Piece-Off #6 - Speed Puzzling by Playful Pursuits

Welcome to Piece-off #6! Come solo, bring a partner or join a team and try your hand at speed puzzling - the top performers in each category go home with a prize!

Categories and format:

Individuals (solo): Speed Puzzling (150 pieces, fastest 3 finishers win),

Pairs (group of 2): Puzzle Chess (2-v-2, multiple rounds, 150-300 pieces, no elimination, top 3 ranks win),

Teams/Family (group of upto 4): Puzzle Challenge (one 250 + two 75-150 pieces, fastest 2 teams to finish win).

You can register under multiple categories as they will take place at different times. For Pairs, only one person from each group needs to purchase a ticket for the Pair. For Teams, each person in the Team must buy a ticket.

Time and Schedule:

3.30 PM - 9 PM, Saturday, 1st February.

  • 3.30 PM: Individual check-in and briefing.
  • 3.45-4.45: Individuals Speed Puzzling
  • 5 PM: Pairs check-in and briefing.
  • 5.15-7.15 PM: Pairs Puzzle Chess.
  • 8 PM: Teams/Family check-in and briefing.
  • 8.15-9.15 PM: Teams/Family Puzzle Challenge.

Rules:

Individuals - Speed Puzzling:

  • Competitors have 60 minutes (1 hour) to complete a 150-piece jigsaw puzzle from Frank’s catalogue.
  • Puzzles will come bagged, with an image for reference.
  • Only letter openers, keys or other non-sharp objects may be used to open the plastic that covers the puzzle; sharp objects like scissors or box cutters are not permitted.
  • If, once the time period has elapsed a participant has not finished the puzzle, we will count the number of placed pieces, adding only lots of 3 or more pieces correctly joined together. Competitors will be ranked by the least number of unplaced pieces.
  • If pieces are missing/misplaced at the end of the puzzle, 10 seconds for each lost piece will be added to the final time. If there are 2 or more adjacent and missing pieces, no penalty will be applied as it is considered a manufacturing error.
  • Tickets include registration and the cost of the competition puzzle - Individuals take their puzzle home!
  • The fastest three finishers win puzzles sponsored by Frank Toys!

Pairs - Puzzle Chess:

  • There will be 3 rounds of 2-v-2 matches (i.e. each Pair plays another Pair). There will be a gameplay demo before rounds start.
  • Matches and rankings will follow the Swiss format - this means there will be no player elimination and all players will play the same number of matches.
  • Matches will be played in the “Puzzle Chess” format: Players will take turns to place one piece at a time in the puzzle, alternating between team members each time, using a chess clock to track the time taken to do so. The Pair with the most time remaining on the clock at the end of the match wins.
  • Puzzles will range from 150-300 pieces. Borders will be constructed off the clock before the match begins.
  • Top 3 Pairs win prizes from our sponsor!

Teams/Family - the Puzzle Challenge:

  • Each Team has 60 minutes to complete a 250-piece puzzle and two 75-150-piece puzzles.
  • All three puzzles must be worked on simultaneously!
  • Teams must choose one member to solve one 75-150-puzzle and one to solve the other. The remaining two members solve the 250-piece puzzle. Once the smaller puzzles have been completed, all four team members can work on the larger puzzle together.
  • The fastest two teams to complete all three puzzles win prizes!