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A Sealed, Vintage Hallmark Store Exclusive Puzzle

2000 SPRINGBOK CHALLENGER SERIES "DOUBLE TROUBLE" 500 PC. JIGSAW PUZZLE (20" DIAMETER)

DETAILS:

For Puzzlers Who Love A Challenge!
"Double Trouble" is a demanding jigsaw puzzle featuring a unique graphic that contains puzzle piece shapes printed within it that do not match with the cut of the jigsaw pieces - boosting the degree of difficulty and making completion a true triumph. The size and shape of "Double Trouble" also adds another layer of atypical to an already challenging jigsaw puzzle. "Double Trouble" (previously named "The Puzzler") is part of the Springbok Challenger Series (AKA Challenge Series), a line of wonderfully complex jigsaw puzzles that pose a real task even for the experienced puzzler. This Springbok jigsaw puzzle was released in 2000, while Springbok was still under ownership of Hallmark Cards, Inc., and was sold exclusively at select Hallmark stores.

Brand: Springbok (Hallmark Cards, Inc.)

Line: Challenger Series
Title: "Double Trouble"

Piece Count: 500

Assembled Size: Approx. 20" Diameter (50.8 cm)
Production Date: 2000
Model Number: PZL3802

Recommended Age: 12 And Up
Country: Made in USA

Makes A Great Gift For Jigsaw Puzzle Fanatics And Collectors!
This 2000 Springbok Challenger Series "Double Trouble" jigsaw puzzle is still sealed in its original box — ultimate avid puzzle enthusiasts and vintage admirers alike can enjoy the rare experience of opening and completing a fresh puzzle made 25 years ago.

CONDITION:

New in sealed box. Box has light storage wear. Please see photos.

To ensure safe delivery all items are carefully packaged before shipping out.

THANK YOU FOR LOOKING. QUESTIONS? JUST ASK.

"A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to find the solution of the puzzle. There are different genres of puzzles, such as crossword puzzles, word-search puzzles, number puzzles, relational puzzles, and logic puzzles. The academic study of puzzles is called enigmatology.

Puzzles are often created to be a form of entertainment but they can also arise from serious mathematical or logical problems. In such cases, their solution may be a significant contribution to mathematical research.[1]
Etymology

The Oxford English Dictionary dates the word puzzle (as a verb) to the 16th century. Its earliest use documented in the OED was in a book titled The Voyage of Robert Dudley...to the West Indies, 1594–95, narrated by Capt. Wyatt, by himself, and by Abram Kendall, master (published circa 1595). The word later came to be used as a noun, first as an abstract noun meaning 'the state or condition of being puzzled', and later developing the meaning of 'a perplexing problem'. The OED's earliest clear citation in the sense of 'a toy that tests the player's ingenuity' is from Sir Walter Scott's 1814 novel Waverley, referring to a toy known as a "reel in a bottle".[2]

The etymology of the verb puzzle is described by OED as "unknown"; unproven hypotheses regarding its origin include an Old English verb puslian meaning 'pick out', and a derivation of the verb pose....
Puzzle solving
Solutions of puzzles often require the recognition of patterns and the adherence to a particular kind of order. People with a high level of inductive reasoning aptitude may be better at solving such puzzles compared to others. But puzzles based upon inquiry and discovery may be solved more easily by those with good deduction skills. Deductive reasoning improves with practice. Mathematical puzzles often involve BODMAS. BODMAS is an acronym which stands for Bracket, Of, Division, Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction. In certain regions, PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition and Subtraction) is the synonym of BODMAS. It explains the order of operations to solve an expression. Some mathematical puzzles require top to bottom convention to avoid the ambiguity in the order of operations. It is an elegantly simple idea that relies, as sudoku does, on the requirement that numbers appear only once starting from top to bottom as coming along.[4]
Puzzle makers
Puzzle makers are people who make puzzles. In general terms of occupation, a puzzler or puzzlist is someone who composes and/or solves puzzles....
History of puzzles

The nine linked-rings puzzle, an advanced puzzle device that requires mathematical calculation to solve, was invented in China during the Warring States period (475-221 BCE).[5] Jigsaw puzzles were invented around 1760, when John Spilsbury, a British engraver and cartographer, mounted a map on a sheet of wood, which he then sawed around the outline of each individual country on the map. He then used the resulting pieces as an aid for the teaching of geography.[6]

After becoming popular among the public, this kind of teaching aid remained the primary use of jigsaw puzzles until about 1820.[7]

The largest puzzle (40,320 pieces) is made by a German game company Ravensburger.[8] The smallest puzzle ever made was created at LaserZentrum Hannover. It is only five square millimeters, the size of a sand grain.

The puzzles that were first documented are riddles. In Europe, Greek mythology produced riddles like the riddle of the Sphinx. Many riddles were produced during the Middle Ages, as well.[9]

By the early 20th century, magazines and newspapers found that they could increase their readership by publishing puzzle contests, beginning with crosswords and in modern days sudoku." (wikipedia)

"National Puzzle Day is an American observance that occurs January 29 every year.[1][2][3][4]
Background

Jodi Jill, a puzzle enthusiast started giving away free her Brain Baffler puzzle in the magazine Official Freebies for Teachers.[5] Before long, there were people asking for free puzzles year around. So she decided to only send out free puzzles one day a year, on her birthday, January 29. By 1994 this was observed as National Puzzle Day.[6] Beginning in 2002 this holiday became widely known. [7][8]
Recognition

One year, 2016, the Michigan Historical Center used puzzles and National Puzzle Day to create awareness of Michigan history. Placing historic images like old maps, photos, and other items from the state archives on jigsaw puzzles to educate.[9]

To celebrate every year, the student union at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley puts on a contest for National Puzzle Day. The contest entries are a completed puzzle and posting it on the student union's social media by noon on Puzzle Day.[10]

In 2023, White Castle released a limited edition 285-piece jigsaw puzzle on National Puzzle Day. The proceeds of puzzle sales went to White Castle's Team Member Relief Fund to help team members facing unexpected hardships.[11]

Some people observe National Puzzle Day by playing various types of puzzles, or going to various puzzle events.[12] During the month of January, some puzzles are given away to educators or offered at reduced price promotions.[13] Some libraries run puzzle swaps as an event on this day and sell puzzles with the donating proceeds of puzzle sales to benefit various organizations or charities." (wikipedia)

"A jigsaw puzzle (with context, sometimes just jigsaw or just puzzle) is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of often irregularly shaped interlocking and mosaicked pieces. Typically each piece has a portion of a picture, which is completed by solving the puzzle.

In the 18th century, jigsaw puzzles were created by painting a picture on a flat, rectangular piece of wood, then cutting it into small pieces. The name "jigsaw" derives from the tools used to cut the images into pieces—variably identified as jigsaws, fretsaws or scroll saws. Assisted by Jason Hinds, John Spilsbury, a London cartographer and engraver, is credited with commercialising jigsaw puzzles around 1760. His design took world maps, and cut out the individual nations in order for them to be reassembled by students as a geographical teaching aid.[1] They have since come to be made primarily of interlocking cardboard pieces, incorporating a variety of images and designs.

Jigsaw puzzles have been used in research studies to study cognitive abilities such as mental rotation visuospatial ability in young children.

Typical images on jigsaw puzzles include scenes from nature, buildings, and repetitive designs. Castles and mountains are among traditional subjects, but any picture can be used. Artisan puzzle-makers and companies using technologies for one-off and small print-run puzzles utilize a wide range of subject matter, including optical illusions, unusual art, and personal photographs. In addition to traditional flat, two-dimensional puzzles, three-dimensional puzzles have entered large-scale production, including spherical puzzles and architectural recreations.

A range of jigsaw puzzle accessories, including boards, cases, frames, and roll-up mats, have become available to assist jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts. While most assembled puzzles are disassembled for reuse, they can also be attached to a backing with adhesive and displayed as art.

Competitive jigsaw puzzling has grown in popularity in the 21st century, with both regional and national competitions held in many countries, and annual World Jigsaw Puzzle Championships held from 2019.
History
John Spilsbury is believed to have produced the first jigsaw puzzle around 1760, using a marquetry saw.[1]

Early puzzles, known as dissections, were produced by mounting maps on sheets of hardwood and cutting along national boundaries, creating a puzzle useful for teaching geography.[1] Royal governess Lady Charlotte Finch used such "dissected maps" to teach the children of King George III and Queen Charlotte.[4][5] Cardboard jigsaw puzzles appeared in the late 1800s, but were slow to replace wooden ones because manufacturers felt that cardboard puzzles would be perceived as low-quality, and because profit margins on wooden jigsaws were larger.[1]

The name "jigsaw" came to be associated with the puzzle around 1880 when fretsaws became the tool of choice for cutting the shapes.[1] Along with fretsaws, jigsaws and scroll saws have also been noted as tools used to cut jigsaw puzzles into pieces.[6] The term "jigsaw puzzle" dates back to 1906.
Jigsaw puzzles soared in popularity during the Great Depression, as they provided a cheap, long-lasting, recyclable form of entertainment.[1][7] It was around this time that jigsaws evolved to become more complex and appealing to adults.[1] They were also given away in product promotions and used in advertising, with customers completing an image of the promoted product.[1][7]

Sales of wooden puzzles fell after World War II as improved wages led to price increases, while improvements in manufacturing processes made paperboard jigsaws more attractive.[7]

Demand for jigsaw puzzles saw a surge, comparable to that of the Great Depression,... stay-at-home orders.
Modern construction
Most modern jigsaw puzzles are made of paperboard as they are easier and cheaper to mass-produce. An enlarged photograph or printed reproduction of a painting or other two-dimensional artwork is glued to cardboard, which is then fed into a press. The press forces a set of hardened steel blades of the desired pattern, called a puzzle die, through the board until fully cut.

The puzzle die is a flat board, often made from plywood, with slots cut or burned in the same shape as the knives that are used. The knives are set into the slots and covered in a compressible material, typically foam rubber, which ejects the cut puzzle pieces.

The cutting process is similar to making shaped cookies with a cookie cutter. However, the forces involved are tremendously greater.

Beginning in the 1930s, jigsaw puzzles were cut using large hydraulic presses that now cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The precise cuts gave a snug fit, but the cost limited jigsaw puzzle production to large corporations. Recent roller-press methods achieve the same results at a lower cost.[citation needed]

New technology has also enabled laser-cutting of wooden or acrylic jigsaw puzzles. The advantage is that the puzzle can be custom-cut to any size or shape, with any number or average size of pieces. Many museums have laser-cut acrylic puzzles made of some of their art so visiting children can assemble puzzles of the images on display. Acrylic pieces are very durable, waterproof, and can withstand continued use without the image degrading. Also, because the print and cut patterns are computer-based, missing pieces can easily be remade.

By the early 1960s, Tower Press was the world's largest jigsaw puzzle maker; it was acquired by Waddingtons in 1969.[10] Numerous smaller-scale puzzle makers work in artisanal styles, handcrafting and handcutting their creations.[11][12][13][14]
Variations

Jigsaw puzzles come in a variety of sizes. Among those marketed to adults, 300-, 500- and 750-piece puzzles are considered "smaller". More sophisticated, but still common, puzzles come in sizes of 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 pieces.
Jigsaw puzzles geared towards children typically have significantly fewer pieces and are typically much larger. For very young children, puzzles with as few as 4 to 9 large pieces (so as not to be a choking hazard) are standard. They are usually made of wood or plastic for durability and can be cleaned without damage.

The most common layout for a thousand-piece puzzle is 38 pieces by 27 pieces, for an actual total of 1,026 pieces. Most 500-piece puzzles are 27 pieces by 19 pieces, for a total of 513 pieces.[citation needed] A few puzzles are double-sided so they can be solved from either side—adding complexity, as the enthusiast must determine if they are looking at the right side of each piece.

"Family puzzles" of 100–550 pieces use an assortment of small, medium and large pieces, with each size going in one direction or towards the middle of the puzzle. This allows a family of different skill levels and hand sizes to work on the puzzle together. Companies like Springbok, Cobble Hill, Ceaco, Buffalo Games and Suns Out make this type of specialty puzzle. Ravensburger, on the other hand, formerly made this type of puzzle from 2000 until 2008.
There are also three-dimensional jigsaw puzzles. Many are made of wood or styrofoam and require the puzzle to be solved in a particular order, as some pieces will not fit if others are already in place. One type of 3-D jigsaw puzzle is a puzzle globe, often made of plastic. Like 2-D puzzles, the assembled pieces form a single layer, but the final form is three-dimensional. Most globe puzzles have designs representing spherical shapes such as the Earth, the Moon, and historical globes of the Earth.

Jigsaw puzzles can vary significantly in price depending on their complexity, number of pieces, and brand. In the US, children's puzzles can start around $5, while larger ones can be closer to $50. The most expensive puzzle to date was sold for $US27,000 in 2005 at a charity auction for The Golden Retriever Foundation.
Puzzle pieces
Most puzzles are square or rectangular, with edge pieces with one straight side, and four corner pieces. However, some puzzles have edge and corner pieces cut like the rest, with no straight sides, making them more challenging to identify them. Some puzzles are round or in a more complex shape, such as profiles of animals, and their edge pieces are therefore curved. Spherical puzzles can have triangular edge pieces.

Otherwise, all or most pieces of a modern jigsaw puzzle interlock by means of rounded tabs (interjambs) and indentations (called "blanks") on adjacent sides. The pieces are normally four-sided and may be uniform in appearance except for the edges and corners. Some puzzles are termed "fully interlocking", which means that a group of assembled pieces fit together tightly enough to be moved without falling apart; sometimes the connection is tight enough that a solved section will remain attached when lifted by one piece. Uniformly shaped fully interlocking puzzles, sometimes called "Japanese Style", are more difficult because pieces are hard to tell apart.[citation needed]

Wooden puzzles fit together more loosely, with few tabs and blanks, because of the limits of the material and the cutting technology. They sometimes include pieces in recognisable shapes such as objects or animals, known as "whimsies", "silhouettes", or "figurals".[16] Designer Yuu Asaka has created monochrome jigsaw puzzles with five "corner" pieces (with two straight edges)[17] and consisting entirely of such pieces.[18][19] The former was awarded the Jury Honorable Mention at the 2018 Puzzle Design Competition....
Research studies

Studies have shown that the ability to solve jigsaw puzzles develops during early childhood. During this time there is significant development in cognitive abilities such as mental rotation and visuospatial ability, which can be used to solve a puzzle. Throughout life those abilities can continue to develop.

In 2021, researchers conducted a study during which a group of children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old were asked to complete three different types of jigsaw puzzles. Each child was given a normal jigsaw puzzle with a picture on it, another with normal shaped pieces but without an image on it and finally a puzzle with an image on it but all the pieces were shaped the same. They were shown the completed versions then asked to reassemble them. The children were given three minutes to complete each puzzle; half of the group was given a guide picture while the other half was not. The results revealed that 4 and 5 year olds were able to complete all three puzzles within the allotted time, meanwhile most 3-year-olds were able to complete the normal jigsaw puzzle and the puzzle of normal shaped pieces without an image on it but struggled more with the puzzle that had an image but all the pieces were shaped the same. With all of the children the fastest completion time was with the normal puzzle and the slowest was with the puzzle with an image and same shaped pieces; there were also fewer errors in with the children that had a guide.[24] The cognitive development between the different ages can be seen in their completion times and how many errors were made. The older children were able to complete the puzzles with fewer errors because their mental rotation abilities, which is the ability to rotate an object in your mind to see it from a different perspective, are further developed than they are for younger children who are more likely to resort to trial and error.

The difference in the visuospatial abilities between boys and girls were studied in 2017 using jigsaw puzzles. A second-grade class was asked to complete three different puzzles, the first was a neutral one of a horse, second was a male-oriented one of a tractor, and the third was a female-oriented one of the character Bambi. The Bambi puzzle had the fastest completion time with all the children which is believed to be caused by their previous experience, and because it was finished the fastest with all of the children researchers do not believe there is a connection between the puzzles' targeted audience and the sex of the children. Overall the girls in the class were faster, and made fewer errors.[25]
Society

The logo of Wikipedia is a globe made out of jigsaw pieces. The incomplete sphere symbolizes the room to add new knowledge.[26]

In the logo of the Colombian Office of the Attorney General appears a jigsaw puzzle piece in the foreground. They named it "The Key Piece": "The piece of a puzzle is the proper symbol to visually represent the Office of the Attorney General because it includes the concepts of search, solution and answers that the entity pursues through the investigative activity."[27]
Art and entertainment

The central antagonist in the Saw film franchise is nicknamed Jigsaw,[28] due to his practice of cutting the shape of a puzzle piece from the remains of his victims.

In the 1933 Laurel and Hardy short Me and My Pal, several characters attempt to complete a large jigsaw puzzle.[29]

Lost in Translation is a poem about a child putting together a jigsaw puzzle, as well as an interpretive puzzle itself.

Life: A User's Manual, Georges Perec's most famous novel, tells as pieces of a puzzle a story about a jigsaw puzzle maker.

Jigsaw Puzzle (song), sometimes spelled "Jig-Saw Puzzle" is a song by the rock and roll band The Rolling Stones, featured on their 1968 album Beggars Banquet.

In "Citizen Kane" Susan Alexander Kane (Dorothy Comingore) is reduced to spending her days completing jigsaws after the failure of her operatic career. After Kane's death when "Xanadu" is emptied, hundreds of jigsaw puzzles are discovered in the cellar.

Rhett And Link Do A Rainy Day Jigsaw Puzzle is a short video by self-described "internetainers" (portmanteau of "Internet" and "entertainers") Rhett & Link which portrays the frustration of discovering a puzzle piece is missing.

In 2022, Andorra issued a commemorative 2 euro coin, on the national side of which a figure of puzzle pieces was stamped, symbolising the Principality of Andorra and the countries belonging to the European Union." (wikipedia)

"Jigsaw puzzle accessories are the accessories used to assemble, store, and display jigsaw puzzles.
Jigsaw puzzle accessories for making, displaying and storing jigsaw puzzles.
History

Jigsaw puzzles were made commercially available in England by John Spilsbury around 1760.[1] Jigsaws are popular throughout Europe, and in the American Great Depression jigsaw puzzles sold at the rate of 10 million per week.[2]

The first references to any kind of jigsaw puzzle accessory can be found around 1900 when a "Frame" was first included in Dutch jigsaw puzzle boxes[3] so that a completed puzzle could be permanently saved. The idea was not successful and was soon discontinued. The same happened to the mahogany and walnut "Puzzle Trays" that were advertised in Viking's Picture Puzzle Weekly in America during the 1930s.[4]

In the late 1980s, Falcon Games in England applied for a trademark, and on 4th of August 1989 their self-explanatory Jigroll name was registered (UK Patent Office Reference 1318441). Although many companies have since copied the functionality of the Jigroll, none have been able to give their products the same name. Nowadays, the jigsaw puzzle parlance "Jigroll" has almost become a generic term for all jigsaw mats and rolls.[citation needed]

Jigsaw puzzle frames, in which a completed puzzle can be displayed, have never been very popular in either Europe or the US. However, in the case of Japan, the customary use of jigsaws is for wall decoration. From the time that jigsaws first became available in Japan, in the 1970s,[5] jigsaw frames have been available to fit the jigsaw sizes of all the leading manufacturers.
Modern jigsaw puzzle accessories

Illustrated below are the most widely used modern products. Most of the accessories come in a range of sizes to cater for jigsaw puzzles between 500 and 2,000 pieces with the 1,000-piece size being the most popular.
Stand-alone construction tray

Construction trays are the most basic of all jigsaw puzzle accessories and they come in many different materials. Sizes required for different piece counts are as follows:

    500 pieces: 520 mm x 395 mm (20.4" x 15.5")
    1000 pieces: Approximately 750 mm x 520 mm (29.5" x 20.4")
    1500 pieces: Approximately 915 mm x 660 mm (36.0" x 26.0")
    2000 pieces: Approximately 1016 mm x 711 mm (40" x 28")

The major problem with stand alone construction trays is that they cannot be packed away and stored with a part-assembled jigsaw. However, they can very easily be moved around from place to place in a home - the only functionality required by many people.
Roll-up mat

Launched in 1989, the Jigroll was the forerunner of modern jigsaw puzzle accessories. The jigsaw puzzle is constructed on a green cloth that has a coarse texture to which cardboard jigsaw pieces adhere. The non assembled pieces are also kept on the cloth. When the puzzle needs to be cleared away the entire cloth is rolled around a drum thus keeping both the assembled and non-assembled pieces trapped in position until the cloth is unrolled again....
Nesting boxes for unassembled pieces

The loose pieces of a jigsaw take up approximately twice the space of a completed puzzle and these nesting boxes aim to solve the problem of how best to store 1,000 loose pieces in a small area. The boxes can be used for sorting different shapes or colours of piece. Each box has a removable insert so that sections of the puzzle can be constructed in the box and then easily moved to the developing jigsaw.
Jigsaw puzzle frames

Traditionally (especially in Japan) jigsaw puzzles that are hung on a wall are glued onto a backing board. Once glued, it is a simple process to fit a puzzle into a frame in much the same way as a picture is fitted in a picture frame. However, gluing a puzzle to a board renders it unusable in the future as a puzzle. Products like the Jigframe resolve this issue with a shallow drawer incorporated into the frame that allows jigsaws to be framed without the use of glue.

Storage cases

The product is sold with 10 cardboard sheets on which completed puzzles are stored. The puzzles along with their cardboard sheets are stacked on top of each other in the manner of a multi-tiered sandwich. Ultimately the entire sandwich is held together with straps that are provided and then the whole is stored in an outer cardboard case. This accessory may be used by dedicated enthusiasts or at schools and clubs, where there is a requirement to keep and display many completed puzzles." (wikipedia)

"The Springbok Difference

Since 1963, Springbok has been a leading name in the puzzle industry. When Allied Products took on the responsibility of upholding this world-renowned brand, we remained committed to the qualities that define Springbok: originality, innovation, and superior craftsmanship.

As one of the few puzzle manufacturers that produce exclusively in the U.S., we take pride in delivering exceptional quality. Our thicker-than-average chipboard and precision-cut dies ensure a flawless interlocking fit, allowing our puzzles to be assembled and enjoyed time and again.
What makes a Springbok puzzle unique?

✅18% Thicker Pieces – Durable, high-quality chipboard ensures long-lasting puzzles.
✅Precision-Cut Interlocking Pieces – Every piece fits together seamlessly.
✅Vibrant, High-Gloss Imagery – Printed on acid-free paper with an aqueous coating for brilliant colors.
✅Eco-Friendly Commitment – We use 100% recycled materials and vegetable/soy-based inks.
✅100% Made in the USA – All Springbok puzzles are proudly manufactured in America, except for our Larsen-branded children's puzzles, which are crafted by a trusted overseas partner meeting our rigorous quality standards.
✅Consumer-Rated #1 in Quality & Design – Our customers consistently rate us as the best in the industry.

For these reasons and more, Springbok puzzles turn first-time buyers into lifelong “Bokers.” Try one and see the difference for yourself!

Shape
Commitment to Sustainability

At Springbok, we are dedicated to protecting the planet while creating top-quality puzzles. Our commitment to sustainability includes:

♻️100% Recycled Chipboard – Our puzzles and packaging use high-quality, recycled materials with 80-90% post-consumer waste.
?Eco-Friendly Inks – All inks are vegetable/soy-based with no petroleum additives.
?Acid-Free Paper – Ensures long-lasting, high-quality lithographs.
?Sustainable Manufacturing Practices – We continually refine our processes to reduce waste and improve efficiency.

We take pride in our environmental efforts and pledge to continue innovating with sustainability at the forefront.

Shape
Our History

Springbok Puzzles was founded in 1963 by Robert and Katie Lewin, who revolutionized the jigsaw puzzle industry. Inspired by unique circular puzzles from London, the Lewins designed their own intricate die-cut patterns—making every Springbok puzzle one-of-a-kind.

Springbok quickly became a favorite among avid puzzlers, known for:

?Artistry & Collectibility – The Lewins commissioned world-class artists and sourced stunning imagery from museums.
?Distinctive Shapes & Designs – Circular and octagonal puzzles set Springbok apart.
?Unmatched Quality – From the beginning, Springbok was synonymous with craftsmanship.

In 1967, Hallmark Cards, Inc.acquired Springbok, making the puzzles a Hallmark store exclusive for over three decades. Then, in 2002, Allied Products Inc. took over production, preserving the brand’s integrity and quality while expanding its offerings.
A New Era for Springbok

In March 2025, Allied Products became part of Allied Brands, a company formed by Open Road Brands and Maple Hill Capital. This transition marks an exciting new chapter for Springbok!

“We are thrilled to welcome Allied Materials and its brands to the Open Road portfolio,” said Patrick Hayes, President of Open Road Brands. “Springbok’s distinctive puzzle designs and commitment to quality offer tremendous growth opportunities. With strong brand recognition and a loyal customer base, we are eager to elevate this beloved brand to new heights.”

Springbok fans can expect an expanded line of puzzles, featuring fresh licenses, exciting new designs, and innovative formats. Stay tuned—there’s more to come!" (springbok-puzzles)

"Hallmark Cards, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce Hall, Hallmark is one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of greeting cards in the United States.[3] In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts.[4]

In addition to greeting cards, Hallmark also manufactures such products as party goods, gift wrap, and stationery. Hallmark acquired Binney & Smith in 1984, and would later change its name to Crayola, LLC after its well-known Crayola brand of crayons, markers and colored pencils. The company is also involved in television, having produced the long-running Hallmark Hall of Fame series since 1951, and launching the Hallmark Channel 50 years later (replacing an earlier joint venture with The Jim Henson Company, Odyssey Network).
History

Driven by an early 20th-century postcard craze, Joyce Clyde Hall and his older brothers, William and Rollie, began the Norfolk Post Card Company in 1907, initially headquartered in the Norfolk, Nebraska bookstore at which they worked. The next year, Rollie bought out the store's non-family business partner and it became "Hall Brothers", doing business as the Hall Book Store. The postcard business soon outgrew the store's resources, and Joyce moved it to Kansas City in 1910. By 1912, the postcard craze had faded and the company had begun selling "Christmas letters" and greeting cards, shortening its name a few years later to the Norfolk Card Company.[5]

In 1917, Hall and his brother Rollie "invented" modern wrapping paper when they ran out of traditional colored tissue paper at the stationery store and substituted fancy French envelope lining paper. After selling the lining paper again the next year, the Hall Brothers started printing their own specifically designed wrapping paper.[6] In 1922, the company expanded throughout the country.[7] The staff grew from 4 to 120 people, and the line increased from holiday cards to include everyday greeting cards.

In 1928, the company introduced the brand name Hallmark, after the hallmark symbol used by goldsmiths in London in the 14th century, and began printing the name on the back of every card. That same year, the company became the first in the greeting card industry to advertise their product nationally. Their first advertisement appeared in Ladies' Home Journal and was written by J.C. Hall himself.[7] In 1931, the Canadian William E. Coutts Company, Ltd., a major card maker, became an affiliate of Hall Brothers – their first international business venture.

In 1944, it adopted its current slogan, "When you care enough to send the very best." It was created by C. E. Goodman, a Hallmark marketing and sales executive, and written on a 3x5 card.[8] The card is on display at the company headquarters. In 1951, Hall sponsored a television program for NBC that gave rise to the Hallmark Hall of Fame, which has won 80 Emmy Awards.[9] Hallmark now has its own cable television channel, the Hallmark Channel which was established in 2001. For a period of about 15 years, Hallmark owned a stake in the Spanish language network Univision.

In 1954, the company name was changed from Hall Brothers to Hallmark.[10] In 1958, William E. Coutts Company, Ltd. was acquired by Hallmark. Until the 1990s, Hallmark's Canadian branch was known as Coutts Hallmark.

In 1973, Hallmark Cards started manufacturing Christmas ornaments. The first collection included 18 ornaments, including six glass ball ornaments.[11] The Hallmark Keepsake Ornament collection is dated and available for just one year. By 1998, 11 million American households collected Hallmark ornaments, and 250,000 people were members of the Keepsake Ornament Collector's Club.[12] The Collector's Club was launched nationally on June 1, 1987.[13] One noted Christmas ornament authority was Clara Johnson Scroggins who wrote extensively about Keepsake Ornaments and had one of the largest private collections of Christmas ornaments.[14]

In 1980, Hallmark Cards acquired Valentine & Sons of Dundee, Scotland, one of the world's oldest publishers of picture postcards.[15] In 1984, it acquired W. N. Sharpe Holdings, a 114–year old British greeting card manufacturer for $52 million. The same year, it acquired Binney & Smith (later Crayola), a manufacturer of crayons for $204 million.[16]

In 1998, Hallmark made a number of acquisitions, including Britain-based Creative Publishing (a recent spinoff of Fine Art Developments), and U.S.-based InterArt.[17][18]

As of 2014, The Paper Store LLC is one of the largest independently owned groups of Hallmark Gold Crown stores in the United States. This partnership began in the year 1972." (wikipedia)