Santa left some small, cheap jigsaw puzzles in our stockings. They are flimsy and garishly colored. Last week, we cleared off a coffee table, cut one box open, and spread out the pieces.

Jigsaw puzzles can be huge time sinks, as much as any electronic en­ter­tain­ment. This particular puzzle is of a carousel horse, its colors tinted towards the Fauvism spectrum. It has 660 pieces, over 600 of which look identical to the casual eye. No wonder an hour can go by while I try to find the next piece of the …