April 17 Speed-Puzzling At-Home Contest

We're partnering with Speed Puzzling to bring you a fastest-time puzzle contest you can do at home using Zoom.

Individuals/Pair Categories: You pick if you'd like to complete solo (Individuals) or in a team of 2 by showing up on Zoom (link will be sent) at the right time.  

When: 

• Contest happens Saturday April 17, 11:30am CDT for Pairs and 2:30pm CDT for Individuals
• The puzzle and directions arrive early April.  Do NOT open the white shipping box!
• Last chance to sign-up: April 1.

What:  In early April, everyone will get shipped the same never-before-seen Artifact wood jigsaw puzzle of 220-250 pieces, opens up their boxes at the same time on Zoom, and whoever's fastest wins! Do NOT open the white shipping box! You keep the wooden puzzle. 

Cost:  $55/entry, mostly goes to cover the cost of the wooden jigsaw puzzle, which you get to keep, and a bit to cover the costs of running the contest. It's the same $55 cost whether you enter as an Individual or Pair. 

Prizes: Yes! Four prizes for each of the Individual and Pairs categories:

• First Place: your choice of a 6 month Hoefnagel Puzzle Club Membership or any puzzle we make 
• Second Place: your choice of any puzzle we make 400 pieces or less
• Third Place: your choice of any puzzle we make 300 pieces or less
• Fourth Place:  your choice of any puzzle we make 200 pieces or less

How To Register:  Just purchase this product. 

More Details: 

• The puzzle is a new Artifact Puzzles that has never been seen before, and will not be listed or available for sale on the Artifact Puzzles website.
• We'll ship you the puzzle early April. 
• Do NOT open the white shipping box!
• We'll email contestants a link a few days before to join the Zoom meeting on April 17th.
• The judges will check each contestant’s camera setup and that they have not opened the white 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.
• Pairs contest starts at 11:30am CDT,  the contest for Individuals starts at 2:30pm CDT on  Saturday April 17.
• You must choose ONE category to participate in, either Individual or Pairs. We will email everyone in early April and you'll have to commit to which category then. 
• After the contest is over, and all entries have been verified, we will post the
  rankings, names, and completion times of all participants. Bragging rights!!
• Puzzling Tools: Sorting trays and box top holders are allowed. Other tools
  (spatulas, magnifying glasses, cell phone cameras) are NOT.

How Many Contestants Will There Be?: As of March 2 we have 62 people signed-up across the two categories, we're guessing we'll have 25-50 contestants in each category. As far as we know, this is the first virtual wooden jigsaw puzzle contest ever! Join us and make history!