I’d always thought that solving a jigsaw puzzle was a solitary occupation done in your living room on a quiet evening on a cleared table and no cats, dogs or humans to spoil your concentration. How wrong can you be.
Much to my surprise there is The World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation which is an association of legal (I don’t know why legal) bodies with an interest in jigsaw puzzles. The Federation’s main objective is to spread speed-puzzling throughout the world, as a means of growing puzzle culture and its advantages on health, education, social cohesion and personal enrichment. Only one organization per country can belong to the WJPF.
Goals of the World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation are:
To achieve the acknowledgment of jigsaw puzzle competitions as a sport.
To establish a standard on regulations for jigsaw puzzle competitions and other issues about their organization to be taken into consideration.
To promote the foundation of National Associations capable of organizing contests and bringing together jigsaw puzzle fans in their country.
To foster friendship among jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts world-wide.
To stimulate innovations in the field of jigsaw puzzles.
Since 2021 the Federation is partner of the Guinness World Records, advising, verifying and endorsing world records in jigsaw puzzles section.
The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship is an annual event organized by the World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation, supported by multiple national associations such as the United States Jigsaw Puzzle Association and Australian Jigsaw Puzzle Association. The World Championship was started in 2019, and all editions have been held in Valladolid, Spain.
The Championship includes three events: team, pairs and individual. In all events, placement is determined by the fastest completion within the time limit. For competitors who have not finished the assigned puzzle(s) within the time limit, the remaining pieces are counted to determine position.
Team event: Teams of four complete multiple puzzles (1,000, 1,500 or 2,000 pieces) in the time limit.
Pairs event: Two competitors complete a single puzzle (500 or 1,000 pieces) within a time limit.
Individual event: Each individual participant completes a 500-piece puzzle within a time limit.
In the first World Jigsaw Puzzle Championships, only one final round was held in each event. In 2022, semi-finals were introduced in all events. For 2023, due to the increase in the number of participants, another round has also been introduced prior to the semi-finals of the individual event. For 2024, a first round has been introduced prior to the semi-finals of the pairs event.
I would urge you to view this YouTube video of one of the Finals held in Valladolid. Check out the comments below it as well: Video of Jigsaw Puzzle Competition
The UK Jigsaw Puzzle Association has 2,200 members and the UKJP Championship Final will be held at the Woodhouse Grove School, Sports Hall – Apperley Bridge, Calverley, Bradford, UK BD10 0NR on 5th April 2025.
There will be an individual event (200 participants for the 500 piece puzzle) and a Pairs event also for a 500 piece puzzle. There are spectator tickets available.
