🎃 Halloween Black Witch 300 Piece Jigsaw Puzzles – Part 2
We’re back for the second night of our Halloween jigsaw puzzle, and this time I’m determined to get the whole thing finished! Yesterday, we made a good start on our 300-piece Black Witch puzzle, but there was still quite a lot of work to do, especially around the witch and her little black cat.
I picked this particular picture for our HallowStream week because I loved the autumn colours and Halloween artwork. Of course, those lovely oranges, reds and blacks were also going to make finding the remaining pieces rather interesting!
🧩 About the Game
Jigsaw Puzzle Night is one of our more relaxed streams, where we settle down with a physical puzzle on camera, have a chat and gradually work towards completing the picture. There’s no time limit or pressure, although that doesn’t necessarily mean everything goes smoothly!
Our Halloween Black Witch puzzle features a witch and her black cat wandering through a glowing autumn woodland, surrounded by falling leaves and pumpkins. The artwork includes the lovely message: “Once upon a time, there was a girl who really loved cats and Halloween. It was me. The end.”
It’s a beautiful little scene, and I was looking forward to seeing it completed, and you can get this puzzle here.
🍂 Where We Are in the Journey
We started this 300-piece puzzle during yesterday’s HallowStream, managing to organise the pieces, finish the border and assemble the lettering across the top and bottom. We’d also completed a little of the middle before calling it a night.
That left us with the main illustration to tackle. The plan was to build the witch and cat first, then gradually work outwards into the surrounding trees and sky.
With most of the remaining pieces sharing very similar colours, I suspected we might have some trouble. I just hoped we’d be able to finish everything tonight rather than needing a third stream!
🧙♀️ What Happens in This Episode
Things got off to a slightly awkward start because I’d just put my eye drops in, leaving everything rather blurry. I’d hoped the five-minute introduction would give them enough time to settle, but apparently not! With the pieces already spread around the table from yesterday, I had to work out where everything belonged while waiting for my eyesight to return to something approaching normal.
We started working around the witch’s outline, trying to identify sections of her clothing, hair and the little black cat. We’d already completed the border and the lettering, so the main challenge was now putting together the illustration itself. There were a few pieces we’d set aside the previous evening that looked promising, although working out exactly where they belonged was another matter. I kept finding pieces that looked as though they should fit somewhere, only to discover they were either the wrong colour or needed turning around.
The overhead lighting wasn’t helping either. There was so much reflection coming off the darker pieces that I was struggling to distinguish between the blacks, reds and oranges. I tried adjusting the angle of the board to make things easier, but tipping it too far risked sending everything onto the floor. I did warn everyone that if the whole thing ended up scattered across the room, we’d probably be playing marbles for the rest of the evening instead!
Chat was being its usual helpful self. TictaqJim questioned whether I’d bought another 20-piece puzzle from Mothercare, while Mr V wondered why I hadn’t finished it already. PapaSoup60 suggested sharp scissors and strong tea as an alternative approach. Apparently, if a piece doesn’t fit, we can make it fit! We also had the usual conversations about what everyone had been doing, including CheeseCollector31 dealing with rodents in the loft, Snoofa_ feeding her piggies, and PapaSoup preparing for a work trip.
We had plenty to catch up on because I’d recently returned from Edinburgh Comic-Con, and my hip was still giving me quite a lot of trouble after walking around the venue. Since we were already using the camera for the puzzle, I took the opportunity to show everyone some of the autographs I’d collected.
Among them were Charisma Carpenter and Julie Benz from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, Mark Sheppard, and John Cleese. Charisma was particularly lovely to meet. I’d shown her photographs of Butter, one of my chickens who used to enjoy watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and she liked them so much that she took copies. She even remembered them when I returned later!
Getting John Cleese’s autograph had been considerably more complicated because he kept disappearing and took an extended lunch break, which caused problems with the schedule. We also talked about William Shatner being hidden away behind screens, other convention guests, and some of the people chat had met at previous events.
That eventually reminded me of an older convention where I’d almost run straight into actor Spencer Wilding while making an urgent dash to the hotel toilet. He’d appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy as one of the prison guards, and I remembered him being a really nice bloke who enjoyed talking about his work. It was interesting hearing everyone else’s convention stories as well, including TictaqJim’s encounters with Udo Kier and Christopher Lloyd.
Naturally, the conversation eventually wandered away from conventions and into unusual horror films. We talked about An American Werewolf in London before trying to remember the name of a rather ridiculous film involving a vampire motorcycle. Mr V eventually supplied the answer: I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle.
That led us into a discussion about Killdozer, involving a possessed bulldozer, and the real-life story of somebody who’d modified a bulldozer and gone on a destructive rampage through a town. Maximum Overdrive also came up, along with other Stephen King adaptations. I mentioned how much I enjoyed The Mist, particularly the black-and-white version included on the DVD, which I think gives the film a much better atmosphere.
Meanwhile, we were still making progress with the puzzle. We eventually found a missing piece with a little striped section that had been causing trouble, which helped us complete another part of the top. The witch’s clothing and hair were also beginning to come together, and we managed to identify more of the black cat.
About forty-five minutes into the evening, I did have a moment when I wondered whether we’d actually manage to finish. There were still an awful lot of pieces left, and many of them looked almost identical. Fortunately, once we began connecting more of the witch’s body and working out where the surrounding sections belonged, things started moving along quite nicely.
The cat was particularly interesting because some of its outline disappeared into the darker parts of the picture. We eventually worked out where its body and legs belonged, although finding the missing ear proved surprisingly troublesome. There were also several pieces belonging to the trees that looked as though they should have fitted somewhere completely different.
We gradually completed the lower half of the illustration, including the witch and her little companion, before moving upwards into the autumn trees and sky. By that stage, most of what remained was a mixture of orange, red and black, which was exactly what had attracted me to the picture when I chose it for HallowStream week. Unfortunately, those colours weren’t quite so convenient when trying to identify individual pieces under the lights!
We also had the usual community entertainment taking place alongside the puzzle. Frodo attempted one of our Pokémon hunting contracts armed with an inflatable bat, but unfortunately failed to defeat Jangmo-o. CheeseCollector31 had rather better luck later on, successfully defeating an Elekid with a katana.
EntertainJD also started a round of our Hunger Games, with various members of chat volunteering as tributes. Gary arrived just in time to participate, only to be eliminated almost immediately. JD eventually emerged victorious, announcing that he’d used turnip power to secure the win. As far as I was concerned, the winner was now contractually obligated to make me a cup of tea!
We also had a heist later in the evening, which didn’t work out particularly well for everyone involved. Mr Smith, CheeseCollector31 and I managed to escape with the loot, while Frodo and Happy Cat Lady weren’t quite so fortunate. Naturally, that gave everyone something else to discuss while I continued searching for the next piece.
The jukebox was another source of entertainment throughout the evening. We’d started with one of the La-la Loop tracks, and despite me rerolling the selection, different versions kept appearing on the list.
Mr Smith and Happy Cat Lady were particularly enthusiastic about playing them, while Mr V was considerably less impressed. We ended up hearing several versions, including the Bavarian and operatic editions, and there was plenty of encouragement from chat to keep them coming. Frodo seemed quite happy with the arrangement, and the whole thing became an ongoing joke throughout the stream.
At one point, I rerolled the jukebox again to try to get a different selection of tracks, only to discover that some familiar favourites were still available. Even the Happy Cat Lady song managed to appear again. We discussed a few possible changes to the jukebox system, including replacing songs after they’ve been played or allowing viewers to trigger a complete reroll. That might be worth looking into, especially given how often the same songs seem to find their way back onto the list!
Partway through the stream, I also took the opportunity to show everyone a little present I’d received: a beautifully printed, scaled 3D model of Meridia’s Beacon from Skyrim.
It’s a wonderful little object, complete with its own stand, and it now has a place on my desk. Anyone who’s played Skyrim will recognise it immediately. All I need to do is put my hand on it and wait for that familiar announcement: “A new hand touches the beacon,” before Meridia starts explaining what she wants me to do next!
That prompted some Skyrim conversation, along with a look at a few other things sitting around my desk. I also showed the harmonica I’d wanted to learn to play, although problems with my arm have made that difficult. Mr V was particularly keen that I didn’t start playing it at that time of night!
Eventually, we reached the point where the remaining puzzle pieces were becoming noticeably fewer. The witch, cat and lower scenery were complete, and we were steadily filling in the final gaps among the trees and sky.
I was still having trouble with reflections from the lighting, but by then there were fewer possible places for each piece to go. We could concentrate more on their shapes, and every successful match made finding the next one a little easier.
Of course, not everybody in chat was quite so enthusiastic about us reaching the end. Mr Smith wanted me to slow down, and Happy Cat Lady was concerned that we might finish before there was time for another La-la Loop. There was even a suggestion that somebody could sneeze over the puzzle so we’d have to start again. Fortunately, nobody managed to arrange that!
And then, after two evenings of sorting, searching and gradually building everything up, the final piece went into place.
We’d completed the entire 300-piece Halloween Black Witch puzzle!
I was absolutely delighted with the finished picture. We moved the box out of the way, adjusted the camera and turned off the troublesome ring light so everyone could get a proper look at the artwork without all the reflections.
The completed image looked wonderful, with the witch and her black cat surrounded by autumn trees, falling leaves and pumpkins. The lettering we’d assembled the previous evening now framed the finished illustration beautifully:
“Once upon a time, there was a girl who really loved cats and Halloween. It was me. The end.”
What surprised me most, though, was the quality of the puzzle itself.
I’d never had a puzzle from this particular manufacturer before, and when I originally took the pieces out of the box, I wasn’t convinced by the shapes of the pins and indents. They looked as though they wouldn’t hold together particularly well, and I expected the completed sections to slide apart whenever I tried moving them.
I couldn’t have been more wrong!
This is genuinely one of the most securely fitting jigsaw puzzles I’ve ever assembled. The wooden pieces fit together so snugly that I can lift the entire completed puzzle from underneath with just one finger, and the whole thing stays completely rigid. I was really impressed by that, especially considering how doubtful I’d been when we first opened the box.
We also turned the finished puzzle over to investigate something rather unusual on the back. There was what I can only describe as alphabetty spaghetti printed across the pieces, which turned out to be six groups of repeated letters marking out different sections of the puzzle. I hadn’t encountered that arrangement before, so it was interesting to have a proper look at it once everything was assembled.
Happy Cat Lady also pointed out that the manufacturer makes other 300-piece puzzles, including a particularly beautiful lighthouse design that looks almost like stained glass.
I think I may have to pick that one up for another stream because it really does look absolutely amazing. Anyone who’s been around here for a while knows that, just like steam trains, I have a particular fondness for lighthouses!
We’ve also got a lighthouse-themed Halloween session coming up on Saturday with The Lightkeeper, although we’ll save that particular experience for its own stream.
After admiring the completed puzzle and having another chat about the artwork and its construction, it was time to wrap things up. I was really pleased that we’d managed to complete it over the two evenings, and even more pleased with how well the finished picture had turned out.
We finished by thanking everyone for joining us, including PapaSoup60 for the bits, before heading over on a raid to Ashens.
That brought our Halloween jigsaw sessions to a close. Tomorrow night we’ll be returning to our annual continuation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds, but I certainly wouldn’t rule out another puzzle night in the future.
Especially if I can get hold of that lighthouse!
📺 Watch the Episode
If you missed the stream, you can watch the complete Halloween Black Witch puzzle finale here and see how everything came together.
You can also explore our Jigsaw Puzzle playlist or visit my YouTube channel for more gameplay and livestream recordings.
If you enjoy the video, please consider leaving a like, sharing your thoughts in the comments and subscribing!
🔴 Join the Adventure Live
Our HallowStream evenings aren’t just about the game or puzzle on the table. They’re also about catching up with everyone, sharing stories, enjoying the music and seeing what surprises chat has in store.
Come and join us live on Twitch or YouTube. There’s always room for another person around the puzzle table, even if Mr V would prefer fewer La-la Loops!
🌐 Community & Links
Whether you’re here for the puzzles, gaming, music or the usual conversation, there are plenty of ways to stay connected between streams.
Live — Pull up a chair and join us for the next stream:
Twitch | YouTube
Community — Keep the conversation going after we’ve packed away the puzzle:
Discord
Socials — Follow along with everything happening beyond the streams:
TikTok | Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook | Threads | X
Music — Discover more of my music, including plenty for your own listening sessions:
Spotify | Apple Music
Support — Help keep the streams, projects and community activities going:
Fourthwall | Teespring | Streamlabs
More — Explore my other projects, services and website:
Business Centre | Download the Brochure | About Me | Blog
🎃 300 Pieces, One Very Secure Witch!
I’m really pleased with how our Halloween puzzle turned out. The artwork looks wonderful, and the quality of the wooden pieces was a genuine surprise. It’s definitely encouraged me to try another puzzle from the same manufacturer, especially that stained-glass-style lighthouse.
That’s our two-night jigsaw completed and another HallowStream finished. We ended the evening by raiding into Ashens, and tomorrow we’ll be returning to our annual Halloween playthrough of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds. We’ve also got our lighthouse-themed session with The Lightkeeper coming up on Saturday.
Thank you to everyone who joined us, kept me company and helped make the evening so enjoyable. I’ll see you all again soon!
— Dr Ravenholm
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