Puzzle pieces paired potential partners when 46 men met 46 women for the first time at a colossal blind date, the fruit of the labors of 92.7 WLIR's controversial Cupids Chambers and Taggart and the Santa Fe Steakhouse in Garden City Park.

The idea was to provide single men and women a chance to meet someone special. Promoted on the WLIR morning radio show for weeks, interested parties faxed vital statistics about themselves (i.e. height, weight, hobbies) to the station, where morning disc jockeys Maria Chambers and Joe Taggart read the faxes over the air and played matchmakers.

Those who arrived for the blind date last Wednesday night were met at the door with one piece of a two piece puzzle. After socializing the unmatched singles collected in a private room where Chambers and Taggart helped match the puzzle pieces.

"I don't know that I'd do it myself," said Gregory Slayton of Santa Fe Steakhouse,"but I think it is a fun event. These people are pretty brave."

As is the case in real life, love very rarely runs smoothly. Take for instance Laura who came all the way from the Bronx to participate in the night's event. When asked if she had any expectations for the night she answered, "Yeah, I expected my date to show up."

Laura heard about the contest listening to the WLIR morning show and thinking it was a good idea, faxed over her vital statistics including her love for snowboarding and kickboxing. "I did it as a joke," she explained.

Undeterred by the early set-back of being stood up, Laura enjoyed the rest of the evening with a young man who could not find his puzzle partner either, and her friend Gina who immediately hit it off with her blind date Rob. "This is a good match," said Gina of her being paired with Rob.

Maria from the Glen Cove area found her would-be-escort right away, but opted to keep company with David from Sayville. She said she and David just clicked after they made eye contact. "Sometimes it just works," she commented.

The night continued with match after match made in all manner of fashion and once all the couples were settled upon, dinner was served.

"So far so good," commented Cupid Chambers, "the turnout was unbelievable. We thought if they were adventurous enough to fax us the information to be read over the air, they were adventurous enough to show up."

"Much to my surprise there have been some really good matches," she added, "Everyone has made the most of it which is really cool."

Both Chambers and Taggart mingled with the crowd, encouraging those with interesting stories to contact them the next day during their live radio show.

The success of the event has inspired Santa Fe and WLIR to set up tentative plans for another blind date to be held sometime in the future, this time instead of involving 92 people, it will boast 92 couples.

Count Santa Fe hostess Renee Trombetta, who witnessed what transpired from up close and personal, among the possible participants in the next blind date.

Impressed by the frenzy of energy, Trombetta noted what a good time all were having both with their blind dates, and with the other participants in the event.

Alan Toudi of Santa Fe estimated that 80 percent of the arranged dates were a success, and added that should any of the chit-chat that punctuated these blind dates blossom into proposals of wedded bliss, Santa Fe would be more than happy to give the gift of a free engagement party for the couples introduced under their roof.