Rules WJPC

World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship 2024

General conditions

Registration

The registration period begins on January 1 at 12:00 AM GMT and closes 5 days before the start of the WJPC or once the participant quota is filled.

Individuals aged 14 or older may register unless accompanied by an adult as a pair or team.

Each person may only participate once per category, meaning they cannot be part of two different teams or partner with two different people to compete in different groups during the first round.

Registration is considered final, with a reserved table, only when confirmed by email to the participant.

All puzzles provided in each round become the property of the participant once the round is completed.

The Organization may reassign tables and puzzles of participants who fail to take their place or are absent 10 minutes after the round begins, with no compensation or refund granted to the participant.

The Organization may require a passport or other official document to verify the participant’s nationality if they advance to the next round, based on quotas allocated by country.

In the event of cancellation or postponement of the Championship due to circumstances beyond the Organization’s control, the Organization will not be responsible for indirect expenses incurred by participants, apart from reimbursing paid registration fees.

If a participant cancels their registration, a refund will only be granted for cancellations made up to 15 days before the competition begins.

The Organization reserves the right to deny registration, participation, and entry to the venue to individuals who may disrupt the event or have demonstrated behavior contrary to the Organization’s principles.

Competition Area

Access to the competition area is restricted to participants, judges, and authorized personnel with proper accreditation.

All tables will be numbered and display the names and countries of origin of the participants. In the initial phase, the seating arrangement will be based on rankings and results achieved in previous championships recognized by the WJPF. In subsequent phases, the order will be determined by the position achieved in the prior phase.

In the preliminary individual and pair phases, all competitors will share tables regardless of the final number of participants in each group.

Participants must report to the competition area 15 minutes before the start of each round.

The use of boosters or any objects that alter the height or layout of the tables is not allowed.

For shared tables, participants may not encroach on the space of adjacent competitors or hinder their puzzle assembly. Severe interference may result in disqualification.

The competition area will have 108 tables arranged as follows: one row of 6 tables, one row of 8 tables, eight rows of 10 tables, another row of 8 tables, and one row of 6 tables.

The Organization reserves 6 tables for non-competitive guest use.

Bringing food into the competition area is prohibited.

During the round, participants may leave the Competition Area for restroom breaks or to rest, but no player substitutions are allowed, and the time will continue to count as if the participant were actively competing.

Start of the round

Participants may not remove the puzzle(s) from the bag, unseal, or open the boxes until the presenter or head judge signals the start of the round and the timer begins.

If sealed puzzles (with shrink wrap or side adhesives) are provided, the Organization will supply a tool for opening the boxes. Under no circumstances may participants use scissors, box cutters, knives, or any sharp or pointed objects that could cause injuries or pose a risk to their safety.

If the puzzle(s) provided do not match the models for the round, the Organization will correct the mistake by recording the time elapsed in the official log and subtracting it from the participant’s final time. If the participant is unable to complete the puzzle within the allotted time, they will be given extra time equivalent to the delay at the start of the round.

Time Recording and Piece Count

Monitoring Progress: Judges will oversee the progress of the assembly. If a participant is nearing puzzle completion and no member of the Organization has noticed, the participant must raise their hand to signal a judge to record the completion time.

Recording Time: The judge will verify the completed puzzle, record the time in the official log, and forward it to the head judge’s desk.

Stopping the Timer with Pieces Remaining: Participants may stop the timer when they have 10 or fewer pieces left to complete the puzzle. In such cases, 10 seconds will be added for each missing piece (whether lost or not). To do this, the participant must raise their hand and say the word "Time" to the nearest judge. The judge will record the unpenalized time and the number of missing pieces along with the applied penalty. If the test involves assembling two or more puzzles, the penalty will be added to the final time.

Contiguous Missing Pieces: If two or more missing pieces are contiguous, no penalty will be applied, as this will be considered a manufacturing defect.

Manufacturing Defects: If a manufacturing defect results in an incorrect number of pieces and causes harm to the participant, the Organization may take measures to remedy the situation without affecting the rights of other participants.

Recorded Time Verification: Judges are required to show participants the recorded and logged time.

Post-Completion Procedure: Participants who finish their puzzle(s) before the maximum allowed time must collect their belongings and leave the competition area after the judge has recorded their time, allowing the area to be prepared for the next round.

Authorized Logging and Puzzle Opening: Only judges and properly accredited members of the Organization are allowed to log the completion times and authorize the opening of the next puzzle in multi-puzzle rounds.

Unfinished Puzzles: If the maximum time is reached and the puzzle remains incomplete, the number of correctly placed pieces in the unfinished puzzle will be recorded for ranking purposes. Only groups of three or more correctly joined pieces will be counted.

Disputes and Reviews: Participants may dispute or request a review of their recorded time or the number of placed pieces within 24 hours of the test’s conclusion. To do so, they must visit the registration desk or email reclaim@worldjigsawpuzzle.org.

Puzzle Usage and Models: In the first phase, the Organization does not guarantee that the puzzles have not been used in the same or previous Championships or that the models are from the current season.

Permited Accesories

Participants are not allowed to use extra lighting or any mechanical or digital devices that assist in puzzle assembly.

The use of printed templates with a 1:1 scale image of the puzzle, templates showing the manufacturer’s cutting pattern, or any printed document that provides information about the morphology of the pieces in each position—even if included with the product—is prohibited.

Digital devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) cannot be used to view or magnify the puzzle image.

For puzzles with 500 pieces, participants may use up to 2 trays made of cardboard, foam, or other materials, with a maximum size of A3. For puzzles with 1,000 pieces or more, up to 4 trays with a maximum size of A2 are allowed.

Supports for the puzzle box lid to hold it in a comfortable position are permitted.

Any assistance during the competition from individuals not registered as participants may result in disqualification.

The use of magnifying glasses and prescription glasses with magnification is allowed.

Headphones are permitted as long as they do not disturb other participants.

Singing or shouting is prohibited. The Organization may disqualify participants who are repeatedly warned for improper conduct.

Pets are not allowed in the competition area.

Group Assignment for First Round

The distribution of groups in the first round will be based on proportionality, ensuring that:

The total number of participants per group will be determined by dividing the total number of participants by the number of groups.

Only the Organization may make changes to group assignments, and only for duly justified reasons.

If the number of participants exceeds expectations, the Organization may adjust the group distribution and schedule for the preliminary phase. Any such changes will be announced no later than one month before the start of the competition.

The Organization will release the group assignments 15 days before the competition begins and notify each participant of their assigned group via email.

Data Protection

The applicant agrees that their name, nationality, and age may appear on the participant list for the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship (WJPC), in rankings, and in any other digital or printed publications related to the Championship. Additionally, the applicant authorizes the Organization to use their image in photographs, videos, or any other recorded media during the event for the promotion of the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship.

All published images and videos are the intellectual property of the Organization.

The Organization recommends that all team members wear the same shirt design, displaying their names and country of origin.

The Organization is not responsible for lost items during the Championship.

Participation in the World Championship implies full acceptance of these rules. Any issues not covered in the rules will be resolved by the Organization.

Frequently Asked Questions