Following a layoff in 2023, Kelly Striemer founded Villager Puzzles, a collaborative puzzle business based in Comox, B.C. The company pairs Canadian scenery with a model that pays women artists for their work, and its products now reach more than 800 stores nationwide. It arrives as puzzle and game sales are drawing fresh attention from major publishers.

What makes the collaborative puzzle business different?

Striemer spent two decades inside high-growth companies before the layoff, which she has described as the moment that interrupted the waiting. She built the company around a network rather than a single owner, and the name reflects that idea.

  • Artist ownership: contributing artists keep the rights to their artwork.
  • Uncapped royalties: creators earn payments on every puzzle sold.
  • Customer input: an annual Call for Art lets buyers help choose future designs.

According to Striemer, the "village" is the artists, independent retailers, customers and supporters who make the business possible.

Which artists and places are featured?

Villager Puzzles has worked with more than 30 Canadian women artists, each bringing a different part of the country into the catalog. Montreal illustrator Marie-Laure Plano, of Liligrafiti, created the designs Autumn in Montreal and Changing Seasons, while Quebec City artist Maude Gervais contributed puzzles including Quebec City and Sunset Ski. Striemer has said she wants to work with more Quebec artists and local shops.

Why puzzles, and why now?

The category is having a moment. St. Martin's Publishing Group has announced Tytora, an imprint for puzzles, games, logic and wordplay that plans 24 to 30 titles a year starting in 2027. Hachette Book Group's chief executive attributed a 4% quarterly sales bump to strong puzzle book sales, according to the publisher's financial report.

Striemer's own interest is personal: as a working mother of three, she used puzzling to step away from her phone. She has also described herself as particular about quality, which shaped the company's focus on art and design.

What comes next?

Striemer has said she hopes to build more relationships with Quebec artists and retailers, and the company continues to take submissions through its annual art call. Whether the royalty model scales as distribution grows is the question the next few years will answer.

FAQ

Where is Villager Puzzles based?

The company is headquartered in Comox, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island.

How do artists get paid?

Artists keep ownership of their work and receive uncapped royalties on every puzzle sold, according to the company.