5th Annual Artifact Puzzles USA Speed-Puzzling Contest

This is the 5th annual Artifact Puzzles USA National Speed-Puzzling Contest that you can participate in from the comfort of your living room!

Where: Your living room! The contest is on Zoom (video conference).

When: Contest happens Saturday March 8, 2025:

• Pairs Contest: 1pm West Coast = 4pm East Coast time = 3pm CDT
• Solos Contest: 3pm West Coast = 6pm East Coast time = 5pm CDT

Which Puzzle? Everyone will do the same totally secret, never-before-seen Artifact wood jigsaw puzzle at the same time. You keep your contest puzzle after the contest.    

• Individuals puzzle:  ~200 pieces
• Pairs puzzle: ~350 pieces
• There will be a small picture on the box like usual for Artifact Puzzles.
• The images are chosen for their broad appeal, and are appropriate for all-ages.

Solo or Pairs or Both?: You pick if you'd like to complete in the solo (Individuals: Adults or Under-18) or in a team of 2 (Pairs) by purchasing the right variant of this product.  The puzzles will be different, so you can compete in both. 

The puzzle contest puzzle will arrive early March in a box that says Do NOT Open!  Do not open it!

We will email you instructions to get on the Zoom call for the contest.

Everyone opens up their shipping boxes at the same time on the Zoom video-conference, and starts puzzling at the same time.  

Cost: 

• Individuals Contest: $75 (you keep the puzzle) 
• Pairs Contest: $120 (one of you keeps the puzzle)

Prizes: Yes! For both the Solos and Pairs categories:

• First Place: your choice of any puzzle we make under 2,000 pieces, or a 1 year membership to the Hoefnagel Puzzle Club
• Second Place: your choice of any puzzle we make 600 pieces or less, or a 6 month membership to the Hoefnagel Puzzle Club
• Third Place: your choice of any puzzle we make 400 pieces or less, or a 3 month membership to the Hoefnagel Puzzle Club
• Under-18 Winners: your choice of any puzzle we make 400 pieces or less, or a 3 month membership to the Hoefnagel Puzzle Club

How Do I Register?:  Purchase this product and make sure to fill in your email, phone number, and shipping address when you check-out.

Under 18?:  Please email us at artifactpuzzles@gmail.com to let us know if you would like to be entered in the under-18 division. For Pairs, both contestants must be under 18.

How Many Contestants Will There Be?: No more than 150 entrants per contest.

USA only:  Due to uncertain international shipping times we cannot accept international entries.

Tips: check out our blog post on "how the fastest puzzlers do it."

More Details: 

• We'll ship you the puzzle late February by USPS Ground Advantage shipping
• We'll email contestants a link by March 5th  to join the Zoom meeting on March 8th.
• The judges will check each contestant’s camera setup and that they have not opened the shipping box guarding the puzzle.
• There will be brief instructions given, and everyone will open their shipping box and remove the wrapping LIVE, on camera.
• Then we will start the timer, and everyone will puzzle simultaneously.
• While only the fastest puzzlers will get prizes, everyone is encouraged to finish the puzzle and clock-in their fastest time, that is the event will run a full two hours, not just until the first three people finish. 
• After the contest is over, and all entries have been verified, we will the blog the completion times and names of the fastest puzzlers. 
• You CAN participate in both contests if you want.
• Puzzling Tools: Sorting trays and box top holders are allowed. Other tools
  (spatulas, magnifying glasses, cell phone cameras) are NOT.
• Each puzzle is a new Artifact Puzzle that is not listed on our website. 
• Each puzzle is average hard as our puzzles go, but on the trickier side of average hard as they may have irregular edges (no straight edge pieces).
• The picture of the puzzle will be on-the-box.
• Contest will be moderated by Jonathan Cluff of Speed Puzzling (same as past events).