With two cats, it’s difficult to have a puzzle sitting out on a table in-between actively solving it. At least if you want the puzzle pieces to stay on the table :-)

When we received a really nice, new-to-us high-top table that would be just perfect for board games and puzzles, I designed a lightweight cover for the table that would keep the puzzle pieces safe from the cats. Here’s the initial design I sketched up:

The design above is a side-view cross-section, showing the table top itself, plus the multi-piece cover, consisting of a plywood top and two pieces of dimensional lumber to keep the cover from falling off and also to keep it elevated above the puzzle pieces.

I hired my amateur-woodworker brother to build the lid, and it turned out great!