Uncommon Knowledge
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A puzzle factory’s exhibit has gained attention for its unique tribute to a common problem—what happens when your pet gets hold of a puzzle piece?
In a special section of the Liberty Puzzle Factory in Boulder, Colorado, sits an infamous “wall of shame” filled with pictures of pets who have committed the ultimate crime in the eyes of puzzle lovers everywhere—consuming or mutilating precious puzzle pieces.
Elle, a puzzle fan from Austin, Texas, was delighted by the exhibit during a visit, capturing a picture and sharing it on Reddit, where thousands of people have subsequently been left in stitches.
“I thought it was hilarious and spent a good amount of time looking at it. I received permission to snap a picture. I wanted to share it with Reddit because I thought it would bring joy to anyone who saw it,” Elle told Newsweek.
Established in 2005, Liberty Puzzles creates wooden jigsaw puzzles inspired by a history of family memories enjoying puzzles together. Newsweek reached out to Liberty Puzzles via email.
u/hybridginger/ Reddit
To combat the aftermath of puzzle piece plundering, Liberty Puzzle Factory has devised a novel approach. Instead of the traditional payment for replacement pieces, the factory encourages affected customers to send in a snapshot of their puzzle-pilfering pet. It’s a whimsical exchange, turning the calamity into a heartwarming display of pet antics.
The Wall of Shame boasts a montage of mischievous pets caught in the act. Elle revealed it was “mostly dogs,” although she did notice one fish.
“The workers did not know the story of the goldfish, unfortunately, because it’s been around longer than most of them have worked there,” Elle said.
After sharing a picture of the wall on Reddit’s r/mildlyinteresting subreddit, it gained more than 29,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments.
One commenter called it “criminally adorable,” while another suggested: “They should make a puzzle of the wall of shame.”
It wasn’t just animals on the wall either, other examples of things that appeared to have maimed a puzzle piece were an automatic vacuum, a washer and even Game of Thrones character Cersei, for reasons unknown.
“While I figured I would get some reaction to it, I did not expect this level of attention. I’m glad to bring so many people joy and, in doing so, shine a light on a small business,” Elle said. “The Liberty Puzzle Factory deserves all the recognition it can get. The puzzles are works of art.”
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
March Madness is underway and college basketball’s big dance continues with No. 5 seed Michigan State taking on No. 12 seed Colorado State in a First Round matchup on Friday, March 20. Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the clash between the Rams and Spartans.
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No. 5 Michigan State vs No. 12 Colorado State tips off at 7:30 PM (EST) on Friday, March 20 from Lloyd Noble Center (Norman, Oklahoma).
No. 5 Michigan State vs No. 12 Colorado State is airing live on ESPNews.
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See the schedule, live scores and resultsfor all of Friday’s NCAA Tournament action here.
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Over the past two years, 185 high school students have been awarded more than $20,000 in gifts for being excellent. These students are high achievers not only in the classroom, but also in their community. The Black Student Excellence Awards Ceremony is a celebration for African American students in the Denver Metro area with a 3.5GPA or higher.
“Growing up here, I never really got those kinds of recognitions and awards. I thought, ‘Man, it’s great to get awards for other things but for academic achievement…3.5 GPA or higher, we want to recognize you,’” said Colorado Senate President James Coleman, who founded the award program.
President Coleman saw a need to celebrate students who work hard and make notable contributions in their community. Application for this year’s awards are due by March 31, 2026.
Eligibility Requirements include:
“I came up with this idea in particular because I remember being inn 7th grade. I went to school and Wellington Webb, the first Black Mayor of Denver, walked into my classroom, and I didn’t know we could be the Mayor. I didn’t know we could be elected to office. That for me was really important. As an elected official, I believe it’s my responsibility to pay that back and pay it forward to the next generation and say, ‘We see you,’” Coleman explained.
LINK: Apply for the Black Student Excellence Award
Award winners will be honored at a ceremony on Thursday, June 4, 2026 at New Hope Baptist Church. Students will receive a signed certificate from President Coleman, a monetary gift, and a gift basket.
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