USA.org Membership

U.S. Nationals & Puzzle Convention
October 21-23, 2022 in San Diego, California

Update September 17, 2022 - USA Jigsaw Nationals

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Update August 29, 2022 - USA Jigsaw Nationals

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Update July 28, 2022 - USA Jigsaw Nationals

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Have you heard about the Puzzle Club?

Puzzle Club - Sunday, July 31st, 3-5pm CST

Open to members and non-members this month!

Login to our online Gather space  to talk about the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship and do some casual puzzling.

Those that want to time themselves and casually compete will be using this Bits & Pieces pack of four, 200-piece puzzles. We’ll also be giving away some Ravensburger puzzle souvenirs from Spain! They're only available outside the US & were used for team's practice and the WJPC Pairs Final.​​

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Update - USA Jigsaw Nationals

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USA Nationals FAQ's

Where and when is it located?

San Diego, California at the Hilton San Diego Mission Valley from October 21-23, 2022

Is there a discounted hotel rate?

Yes, there are limited rooms available at $139/night. Information and a link is shared in the confirmation email once you have registered for either a contest or the convention pass.

I’m having issues with registration. What do I do?

If you’re a member of the USAJPA, make sure you’re logged into Member Planet in order to register. If you have any additional issues, email us at contact@usajigsaw.org for assistance.

Will there be a virtual component to this competition?

No, it is an on-site only competition. It’s difficult to ensure that all rules are followed and that no one has completed the puzzle prior to competition if we add a remote division. The weekend is also intended as a way to bring puzzlers together and connect (no pun intended) for socializing and cooperative puzzling.

I can’t make it this year. Will this be an annual event?

We sure hope so! Location and dates will likely change each year.

Do I need to compete in this event in order to attend the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship?

No. Signing up for the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship is separate and handled through the World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation website. Registration for that event is not open yet.

Can I register in Pairs or Teams if I don’t know yet who my puzzling team will be?

Yes, we will collect information for all competitors before the competition, but that information need not be finalized until the competition weekend.

Does everyone on a team or in a pair need to register?

No. Only one person from each team/pair needs to sign up and pay the registration fee. However, the convention pass for the additional weekend activities is $50 per individual so if someone you are puzzling with wants to take part in those things, they will need to register and pay for a convention pass.

Is there a minimum age required to participate?

Yes, competitors must be at least 16 years old to participate in the US Nationals. We are following World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship standards in this regard.

Do I have to buy Convention Passes for my kids?

Anyone 10 and older must have a convention pass to take part in those activities. Kids 9 and under can attend for free with their parents that have passes.

Can I compete if I live outside the United States?

No. Because we are considering this a national championship event, we are limiting participation to U.S. residents. This means that all individuals, pairs, and team members must be U.S. residents. However, anyone can attend the event and/or register for a Convention Pass.

I’m a foreigner living in the U.S. Can I compete?

Yes, this competition is open to U.S. residents.

Do I have to be a member of the USA Jigsaw Puzzle Association to participate in US Jigsaw Nationals?

No, it is not necessary. However, registration will open one week earlier for members in order to give them priority. After July 18, anyone can sign up to participate in the event.

How do I pay the registration fees?

When registering via Member Planet, PayPal and credit cards can be used to pay the registration fees.

I registered but now cannot attend. Can I get a refund and who do I contact?

If you cancel before October 1st you will get a full refund. Please email us at contact@usajigsaw.org to cancel. Because there may be a waiting list, it is preferred that people cancel as far in advance as possible to free up space for other puzzlers.

What is the size of the tables we’ll be using?

Tables are 6’ long and 30” wide. Space will vary in each category. In the team contest, each team will have their own table. In the pairs contest, tables will be split with two pairs sharing a table. In the individual contest, tables will be split for two individuals per table.

Are tools allowed?

The only tools allowed are box top holders and trays for sorting puzzle pieces. The box can also be used for sorting purposes. Specifics on size limitations can be found in the official rules for each division.

Magnifying glasses, using a phone camera, spatulas, or other potential tools are not allowed.

Can I change my pair or team partners?

You can make changes in the makeup of your pair or team right up until the competition. Only the person that has registered the pair or team can change its members. Identifying info for pairs and teams will be confirmed the day of the event to ensure our results include everyone.

Is it possible to make changes between members during the team competition?

No. Teams will be made up of 4 people and only those four people can participate. We realize the team contest is a marathon which will take significantly longer than typical contests. If someone needs a break to go to the bathroom or eat or drink something, they’ll just have to hurry!

Can we eat and drink outside food during the contests?

Not if you want to win, but you do you.

Anything I should know about the venue - Hilton San Diego Mission Valley?

It is in a touristy area of San Diego with many restaurants and shopping areas nearby. The beach is also not far but would likely require some type of transportation as walking would be a bit of a trek.

Parking is available per day for $5, but costs significantly more if you’re staying overnight ($20). There are public transportation options nearby as well as the usual Uber and Lyft.

Can anyone come and watch the competition?

Yes, spectators are welcome but we may be limiting access to the competition area to minimize distractions for puzzlers.

Jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts that are not interested in competing are welcome to purchase a convention pass for the weekend that gets them into a Friday night party, the casual/social gathering space and eligibility for numerous prize giveaways during the weekend in addition to many more benefits being planned for participants!

Is video recording and photography allowed at the competition?

Yes - we’ll be asking participants to sign a photo/video release and anyone wanting to take photos for professional use will need to make a formal request to the USAJPA at the event.

What happens with the results of this contest?

Individual times will contribute to a ranking for USAJPA members. We’ll also be displaying final times on our website. We can also guarantee spots to register for the World Competition to finalists in the US Nationals divisions.

Depending on when the 2023 World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship takes place, placement in this US Nationals contest may affect division placement for puzzlers that go on to sign up for the world contest.

Will this event be live-streamed or recorded?

We’re working on plans to live stream the event on our YouTube channel and then it would appear after the event as a recording. We haven’t finalized the details on this yet and will share more information as the event approaches.

I am interested in being a sponsor and/or vendor at the event. Where can I get more information on sponsorship?

Please email us at contact@usajigsaw.org and we will send you more information.

I have more questions. Who can I contact?

Please email us at contact@usajigsaw.org.

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USA Nationals Rules

USAJPA National Championship - October 21-23, 2022 in San Diego, CA

Team Division

Teams must be composed of a minimum of 3 people and a maximum of 4. No changes will be allowed during the competition. Prizes will only be given to division winners. (We will not have a 3-person team division so it serves teams best to have 4 members.)

The contest will last 6.5 hours and the participating teams will have to assemble two 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles and one 1500-piece jigsaw puzzle. They can be completed in any order but only one at a time. A second puzzle cannot be started until completion of the first has been verified by a member of the USAJPA. A volunteer will verify assembly, register the finish time and authorize the start of the next puzzle. The completed puzzle must be completely put away before the team can begin the next puzzle.

If after starting a puzzle, the team decides to do a different one 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 three puzzles before the 6.5 hours, a member of the USAJPA 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 avoid distracting neighboring puzzlers that are still competing.

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

During the test, organizers 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 authorize the start of the next puzzle.

If, once the maximum time has elapsed, the team has not finished the 3 puzzles, a photographer will photograph your table and then judges will count the pieces placed in the last unfinished puzzle, counting only 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 16.5” x 23 ⅜” (A2 size) as an aid during the puzzle assembly.

The USAJPA recommends matching t- shirts for all team members, to help identify your group.

Registration fee for this category is $115. Includes the two 1000-piece puzzles and one 1500-piece puzzle.

50 teams will be participating.

Pairs Division

Pairs must build a 500-piece puzzle with a time limit of 2 hours.

If, once the maximum time has elapsed, the pair has not finished their puzzle, a photographer will photograph your table and then judges will count the pieces placed, counting only groups of 3 or more pieces correctly assembled.

Each pair can use up to 2 trays of cardboard, foam or another type of material of a maximum size of 16.5” x 11.7” (A3 size) as an aid during the assembly of the puzzles.

When a pair is close to finishing the puzzle, they will raise a hand 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 $55 and includes the 500-piece puzzle.

100 pairs will participate with two pairs sharing a table.

Individual Division

In this contest, individual competitors must complete 500-piece puzzle with a time limit of 2 hours. In the event that no one finishes before the maximum period, the winner will be the one who has correctly placed the largest number of pieces. Only groups of 3 or more correctly joined pieces will be counted.

Each participant can use up to 2 trays of cardboard, foam or another type of material of a maximum size of 16.5” x 11.7” (A3 size) as an aid during the assembly of the puzzles.

When participants are close to completing the puzzle, they will raise a hand to signal a judge to take note of the time at the time of completion, if no judges/volunteers are near their table. 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 participants who finish the puzzle before the maximum time allowed must leave the competition area once they have finished.

The individual registration fee is $30 and includes the 500-piece puzzle.

General Rules

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 two different teams or form a pair with two different people, therefore they can only participate once per category.

Participants must be in the venue before the start of each test. All the tables will be numbered and assigned to participants. Announcements on table assignments will be shared close to competition time to allow for last minute changes.

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.

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 outside help during the competition may be grounds for disqualification.

When pairs and individuals are using shared tables, it is not allowed to invade the area of the adjacent participant or hinder their construction, disqualification may result if a participant seriously hinders another participant’s progress.

Registrants accepts that their name will appear in the list of participants of the USA Jigsaw Puzzle Association event, rankings and any other related digital or printed publication and authorizes USAJPA to use their image in photographs and videos or any other recorded media during the competitions in which the applicant appears, for promotion of the US Nationals event.

All images and videos posted by the USAJPA are the intellectual property of USAJPA.

The USAJPA 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 US National Championship the USAJPA is not responsible for indirect expenses incurred by participants, except for the paid registration fees and/or convention passes paid to USAJPA.

Participating in the US Nationals event implies full acceptance of these rules. Any incident that arises that is not reflected in these rules will be resolved by the USAJPA.

The USAJPA reserves the right to refuse registration or admission of people who may alter the public order or have shown an attitude contrary to the gracious professionalism expected by USAJPA leadership of its members and event participants.

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Priority Registration

Priority registration for USAJPA members opens at noon on July 11, 2022. Non-members will be able to register as of July 18, 2022.

The USA Jigsaw Puzzle Association is hosting its first-ever, in-person national championship, sponsored by Ravensburger! Start planning now and be ready to sign up on July 11 when registration opens. Space is limited.

Saturday, October 22

Teams of 4 marathon (2 x 1000 piece puzzles, 1 x 1500 piece puzzle) – $115 for the team

Sunday, October 23

Pairs (500 piece puzzle) – $55 for the pair

Individual (500 piece puzzle) – $30

Additional details and contest rules will be posted soon.

Convention Details

The contest and convention will take place in the same hotel. Convention passes will be $50 and available on July 11th when registration for the contest opens.

Hotel details ($139 per night) and how to take advantage of this discounted rate will be announced when registration opens at noon on July 11th.

Convention activities will be offered throughout the weekend. Anyone can purchase a convention pass so you don’t have to be a competitor to participate. 

Convention pass is $50 and will include:

• Friday night dinner and party
• Work with fellow puzzlers on a large 40,000+ piece Ravensburger puzzle
• Sprint puzzle contests with prizes
• Access to a puzzle practice and socializing space all weekend
• Eligible for prize drawings all weekend
• Wicker Kittens screening
• And more!

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USA Jigsaw Puzzle Association Q & A

USA Jigsaw Puzzle Association Interview

Who's behind the Association?

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