Do puzzles invite you to relax? Not for everyone... For high-level enthusiasts, these little pieces go beyond the borders of their living rooms to reach the heights of international competition! Since its creation in 2019, this championship has seen fans from the four corners of the globe go head-to-head. Here, hands twirl on tables with millimetric precision and eyes meet, half-competitive, half-solidary, in a frenzied ballet. Welcome to the fascinating world of the WJPC, the world's largest puzzle competition!
The WJPC, the world jigsaw championship
Imagine a huge room with 108 tables and hundreds of colorful pieces. Add to that players with steely concentration, speed of execution and an unconditional love of assembling puzzles. And to top it all off, a jury scrutinizing every move and spectators holding their breath, because here, every second counts!
The puzzle Olympics? Almost! The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship, or WJPC for short. The puzzle competition not to be missed, whether you're a pro or not! And what's more, over 70% of the entrants are women. A veritable tidal wave of female talent!
Since 2019, the World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation has organized these annual world championships in Spain. After an enforced pause in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the fifth edition of the WJPCs will rock Valladolid's Millennium Dome from September 15 to 21, 2025. Who can take part in this tournament? Read on, we'll tell you all about it!
The biggest puzzle contest in 2025
Registration is now open for the biggest puzzle contest of 2025. Are you over 14? Then all you have to do is pay the entry fee of €50 for individuals or pairs, and €125 for teams of up to 4 people. For younger participants, form a team with at least one adult and you're all set.
Registration is open up to 5 days before the start of the tournament if the quota is not reached. But the popularity of the competition continues to grow, and to cope with the influx of participants, semi-finals and quarter-finals have been introduced to spice up the suspense. The prize? A prize of 1,000 euros for the finalists, and puzzles galore and a trophy. 🏆
And if you'd simply like to observe the wide variety of strategies employed by the participants, you can attend the event free of charge. Prefer the comfort of your sofa? You can follow this puzzle competition live on the World Jigsaw Federation channel.
Speedpuzzling events
This international puzzle competition is all about speedpuzzling! The challenge here is simple but ruthless: to finish the assembly as quickly as possible within the allotted time. For those who don't manage to do so, the judges use the number of pieces placed, adding groups of more than three correctly interlocked elements, to determine their final ranking.
The speedpuzzling events are divided into three categories, in all of which you can compete:
- Individual event: complete a 500-piece in 90 minutes, with an even tighter 75-minute final.
- Pair event: assemble a 500-piece in 75 minutes, then a 1000-piece final within 2 hours.
- Team challenge: solve two 1000 pieces in succession within 3 hours.
World puzzle champions
The WJPC not only crowns the best, it is also a partner of Guinness World Records, which verifies and validates world records. And in this championship, speed is king: the number of pieces is less important than the speed with which they are assembled.
Among the undisputed masters, Spanish world champion Alejandro Clemente León broke the record by completing a 500-coin event in 2022 in under 34 minutes! Also gold medallist in the pairs category in 2023 with Gisela Arranz Toro (1,000 pieces in 1 hr 32 min), he needed just 7 minutes to win the team tournament against the Czech Republic, who won in 1 hr 30 min.
And to reach the top, everyone has their own technique! Norway's Kristin Thuv, individual gold medallist at the 2024 world championships, is very popular with the public for her particular strategies: she spends time observing the model before launching herself, and then solves it... with just one hand! If you want to see these exciting moments, be sure to watch the 2024 final.
👉 Also read: Discover puzzling feats!
A community of puzzle enthusiasts
Beyond the records and the competition, the puzzle is first and foremost a way of life. activity that brings together. This international puzzle competition is an annual event where people come not only to compete, but also to celebrate a shared passion. Just to make sure you don't feel too bad, the less professional don't manage to finish within the allotted time!
The World Jigsaw Championship is all about having fun and sharing tips with other puzzle enthusiasts. It's a great opportunity to exchange experiences, discover new techniques and network with fans of all ages and backgrounds.
So whether you're a Sunday gamer to occupy your rainy days, or an aspiring world champion, know that this event opens its doors wide to you. And who knows? Maybe one day it'll be your name in the record books! On your marks, get set... puzzlez!
After the rain - 1000-piece puzzle
