The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship (WJPC) is an annual event that brings together worldwide puzzlers to compete in puzzle challenges. The World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation organizes the competition and is supported by national associations such as the United States Jigsaw Puzzle Association and the Spanish Jigsaw Puzzle Association.
The first championship was held in 2019 in Valladolid, Spain, and it has since become a highly anticipated event for puzzle enthusiasts.
The WJPC provides a place for anyone to showcase their puzzle abilities, connect, and make new friends.
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World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship History
How did the Puzzle Competition Start?
The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship is an annual event organized by the World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation. The first-ever championship was held in Valladolid, Spain, in September 2019. The competition was originally conceived to bring together worldwide puzzle enthusiasts to compete in a friendly and fun environment.
The World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation (WJPF) was founded in 2019, the same year as the first championship. According to the WJPF, they are an international organization that aims to spread speed puzzlingthroughout the world.
The organization is supported by more than 20 national associations, including:
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- Spain
- Sweden
- Turkey
- United States
The Rise of Speed Puzzle Competitions
In recent years, there has been a rise in speed puzzle competitions, where participants race against the clock to complete a puzzle as quickly as possible. The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship includes a speed puzzle event, where participants must complete a 500-piece puzzle as fast as possible.
The puzzles used in competitions typically range between 500 to 1000 pieces and are selected from quality puzzle manufacturers.
Downside: puzzle competitions have led to some controversy within the puzzle community, with some arguing that the focus on speed takes away from the enjoyment of the puzzle-solving process.
Upside: speed puzzling can be the next step for everyone who likes a puzzle challenge. You must train your mind to remain focused and calm during the competition. Not everyone likes the pressure but in the end, the competition is a place to share tips and strategies, learn new techniques, and make new friends.
World Competition Format
Competition Requisites
Competitors must meet certain requirements to participate in the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship. You don't need a qualification in the national championship or permission from your country; anyone can represent their country. For the requirements you must:
- Be at least 14 years old.
- Represent a country in the United Nations (UN).
- Register for the competition on the official website.
- Pay the registration fee (including the competition and the puzzles used).
- If people from different nationalities are together in the pairs or teams categories, only one country will be represented (you have to choose beforehand).
Championship Categories
The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship consists of three categories: teams, pairs, and individual.
Team Category: consists of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 4 competitors representing the same country. This category has two phases: qualifying and final round, with a maximum of 306 teams participating in the qualifying round.
- Registration fee: €125 per team
- First-round rules: each team has 3 hours to complete two 1000-piece puzzles. Your team can choose 2 models among 4 options and discard the other two.
- Qualification: the best team from each country (up to 20 countries) and the remaining teams (up to 35) in order of qualification.
- Final round rules: each team has 3 hours to complete 2 unpublished (next year catalog) 1000-piece puzzles. If nobody finishes under 3 hours, the winning team is the one who has placed the highest number of correct pieces.
Pairs Category: consists of two competitors that represent the same country. This category has 3 rounds: first, semifinal, and final. A maximum of 816 pairs join in the competition divided into 4 groups.
- Registration fee: €50 per pair
- First-round rules: each pair has 75 minutes to complete a 500-piece puzzle.
- First-round qualification: 90 pairs (per group) qualify for the next round. Qualify the best pair from each country (up to 45 countries) and the remaining pairs (up to 90) in order of classification. The top 12 pairs in each group will have a single table in the next round, the remaining will share a table with others.
- Semifinal round: has the same rules as the first round. The best pair from each country is classified to the final round and the remaining pairs (up to 90 per group) in order of classification.
- Final round: a time limit of 75 minutes to complete a 500-piece unpublished (next year catalog) puzzle.
Individual Category: consists of one competitor from any country. The category has 3 rounds: first, semifinal, and final. There is a maximum of 1224 players in the competition, divided into six groups.
- Registration fee: €50 per player.
- First-round rules: each player has 90 minutes to complete a 500-piece puzzle.
- First-round qualification: 60 players (per group) qualify for the next round. Qualify the best players from each country (up to 30 countries) and the remaining participants (up to 60) in order of classification. The top 8 players in each group will have a single table in the next round, the remaining will share a table with others.
- Semifinal round: has the same rules as the first round. The best players from each country and the remaining participants (up to 90) in order of classification go to the final round. The 12 players from each semifinal will have a single table in the final round.
- Final round: a time limit of 90 minutes to complete a 500-piece unpublished (next year catalog) puzzle.
Scoring and Timekeeping
The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship score is based on the time taken to complete the puzzle and the number of puzzle pieces. Competitors are also penalized for any incorrect pieces. The timekeeping is done by a team of officials, this ensures that the rules are followed and that the competition runs smoothly.
Other scoring criteria include:
- The best players from each county in the semifinals: only the participants who finish before the time limit will be counted. The rest qualify in order of classification.
- Tie-breaking criteria: the time and number of correct pieces.
- Missing pieces: there is a 10-second penalty for each missing piece (except for manufacturing error).
- Lots of missing pieces: if more than 10 pieces are missing the player is considered void.
- Shared tables: you or your pair can be disqualified when invading the area of other players.
Puzzle Championship Prizes
The first three classified in each category will receive a trophy, the jigsaw puzzle, plus a reward according to the following:
Individual Category Prize
- 1st place: € 1.000
- 2nd place: € 750
- 3rd place: € 500
- 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th: Ravensburger puzzle
Pairs Category Prize
- 1st place: € 1.000
- 2nd place: € 750
- 3rd place: € 500
- 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th: Ravensburger puzzles
Teams Category Prize
- 1st place: € 1.000
- 2nd place: € 750
- 3rd place: € 500
- 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th: Ravensburger puzzles
How to Join the World Puzzle Championship?
If you are passionate about jigsaw puzzles and want to participate in the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship, here are the steps to follow:
- Check the Requirements: Before registering for the championship, check the requirements. According to the official website, participants must be at least 14 years old and have a valid passport. Also, participants must represent a UN nation.
- Register Online: Once you have checked the requirements, you can register online through the official website. The registration fee includes the first and the semi-final round jigsaw puzzle, even if you do not qualify. The registration fee varies depending on the registration date, so remember to register before the deadline to get the best price.
- Practice, Practice, Practice: To increase your chances of winning, practice as much as possible. The championship includes three events: team, pairs, and individual. Each event has different rules and requirements, so it’s wise to familiarize yourself with them.
- Attend the Championship: The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship is held annually in Valladolid, Spain. The championship includes three days of competition, followed by the award ceremony. Participants can also attend workshops and exhibitions, swap puzzles, and join other activities related to jigsaw puzzles.
Past World Championships Stats
In puzzle competitions, you can't really compare speed puzzling records between years or between the first and final phases. This happens because the time depends on the puzzle's difficulty.
Over the years, many talented jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts have competed in the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championships. Some have even set records that still stand today.
Past Championship Location:
- 2019: Valladolid, Spain
- 2020 and 2021: canceled because of COVID
- 2022: Valladolid, Spain
- 2023: Valladolid, Spain
- 2024: Valladolid, Spain
Global Participation
- 2019: 39 participating countries
- 2022: 44 participating countries
- 2023: 54 participating countries
- 2024: 51 participating countries
Individual Category - Final Classification
- 2019 Best time: 00:46:35 Jana Hanzelková (Czech Republic).
- 2022 Best time: 00:34:25 Alejandro León (Spain).
- 2023 Best time: 00:37:5 Alejandro León (Spain).
- 2024 Best time: 00:37:58 Kristin Thuv (Norway).
Pairs Puzzle Category - Final Classification
- 2019 Best time: 00:34:34 (Spain)
- 2022 Best time: 01:02:20 (Czech Republic)
- 2023 Best time: 01:32:18 (Spain)
- 2024 Best time: 00:47:41 (Czech Republic)
Teams Category - Final Classification
- 2019 Best time: 04:11:17 (Russia)
- 2022 Best time: 02:54:13 (Spain)
- 2023 Best time: 01:30:25 (Czech Republic)
- 2024 Best time: 01:16:07 (USA)
Preparation and Strategy
What is speed puzzling?
Speed puzzling is a competitive puzzle-solving activity that requires participants to complete a jigsaw puzzle as quickly as possible. Competitors have a set amount of time to complete the puzzle, and the fastest time wins.
Check more: What is Competitive Puzzling? The Basics of Puzzle Competitions
Training Techniques
To prepare for a speed puzzling competition you need a training routine on improving speed and accuracy. One effective technique is to practice with puzzles that have a similar number of pieces and difficulty level as those used in competitions.
The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship used Ravenburger puzzles for all the past competition categories. Except for the final round, all the puzzles used in the competition are Ravensburger past puzzles.
Selecting the right puzzle is also an important part of preparation for a speed puzzling competition. One strategy is to practice with different puzzles to build a range of skills and experience with distinct types of puzzles.
Practice for improving speed and accuracy. One effective strategy is to track practice sessions and work to refine the completion time with each session. Another game plan is to focus on accuracy, by reducing the number of errors made while completing the puzzle. By combining these strategies, puzzlers can improve speed and accuracy, giving them an advantage in competition.
