Hi, we’re Monica and Rae—together we are PuzzledAboutEverything! Serious puzzling became my lifeline during the empty-nester phase of my life. After being a stay-at-home mom for 25 years, I wasn’t quite prepared for the quiet that came when the last of our three kids moved out. 😞 Enter puzzles—a perfect mix of challenge, creativity, and calm that boosted my mental well-being and quickly became my happy place. But I couldn’t stop at simply finishing a puzzle and putting it back in the box 📦. I wanted to make them come alive! That’s when I crowned myself Puzzle Imagineer and began creating reels. My creativity found a whole new outlet, and I discovered the joy of sharing the magic of puzzles with others. Fast forward a bit, and our puzzle passion has taken us on some incredible adventures—literally across the seas! We now bring over 200 puzzles with us on Royal Caribbean cruises, representing 30–50 different puzzle brands. Onboard, we host social puzzling sessions that connect fellow cruisers from all over the world. It’s amazing to watch strangers become instant friends over a shared love of puzzling. Some say we’re like “global puzzle ambassadors,” and honestly, we love that title! 🧩🌎 I’ll admit, I’m not naturally tech-savvy. I spent decades raising our kids long before social media existed 🥰, and now I’m constantly learning new editing apps, effects, and trends—sometimes succeeding spectacularly, sometimes…well, not so much 😂. The challenge keeps me sharp and my brain happy, which is especially important given our family history with dementia. Every new reel is a mini adventure in creativity and learning. We live on a small condo that has no dedicated puzzle room, our puzzles live in closets, under beds, and tucked in every available corner. And when it comes to making a reel? It’s a full production, moving furniture, setting up lights, and tripods—it’s worth every minute for the magic it creates. Rae, now retired, joins me in constructing puzzles and producing these reels. After nearly 40 years of marriage, reconnecting through puzzles has been such a gift. We take long walks scouting creative puzzle-shot locations, share ideas over wine or beer, and puzzle side by side—our days full of laughter, creativity, and connection. I started my Instagram account 7 years ago at the urging of our kids, who were tired of receiving endless puzzle photos. Now, our posts reach far beyond family, connecting us with a warm, vibrant puzzle community full of love, support, and endless inspiration 🥰. Through our travels—both in Toronto and around the globe—we’ve visited puzzle brands, stores, and fellow puzzle lovers, forging friendships that feel like family. And on cruises, we’ve seen the joy puzzles can bring to strangers, sparking laughter, conversation, and shared triumphs as pieces fit together. These experiences have truly expanded the puzzle world into something bigger than we ever imagined. Is there more to come? Absolutely! There are new adventures, new collaborations, and new puzzles waiting just over the horizon. We can’t wait to share them with you. To be continued…
IN CONVERSATION
Puzzling has led us to some unexpected places — including behind a few microphones.
On these podcast appearances, Rae and I share how our love of jigsaw puzzles grew into something much bigger: travelling, hosting social puzzling events on cruise ships, and connecting with people around the world.
But these conversations go beyond puzzles. They touch on creativity, embracing change, learning new things (including navigating the world of technology!), and stepping into a new chapter as empty nesters — finding joy in reinventing ourselves and building something meaningful together.
Each conversation is a little different, but all of them reflect the same thread: following what you love can take you places you never imagined.
Have a listen to the episodes below:
FEATURED PODCAST/YOUTube EPISODES
Dissectologists - host Lucille Jabbour
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/when-puzzling-becomes-a-shared-language-with/id1881584752?i=1000758198239
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2IX8C7DeXyOvcIsrHMBXkw
YouTube: https://youtu.be/s5RYjs9tIbE?si=_JP4siWPKYDLbrQx
Creativity Found - host Claire Waite Brown
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386667/episodes/18931517
Most Memorable Journeys EPS 238 - host Elisabeth Villiger
Apple Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/cy/podcast/most-memorable-journeys/id1559868244?i=1000758326280
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/14FXXM4ESj5k72mIqeeugS?si=VXxb54vCTMadmzTqAjWhMg
YouTube
https://youtu.be/ONawqlnsUi0?is=7FmHwNhj2a4xcSVC
Puzzled and Chatty - host Adam Gray
https://youtu.be/yRpnE4D6pgQ?si=PP5HKFuStE7R9W4T
B2B Creator Spotlight - host Michael Bernzweig
The Boomer Woman's Podcast Episode 322:
"Puzzles, Partnership and Reinvention" - hosted by Agnes Knowles
Assorted Conversations Eps 49 - host Helen
The Puzzled About Everything Conversation with Monica Marlatt
We host special social speed puzzle events on board Royal Caribbean Cruises, check out these upcoming dates:
2026
Odyssey of the Seas
March 15th - March 30th, 2026
New Jersey to Barcelona
Liberty of the Seas
October 16th - October 31st, 2026
Southampton UK to Galveston TX
2027 Cruises will be posted in April of this year ... Stay tuned.






