During lockdown, puzzles became cool again. Many spent hours trying to piece together colorful photographs of hot air balloons, and some are already beginning to crack into their holiday puzzles.
According to a press release, Smirnoff has “teamed up” with fictional home goods brand Cremsiffino to release a line of limited-edition NICELY Gifted Puzzles. Each 121-piece design provides the chance to kill some time while assembling festive scenes. More importantly, each puzzle offers the chance to “ice” unsuspecting friends.
When solved, each scene reveals a bottle of Smirnoff Ice smack dab in the middle. The packaging gives nothing away, offering a fake, wholesome image of what the puzzle should look like when solved. Even the puzzle name, “NICELY Gifted,” is designed to conceal the word “ice” and offers fans the perfect way to surprise their friends.
Smirnoff created the fictional retailer Cremsiffino in 2019 to help consumers ice their friends. Last year’s prank included boxes that seemed to contain luxury appliances, but when opened, revealed a bottle of Smirnoff Ice. (Eagle-eyed readers with a penchant for puzzles may note that Cremsiffino is an anagram of Smirnoff Ice.)
This year, there are three puzzles to choose from, including a festive cat, a cheerful snowman, and a Christmas tree surrounded by stars — and topped with a Smirnoff Ice, naturally.
Each box comes with a $5 offer from Drizly for new users, and can be purchased at nicelygifted.com by anyone 21 or older. For just $21, it’s a great way to snap your friends out of their puzzle phase or provide one, very on-brand, final surprise of 2020.
