All Play Means Something: Homo Ludens and the Philosophy of Puzzle Making with Jasen Robillard

#homoludens #metamodernism #puzzle #paradox
All Play Means Something: The Philosophy of Puzzle Making with Jasen Robillard

Can serious play be a portal to wisdom?

Holding Paradox Through Play and Embodied Practice: This is an episode about puzzles and care. Andrea has a conversation with puzzle maker Jason Robillard (StumpCraft) about how puzzles cultivate new ways of being and seeing, holding paradox by repeatedly joining opposites only to realize they were never quite opposites but mirror-like pieces of a coherent whole. Robillard describes his wooden, laser-cut puzzles built from Canadian fine art, with uniquely drawn organic pieces, symbolic elements, sensory “shock,” and sometimes multiple valid placements that challenge assumptions of a single solution. He connects puzzling to embodied experience, attention, OODA loops, cognitive biases, and navigating complexity through “alternating base camps” and Goldilocks destabilization, relating this to career upheavals and identity change. The conversation emphasizes care as community glue and highlights values embedded in his work—curiosity, creativity, integrity, and generosity—plus a resonance with David Whyte’s poem “Start Close In.”

In play there is something “at play” which transcends the immediate needs of life and imparts meaning to the action. All play means something.” Johan Huizinga

https://loveandphilosophy.com/giving-page

00:00 Paradox Through Play
02:36 Podcast Intro Puzzles Theme
07:54 Meet Jasen And His Work
09:20 Puzzles Holding Paradox
11:38 Designing Artful Wooden Puzzles
14:47 Embodied Senses And Touch
16:58 Career Shift Into Puzzles
23:24 Serious Play And Homo Ludens
25:50 Moving Childhood And Safety
31:57 Base Camps And Destabilization
34:30 Polarity Recipes Beyond Flatland
38:47 Designing Paradox Puzzles
39:48 Many Solutions Mindset
42:54 Puzzles as Conversation
47:53 Liminal Times Need Puzzles
56:00 Sensemaking and OODA Loops
01:00:22 Home Gifts and Community
01:03:17 Four Values in Design
01:11:29 Start Closer In Practice
01:13:39 Care Belonging and Vulnerability
01:18:52 Where to Find Jasen
01:19:57 Closing Poem Reading

Lots of Hanzi Frienacht inspiration in this one: https://metamoderna.org/hanzi-freinacht/

StumpCraft Amazing Instagram Photos and Videos of Games

Jasen’s writings: Releasing the Muse: https://substack.com/@jasenrobillard?utm_source=top-search

OODA loop (observe, orient, decide, act)

Homo Ludens by Dutch author J. Huizinga: https://radioparasita.org/sites/default/files/Gong/052013/johan_huizinga_homo_ludens_1949_pdf_17266.pdf

“StumpCraft is a jigsaw puzzle workshop based out of Calgary, Alberta. They design and locally craft laser-cut, heirloom-quality puzzles showcasing the best of Canadian fine art. StumpCraft started making puzzles in 2017 and has been steadily growing ever since.

Art for StumpCraft puzzles is selected in collaboration with local artists across Canada, as well as estates, museums and art galleries with a deliberate focus on Canadian fine art. Puzzles are then designed and crafted to enhance patrons’ puzzling experience through the use of premium puzzle materials, printing technology and a carefully considered proportion of contextual whimsy pieces.

Care for the pieces - focus on the whole.
Challenge chaos with creativity, generosity, wonder and integrity.
Find your piece of the puzzle.

About Jasen, the Founder

Jasen Robillard was always a closet creative: piano lessons from age 5, art projects galore through high school and eventually an interest in digital photography through early fatherhood. He long denied the creative muses, focusing instead on a “secure” engineering career until it dried up in 2017. As is often the case, necessity proved to be the mother of invention…

When his professional hours began to dwindle in 2016, Jasen started designing and prototyping his whimsical puzzles which were inspired by other wooden laser-cut puzzles he had enjoyed years earlier. He noted a lack of wooden puzzle availability in Canada, as well as a severe lack of deliberate focus on Canadian fine art. After a year of playful prototyping and a clear end to his engineering-focused career, Jasen decided to launch StumpCraft formally in 2017.

DISCLAIMER
Educational Content Only
This video is for philosophical exploration and educational purposes. It is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. If philosophical inquiry ever feels overwhelming, please prioritize your mental health and seek appropriate support. Views expressed are personal opinions and do not represent any institution, organization, or employer. Any referenced material is used under fair use principles for educational discussion and commentary. The creators assume no liability for any outcomes resulting from your use of this material.

© 2026 Making Ways Love and Philosophy

Видео All Play Means Something: Homo Ludens and the Philosophy of Puzzle Making with Jasen Robillard канала Love & Philosophy with Andrea Hiott