Alex McWhorter Offers Puzzling Fun For Extreme Sports Fans
When mountain biking and extreme sports fans feel the need to finally relax, Alex McWhorter offers them a way to downshift to a more chill and cerebral activity, while still maintaining a tie to their active lifestyle.
McWhorter, a mountain biking aficionado and Doctor of Physical Therapy, is also a designer of custom puzzles featuring striking graphics and photography of extreme sports.
The Reno, Nv.-resident got into his latest pursuit a year ago, while looking for a gift for a friend and fellow extreme sports fan.
“I noticed that there weren’t puzzles with art that represents the sports that I enjoy, there is a lack of representation for extreme sports-themed puzzles,” McWhorter said. “Mountain biking is my favorite sport, but I’m planning to get into other summer and winter sports. People that are into extreme sports tend to go all in. They like to have products that represent the sports that they love. It’s also a great way to reset and relax after you are done sending it during the day.”
But why puzzles?
“I have always been into solving challenges and puzzles,” Alex said. “The covid quarantines definitely increased my interest in puzzles in general. I want to provide an alternative puzzle theme for those who are already into puzzles and hopefully pique the interest of those that may not have tried a puzzle since they were a kid.”
How long does it take to make a puzzle, and what’s the process?
“I conceptualize the art and content myself,” Alex said. “I used to be a graphic designer. I’m good at coming up with ideas but wasn’t always good at getting the art from my brain into real life. I partner with freelance artists to help with that. Once the art and puzzle pieces are designed and I have signed off, I send them to my manufacturer. From there, they use laser cutters to produce the puzzle from plywood and print the art on the puzzle.
“This whole process of creating a business from scratch, finding manufacturers, and dealing with large-scale shipping has been a huge learning curve for me. I really want this to be a quality brand that people can count on. I will always be looking at ways of how I can improve and hope to surpass my competitors.”
In addition to providing quality puzzles, Alex is also giving back to the environment. He’s partnered with the charity One Tree Planted, which will plant a new tree every time he sells a puzzle. “So, hopefully I can give back more than I take from the planet,” he said.
The wooden puzzles can be purchased through Alex’s website, www.fullsendpuzzles.com, as well as Amazon.com. For more information and details, you can check out his website and find Alex on Tik Tok and Instagram at @fullsendpuzzles.
