Some years ago my daughter asked me to buy her a jigsaw puzzle that she saw in a catalog.  The puzzle was a map of our country, and each state was drawn as though it was cut from a license plate of that state.  We got the puzzle and she put it together, and I decided to use the idea to make a real map.  I have completed 47 of the lower 48 states.  Some states, for instance Texas and California, require more than one plate.