Rules WJPC

World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship 2023

Individual Category

It will consist of 3 phases; first round, semifinal and final.

Individual First Round: Players must to assemble a 500-piece puzzle with a time limit of 90 minutes, dividing into 6 groups (A, B, C, D, E and F) with a maximum of 200 participants per group, qualifying to semifinal 60 participants from each group according to the following criteria:

The distribution of the groups will be carried out maintaining proportionality, so that each country will see its participants distributed between all groups and the total number of different countries in each group will be similar.

Individual Semifinal: Players classified will have to assemble an 500-piece puzzle in a maximum period of 90 minutes, qualifying to final 90 participants from each semifinal according to the following criteria:

Each participant can use up to 2 trays of cardboard, foam or another type of material of a maximum size of A3 as an aid during the assembly of the puzzles.

When participants are close to completing the puzzle, they will raise their hand to signal a judge to take note of the time at the time of completion.

All participants who finish the puzzle before the maximum time allowed must leave the competition area once they have finished.

The individual registration fee is €25 and includes the 500-piece puzzle from the first round (+ 2x500-piece puzzle catalog 2024 if they qualify nexts rounds).

Each qualifying test will have a different model of 500 pieces.

Individual Final: 180 players will participate (90 for each semifinal). The Individual World Champion will be the participant who finishes an unpublished 500-piece puzzle (Catalogue 2024) in the shortest possible time, or in the case of not finishing any participant within a maximum period of 90 minutes, the one who has placed the highest number of pieces correctly.

Pairs Category

In the preliminary phase, the pairs must assemble a 500-piece puzzle with a time limit of 90 minutes. In the final they will have to assemble an unpublished puzzle of 1,000 pieces (catalog 2024) in a maximum period of 120 minutes.

In the Pairs who do not manage to finish the puzzle within the maximum period it will be taken into account the number of pieces placed to establish the classification..

Each pair can use up to 2 trays of cardboard, foam or another type of material of a maximum size of A3 as an aid during the assembly of the puzzles.

When a pair is close to finishing the puzzle, they will raise their hands to signal a judge to take note of the time at the moment of completion. The judge, after considering the correct assembly, will write down the time spent in the record and will proceed to deliver it to the main judge's table.

All pairs who finish the puzzle before the maximum time allowed must leave the competition area once they have finished.

The registration fee for pairs is €30 and includes the 500-piece puzzle from the preliminary phase (+ 1,000-piece puzzle catalog 2024 if they qualify for the final).

Qualifying Round Pairs: The participating pairs will be divided into 3 groups (A, B and C) of a maximum of 200 pairs per group. The first 30 pairs from each group will qualify for the final according to the following criteria:

The distribution of the groups will be carried out maintaining proportionality, so that each country will see its participating pairs distributed between all groups and the total number of different countries in each group will be similar.

Each qualifying test will have a different model of 500 pieces.

Final Pairs: 90 pairs will participate (30 from each Group). The World Champion pair will be the one that finishes an unpublished 1,000-piece puzzle (Catalogue 2024) in the shortest possible time, or in the case of not finishing any couple within a maximum period of 120 minutes, the one that has placed the highest number of pieces correctly.

Teams Category

Teams must be composed of a minimum of 3 people and a maximum of 4. No changes will be allowed during the competition

The preliminary round will last 3 hours and the participating teams will have to assemble two 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles. Teams will have to choose 2 puzzles from the same 4 models that will be delivered. Team members will have a few minutes before the start to choose and indicate in the record the 2 models that they are going to assemble during the round, removing the 2 discarded models from the table. During the course of the round, it is not possible to change the 2 chosen puzzles.

Each team must choose which model they will assemble first, not being able to start the second puzzle until the first puzzle has been correctly assembled and a member of the Organization verifies the correct assembly, registers the finish time and authorizes the start next jigsaw puzzle.

If after starting the first puzzle, the team decides to change the puzzle before finishing it, it must be completely destroyed and put back in its box before opening the other puzzle.

When a team manages to finish the 2 puzzles chosen at the beginning before 3 hours, a member of the Organization will register the final time in the record. The team's players must collect the puzzles and their belongings and leave the competition area to facilitate the Organization's preparation for the next round.

Only duly accredited judges and members of the Organization can take note of the finishing times of the completed puzzles and can authorize the opening of next puzzle.

During the test, the members of the Organization will monitor the progress of the assembly, so that when a team is close to finishing a puzzle, they will be waiting by the table to register the exact time in the record and then authorize the start of the next puzzle.

If, once the maximum time has elapsed, the team has not managed to finish completely the 2 puzzles, the judges will count the pieces placed in the last unfinished puzzle, counting only the groups of 3 or more pieces correctly assembled.

Each team can provide up to 4 trays of cardboard, foam or other material of a maximum size of A2 as an aid during the puzzle assembly.

The Organization recommends the use of the same shirt design for all team members, with the names and the country of origin.

Registration fee in this category is €100. Includes 4 1,000-piece puzzles (+ 2 puzzles if team access to the final).

Qualifying Round Teams: Each round will have a maximum duration of 3 hours. The participating teams will be divided into 2 groups (A and B) of up to 100 teams maximum, with 50 teams per group qualifying for the final according to the following criteria:

The distribution of the groups will be carried out maintaining proportionality, so that each country will see its participating teams divided between all groups and the total number of different countries in each group will be similar.

Each qualifying test will feature 4 different models.

Teams Final: 100 teams will participate (50 from Group A + 50 from Group B). The World Champion team will be the one that assembles in the fastest possible time 2 unpublished puzzles of 1,000 pieces. (Catalogue 2024) in the order that they prefer. In the case in which no team finishes both puzzles in the maximum period of 3 hours, the winning team will be the one that has placed the highest number of pieces correctly.

Prizes

The awards ceremony for all categories will take place once the team final is finished, that is, on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

The prizes by categories are the following:

The first three classified in each category will also receive a trophy.

Pairs and teams of mixed nationalities

In the case of pairs with people from different nationalities, they must notify the Organization which of the two countries they will represent. Once the championship has started, this condition will be unchangeable for the purposes of countries’ quotas. Likewise, each team must represent a single country and will wear a single flag on posters and classifications. In the case of mixed teams with members of different nationalities, the country they will represent will be the one with the most players of that nationality (including reserves). In case of equality, the team will decide and inform the Organization which country they will represent before the start of the WJPC.

People with dual nationality will be able to choose in the registry which country they will represent and the flag with which they will appear on posters and classifications.

General conditions

Only participants over 16 years old are accepted, unless they are accompanied by an adult as a pair or team.

Until the host indicates the start of the test and starts the timer, the participants cannot manipulate, unseal or open the jigsaw puzzle boxes that are on the table.

A player cannot be part of 2 different teams or form a pair with two different people, therefore they can only participate once per category.

Participants must be in the the Millennium Dome 20 minutes before the start of each test. All the tables will be numbered along with the names, as well as the country of origin.

In the final count of pieces, only groups of 3 or more pieces joined correctly will be added to the final count.

In the case of lost pieces, 10 seconds will be added for each lost piece to the final time. If the lost piece or pieces finally appear after 10 seconds per piece, the time taken without the pieces plus the penalty will be considered. In case of more than 20 lost pieces, the participation will be considered null.

Only participants, judges, and authorized personnel are allowed to enter the competition area.

All the jigsaw puzzles used in the tests are the property of the participants once the test is finished.

Participants will only be able to assemble the jigsaw puzzle on their assigned table and within the competition venue. The sign indicating the table number must always be visible to facilitate the work of the judges.

The Organization may dispose of the places of the participants who have not taken their place or have not appeared after 10 minutes from the start of the test, not deriving any compensation or refund to the participant.

It is not allowed to bring extra lighting or use printed or digital templates in which you can see any type of manufacturer's cutting pattern.

Any help during the competition from someone other than the participants may be grounds for disqualification.

In pairs and individually, in case of using shared tables with another pair or participant, it is not allowed to invade the area of the adjacent participant or hinder their construction, being able to be disqualified if a participant seriously hinders another participant.

The applicant accepts that their data of name, nationality and age will appear in the list of participants of the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship (WJPC), rankings and any other related digital or printed publication with the Championship and authorizes WJPF to use his image in photographs and videos or any other recorded media during the celebration of the tests in which the applicant appears, for Dissemination of the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship.

All images and videos posted are the intellectual property of WJPF.

The Organization is not responsible for lost objects during the championship.

The decisions of the judges during the tests are final.

In the event of cancellation or postponement of the Championship for reasons beyond the control of the Organization, the WJPF is not responsible for indirect expenses incurred by participants, except for the paid registration fees.

The fact of participating in the World Championship implies full acceptance of the rules. Any incident that arises that is not reflected in them will be resolved by the Organization.

The Organization reserves the right of register/admission of people who may alter the public order or have shown an attitude contrary to the spirit of the WJPF or its Organization.

Frequently Asked Questions