Speed Puzzling Competitions 2025
- Emilia Liberman
- Jan 8
- 6 min read
This article is updating as more information comes up! Last edit: 8/1/2025.
Speed puzzling is bigger than ever. No matter what's your level, there are fun and competitive events all around the world. Just a few years ago, it was almost impossible to find more than one competition to join unless you lived in one of the big puzzle countries like the US, Sweden, or Spain. This sport is growing like crazy!
In 2024, I participated in many speed puzzling competitions:
World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship (WJPC),
Finnish Jigsaw Puzzle Championship,
Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian Nationals,
30 x Euro Jigsaw Jams (online competition),
and 10 x other online competitions.
I became the first Finnish Champions with my pair Emilia K, won five online competitions, and managed to keep my finalist status in all categories of the WJPC. It was also my first year competing in a team. In 2023, I had done one team puzzle event with random people for fun.
Let's take a look at puzzle events and competitions to join (and watch online!) in 2025.
Speed Puzzling Competitions - Let's meet there!
European Jigsaw Puzzle Championship - July 4-6, 2025
Yes, it's happening! The first edition of the European Jigsaw Puzzle Championship will take place in Budapest, Hungary. It's (to my knowledge) organised by the Hungarian Jigsaw Association. There has been not yet any official announcement.
If you have more information, let me know! So far I have heard that there will be all three categories; individual, pairs, and teams. Registration may or may not open at the latest on the 1st of February. I cannot wait for the official information to be released.
World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship - September 15-21, 2025
WJPC 2025 takes place in the same location Valladolid, Spain. Even though the dates are similar to last year, the event seems to be one day longer this year. It's gonna be bigger, and hopefully better than ever.
Finnish Nationals - April 5-6, 2025
The second Finnish Jigsaw Puzzle Championship will be held in Espoo, Finland. During the same weekend, there are also Danish, UK, and US Nationals. It's gonna be a crazy weekend and if you are a viewer of the sport, I think there is something to watch 24/7 due to time zone differences if Danish and Finnish Nationals are livestreamed too.
Last year I came 8th place (officially) in the individual category with the legendary Panda Bear puzzle. We won the pairs category and became the first Finnish Champions with Emilia K. This year there will be also a teams category.
There is a tiny little chance that even if I would win the pairs category with my new pair, they may take away our title. This is because according to our current rules, only citizenship is enough. Even if you have lived here for over 10 years with residence, it will not be considered unless the rules change before that (which is very much possible!). In other Nordic countries, residence is considered enough. This is also something that applies in most other sports, and I hope this rule will be updated.
Swedish Nationals - March 15-16, 2025
The Swedish Championship takes place in Gothenburg, Sweden. Gothenburg, also known as Göteborg, is also a home for the upcoming Nordic Championship later in June. Both are mainly organized by Svenska Pusselförbundet which I think is hands down the best and most professionally operated puzzle association there is!
Our Speed Up! coaching business has also partnered up with them. We are beyond excited to collaborate with them in multiple ways, and you will also hear from me in their livestreams. Daniel is also joining this trip and will be part of our Speeduppers team competing, collaborating, and creating content for yah!
I had the pleasure of competing also last year in the Swedish Nationals. They have usually had unpublished puzzles or something from no-longer-existing catalogs. Fun fact, for three years in a row, a puzzle used in the Swedish Nationals has later each year been also used in the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship.
Belgian Nationals - March 1, 2025
The Belgium Championship takes place in Oud Heverlee. It will be the very first official speed puzzling championship held in Belgium. There are also a bunch of other fun Belgian puzzle events that you can take a look at their website Speedpuzzling Belgium.
When I started writing this article last week, this trip was still very much under consideration. It was a side sentence on my YouTube video that I shouldn't go because accommodation would cost too much. Well, thanks to the awesome people in the puzzle community, someone heard that and I got offered a place to stay.
I signed up for solos, and soon after someone asked me to pair up with her and I was all in. The only thing missing right now is a team but I'm sure the competition will be worth it even without participating in that category.
Nordic Championship - June, 2025
The first Nordic Championship will take place in June. Nordic = Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway (and technically also Iceland if they would have a puzzle scene going on). This is one of the events I have been looking forward to since last year.
Despite my excitement, I have very little information and Google wasn't my friend either. To my knowledge (read: assumptions), the event will be in Göteborg and organised by Pussel Förbundet(?)
Norwegian Nationals - March 22-23, 2025
Norwegian Nationals will take place only one week after the Swedish Nationals. Our current World Champion Kristin Thuv is Norwegian and surely will be taking also the title of Norwegian Champion again in Karmøy where the competition will be held.
I'm contemplating my life whether to join Norwegian Nationals again this year. I really want to go but as you can see I'm already joining way too many competitions. So this one is more of a money question at this point.
More Puzzle Competitions - I will watch these online!
In Finnish we have this word penkkiurheilija which translates to a bench athlete. You may think this means a player who is reserved for a team but doesn't really get to play. But nope. In Finnish, this refers to a person who watches sports on TV.
And that I shall be when it comes to speed puzzling competitions I'm not able to participate. Luckily, lots of competitions are live streamed on YouTube.
The rumor has it that the first Championship with live stream this year is going to be from Colombia on February 1-2, 2025. I will be rooting for the current Colombian Champion who I also have had the honor to coach.
US and UK Nationals would be my second favorite to watch but it will be on the same weekend as the Finnish Championship on April 4-6, 2025. Booo! Other speed puzzling competitions that I hope will have a live stream to watch:
Spanish Championship - date unknown!
Danish Championship - April 5-6, 2025
Canadian Championship - May 3-4, 2025
Portuguese Championship - May 10-11, 2025
Dutch Championship - June 14-15, 2025
In addition to watching and competing, I find the joy of doing puzzle predictions for these events. Watching can be a great way to learn too. My coach used to say that you can watch the game or you can WATCH the game. Amen to that!
Online Speed Puzzling Competitions
What would life be if you couldn't speed puzzle against others from the safety of your home? You will be seeing me in weekly Euro Jigsaw Jams that are live streamed also on YouTube. Want to join Euro Jigsaw Jams? Check out Michelle's shop speedpuzzle.eu for more information. She and her shop are also a sponsor of our Speed Up! program.
If you are located in the US, you might be interested in speedpuzzling.com which I consider the OG of online speed puzzling competitions. The only downside is that you cannot watch these (unless you want to pay a small spectator fee).
I recommend keeping an eye on @viennajigsawpuzzleclub and @jucari_it on Instagram as they occasionally have international online speed puzzling competitions too. Last but not least, I would like to mention online competitions here in Finland organized by Suomen Palapeliurheiluliitto.
The best part of competitions is that you get new puzzles. And you can even justify to yourself that you didn't really buy just another puzzle... you bought a ticket to a competition and a puzzle happened to come along!
Other Puzzle Competitions & Events
This list could go on forever...
If you are not competitive or looking for new types of competitions, there are plenty of other puzzle events too. A big dream of mine is to participate in a puzzle marathon someday. Is anyone looking for a teammate for such an event..? :D
Online community Speed Puzzle Pals organised different kinds of events and competitions. You can find more details on their Discord channel.
Do you know a local or international puzzle event that should be mentioned here? Let us know, and we would be happy to spread the word!
Interested in coaching? Speed Up! offers speed puzzling coaching in a group setting and as private sessions. Private coaching can be purchased from our online shop. And you can join our Speed Up! program by becoming an ASPIRE member on my YouTube channel (recommended membership level). Click below for more details!
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