Instead of handing out multi-k piece sets willy-nilly, spread small vending machines across a wide area that each dispense only a dozen or so pieces of the puzzle. Put the machines in interesting locations of a city to make it an adventure. When the puzzle is completed it's a picture of the skyline or somesuch.-- prometheus, Dec 14 2001 But by the time I've collected all the pieces, I'm too tired to do the puzzle.-- phoenix, Dec 14 2001 I think this is a great idea, but you'd need to provide greater incentive than just completing the puzzle to have widespread success.
Cash prizes are always appealing but maybe the incentive could simply be some 'exclusive' pieces to the puzzle that would be different from other solver's pieces (something like a new building on the skyline?).
Even if this wasn't a casual activity, this would make for an interesting marketing campaign.-- RobGraham, Dec 14 2001 random, halfbakery