1969
Steve Richardson bags the Garden State Parkway (MBA, Fortune 500 companies) and moves to Vermont. 1970
Starts game design business with designer Dave Tibbetts. 1974
Is offered $300 to make a wooden jigsaw puzzle. Steve accepts the job, buys a saw to figure out how to do it. Stave Puzzles is born. 1974
Steve and Dave combined their names to form“Stave” (which also means to break to pieces). 1976
Steve buys Dave out for $1 and a jigsaw. Builds small shop behind his garage and hires an employee. 1977
Stave becomes first puzzle maker to commission original art for puzzles. Winter Fantasy, Limited Edition. 1978
Whammy Edge and Sculpts introduced. Steve becomes "Chief Tormentor". 1981
ABC News, Hughes Rudd, does feature on Stave. First national media story. 1983
First 2-Way Trick Puzzle introduced. Go Fish, Limited Edition. Sold Out. 1984
Stave builds addition on shop.
Stave trains more puzzlecrafters,
Shop consists of 4 saws. 1987
Full-page feature in New York Times Magazine.
1988
Steve remortgages his soul, moves Stave Puzzles out of his yard, builds a new workshop to operate year 'round. 8 saws. 1988
Invited to show puzzles at the White House. 1989
April Fools puzzle with no solution is created. Enrages puzzlers. All money refunded. 5 Easy Pieces 1990
Champ is introduced, Steve's first small (44 pieces) Trick design. Big media break: 8-page feature story in Smithsonian. 1993
Stave in Guinness Book of World Records for most expensive jigsaw puzzle, $15,000. Dollhouse Village, Limited Edition. 1995
Stave hosts World Championship of Trick Jigsaw Puzzles. Despite valiant efforts, the $10,000 prize goes unclaimed. Puzzle has riddles hidden throughout.
1996
Limited Edition Mystery Story Puzzles are introduced. Whodunit is woven into the story, image and silhouettes in the puzzle. 1997
Steve invents Monkey Fist trick. Limited Edition Riddle Puzzles are introduced. 1998
Crazy Claws invented by Steve. 1999
Trunk Shows begin. Stave road show travels to Virginia and Vermont. 2000
25th Anniversary puzzleNut Party features World’s First Xtreme Puzzling Event. Throngs of addicted puzzlers attend. 2003
Steve invents his first 3D Trick Puzzle, "Loop-de-Loop" | 
