Why did I have no foresight?

The bin. I got a puzzle once from a charity shop, spent hours doing it. Only to find a couple of pieces missing at the end. I was annoyed.

Oh, and to answer the question, I would say bin.
I find it frustrating and vaguely depressing to have a piece missing.

Thank you for asking this Op. I have the same dilemma! 🥴

They're going on Freecycle I think. Hate unnecessary landfill.

Bin it

I may be missing something but why would anyone want to do a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing?

Years ago I had a 1000 piece puzzle of the Great Wave. Final piece was missing. It really annoyed me but also seemed fitting given life circumstances at the time.

Last year I found a digital puzzle of the same print on an online jigsaw puzzle site. Set the pieces to 1000 and I have say that completing it was a huge relief. It was like scratching a tiny but niggling itch that had been going on for years.

So on balance I would say bin it.

Freecycle is a good idea.

No harm in asking that charity shop I suppose but I would bin with no qualms. I think they'd struggle to shift one with 3 pieces missing. I certainly wouldn't buy it.

I'm a charity shop volunteer - we'd put it straight in the bin. Which costs us money to get collected.

Would you buy a jigsaw with bits missing when the shop has plenty which are complete? Of course you wouldn't. Seriously.

One of the cutest short stories I've ever read 💖

Bit like buying a book with the last three pages missing.. where's the satisfaction in completing it.

Such an interesting personal take on this.

Bin