Don't miss it!

Bob Armstrong ( Old Puzzles.com), and I are co-hosting the

Keep those dates open. We are now accepting registration forms . There is an earlybird discount if mailed before April 1st. Snail mail only please.

We are still finalizing the agenda, but heres alook at some of the things planned. We start off on Friday afternoon with a tour of Jim Ayer's puzzle shop and his unique waterjet technology. We gather at the hotel for dinner and a chance to see old friends again and make new ones. After dinner we are thinking of having a Yankee Puzzle Swap to start you off with a fresh puzzle to do. We also have use of a special room at the hotel, aptly called 'the Library', for you to do puzzles until whenever.

On Saturday, we start off with tech tips from today's cutters. And trust me, if you're a cutter, or even if you are not, you will learn a thing or three from this session. And if you have a tip to share, let us know and we will be sure to leave room for you to talk about it.

Next, Anne Williams, noted historian, author and collector of jigsaw puzzles, will talk about Salem's own Parker Brothers and their famous Pastime Puzzles.

At lunch, you can try your hand at cutting a puzzle or just browse all the old and new puzzles on display, including the set of South Carolina puzzles. (Only a handful shown below.)

In the afternoon, Bob will talk about artwork from a collector's perspective, and Dana Haviland will talk about what got her started and show some of the gems in her collection of antique puzzles. Then it's time for show and tell, which is open to anyone. Do you have a puzzle with a connection to Salem? Perhaps a special witch puzzle, or maybe one from an illustration of Hawthorne's stories, or maybe a lovely Pastime, or something special you have created? This is the time to Show and Tell us about it.

We cap off the day with our puzzle sales. You've seen them all day, all around the room. Now they can be yours to enjoy. In addition to all the wonderful new puzzles that will be on display, we may even have some dealers with old puzzles to sell.

In the evening, we have lined up John Stokes as our featured after diner speaker to talk about his 100 Puzzles Project on Ebay. Then we retire again, to the the 'Library' for puzzling til whenever.

Sunday at breakfast we wrap up, but for those of you who can stay an extra day, Anne Williams is having an open house on Monday to view her extensive collection up in Maine.

So where is all this happening? We found a great place in the historic district of Salem Ma. The Hawthorne Hotel is within walking distance of the Witches Museum, the Peabody-Essex Museum, and for the more athletic, a jog to Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables. Salem is quite close to Boston with all it's sites and to Logan Airport is if you are flying in.

There is definitely enough in the area to plan a full vacation. See you there!!!