Tommy Neel, 90, and Robert Dyche, 93, face each other across the small card table in an sunny alcove at Vintage Gardens South. A half-completed 500-piece puzzle rests on the table between them.

“I see that horse’s ear is still lying here,” Mr. Neel says, picking up the piece.

“Well, this must be the other horse,” Mr. Dyche replies, reaching for his own puzzle piece. “This must be the horse’s eyes.”

The men drop puzzle pieces into place as they banter back and forth. They work well together, but having completed more than 100 puzzles, that’s no surprise.

“We have our own system,” Mr. Neel explains.

For Mr. Neel, it’s the color and the size of the pieces. Mr. Dyche says he looks for the color and shape of the puzzle pieces. Oh, and another element in their system is no women allowed.

“We try to keep the women off the table,” Mr. Neel says.

Whatever their system, Mr. Neel and Mr. Dyche have created not only an activity to keep them occupied, but have figured out a way to contribute a little money to add to the Vintage Gardens entertainment fund. Once the men finish the puzzles, they don’t take them apart and toss the pieces back into a box. The puzzles are glued and then sold.

“Sometimes we get them sold before we get them worked,” Mr. Dyche says.

Mr. Neel was the first to began working puzzles after he moved to Vintage Gardens after his wife, Betty, passed away eight years ago. He was the only man there at that time, and since the women had their activities, he found one of his own. Mr. Dyche joined him after moving to Vintage Gardens. The men limit themselves to only 500-piece puzzles, and they work on them when they have the time.

“It’s a good pastime for Bob and I,” Mr. Neel says.

Several of their completed creations are displayed in one hallway. There are puzzles with puppies, balloons, an English cottage, landscapes and a three-dimensional one of Venice. Prices on the puzzles range from $1 to $5.

“We sell them cheap,” Mr. Dyche says.

“We sell to anybody,” Mr. Neel adds.

And then there are the puzzles that hang in their rooms. In Mr. Neel’s room, there’s a framed one of Jesus. In Mr. Dyche’s room, there are puzzles featuring American Indians. His favorite is the round one with a baby wolf.

And in the hallway near Mr. Dyche’s room, there’s an unfinished puzzle of horses resting on a small card table, waiting for the two men to return.

Lifestyles reporter Cathy Woolridge can be reached at cathyw@npgco.com