2023 World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship Explained

The 2023 World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship is the third edition of the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championships organized by the World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation (WJPF).^[1] It was held between 20 and 24 September in Valladolid, Spain.

Events and rules

The Championship included three events: individual, pairs, and team. Each event had classifications rounds and a grand final.

Individual event

First round (6 groups): Each individual participant makes a jigsaw puzzles of 500 pieces in the maximum period of 90 minutes. The fastest participants from each country (up to 30 countries), with the remainder (up to 60) in order of classification move onto the semifinals.

Semifinals (2 groups): Each participant makes a jigsaw puzzles of 500 pieces in the maximum period of 90 minutes. The fastest participants from each country, with the remainder (up to 90) in order of classification move into the final.

Final (180 participants): Each participant makes a jigsaw puzzles of 500 pieces in the maximum period of 90 minutes and the fastest one to finish it is the world champion.

Pairs event

Classification Round (3 groups): Each pair makes a jigsaw puzzles of 500 pieces in the maximum period of 90 minutes. The fastest pairs from each country (up to 15 countries), with the remainder (up to 30) in order of classification move onto the finals.

Final (90 pairs): Each pair makes a jigsaw puzzles of 1000 pieces in the maximum period of 2 hours and the fastest pair to finish it win the competition.

Team event

Classification round (2 groups) Teams of 4 members make 2 jigsaw puzzles of 1000 pieces in a maximum period of 3 hours. Best two teams by country (up to 25 countries) and the rest of the teams (up to 50), in order of classification are qualificated to the final.

Final (100 teams) Teams of 4 members make 2 jigsaw puzzles of 1000 pieces in a maximum period of 3 hours. The fastest team to finish them is the champion. The team must complete one puzzle before starting the other.

Schedule

Event schedule ^[2]
Wednesday, 20 September 2023
18h	Opening Ceremony
Thursday, 21 September 2023
10h	Individual	Group A
12h	Individual	Group B
14h	Individual	Group C
17h	Individual	Group D
19h	Individual	Group E
21h	Individual	Group F
Friday, 22 September 2023
10h	Pairs	Group A
12h	Pairs	Group B
14h	Pairs	Group C
17h	Individual	Semifinal 1
19h	Individual	Semifinal 2
Saturday, 23 September 2023
9h	Team	Group A
12:30h	Team	Group AB
16:30h	Individual	Final
19h	Pairs	Final
Sunday, 24 September 2023
10h	Team	Final
14h	Award Ceremony	Closing Ceremony

Results

Individual ^[3]	Alejandro Clemente León	00:37:59	Kristin Thuv	00:38:32	Markéta Freislerová	00:42:34
Pairs ^[4]	Alejandro Clemente Gisela Arranz	01:32:18	Sarah Schuler Michaela Keener	01:46:37	Tereza Koptíková Markéta Freislerová	01:47:24
Team ^[5]	Las Chicas Checas Tereza Koptíková Markéta Freislerová Eva Žemličková Helen Karmínová Kellner	01:30:25	The Misfits Sarah Schuler Michaela Keener Elizabeth Caron Karen Kavett	01:33:25	Non Stop Ana Gil Ana Isabel Jimeno Alejandro Clemente David Caballero	01:37:16