Rules WJPC
World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship 2025
Individual Category
It will consist of 3 phases: first round, second round and final.
Individual First Round: A maximum of 1.800 players will participate, divided into 9 groups (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I) with a maximum of 200 participants per group.
Each participant will receive 2 puzzles of 500 pieces hidden in an opaque bag that they cannot discover until the beginning of the event, and they must assemble only one of them in a maximum time of 90 minutes, with the first 55 classified in each group accessing the next round. In the event of a tie for the last place that gives access to the next round, both participants will access.
The top 8 classified in each group will participate on a single table in the next round, the rest will share a table with other participant.
Play-off: Of all the countries that have not achieved any representatives in the second round, the participant from each of those countries that has achieved the best position in the first round will advance to the next round. If there is a tie for position, both participants will qualify for the next round.
Second round: A maximum of 540 players will participate, divided into 3 groups of a maximum of 180 participants per group (165 by direct qualification and max 15 by play-off):
S1: Qualified Groups A, B and C
S2: Qualified Groups D, E and F
S3: Qualified Groups G, H and I
Participants will have to assemble an unpublished 500-piece jigsaw puzzle (Catalogue 2026), within a maximum period of 75 minutes, with the first 60 qualified from each round of the second round accessing the final.
The top 8 in each round will participate in a single table in the final, the rest will share a table.
Individual Final: 180 players will participate (60 qualifiers from each semifinal). The Individual World Champion will be the participant who manages to assemble an unpublished 500-piece jigsaw puzzle (Catalog 2026) in the shortest possible time, or in the case of no participant finishing within the maximum period of 75 minutes, the one who has placed the highest number of pieces correctly.
The individual registration fee is €60, until May 31th (20% discount). The amount includes the two puzzles of the first round, and the remaining puzzles if you qualify for the second round and the final.
Pairs Category
It will consist of 3 phases: first round, semifinal and final.
Pairs First Round: A maximum of 1.200 pairs will participate, divided into 6 groups (A, B, C, D, E and F) with a maximum of 200 pairs per group.
Each participating pair will receive 2 puzzles of 500 pieces hidden in an opaque bag that they cannot discover until the beginning of the event, and they must assemble only one of them in a maximum time of 75 minutes, with the first 55 pairs classified in each group entering the next round. In the event of a tie for the last place that gives access to the next round, both participants will enter.
The top 8 pairs classified in each group will participate on a single table in the semifinal, the rest will share a table with other pair.
Play-off: Of all the countries that have not achieved any representatives in the second round, the pair from each of those countries that has achieved the best position in the first round will advance to the next round. If there is a tie for position, both participants will qualify for the next round.
Semifinal Pairs: A maximum of 360 pairs will participate, divided into 2 groups of a maximum of 180 pairs per group (160 by direct qualification and 20 by country play-off):
S1: Qualified Groups A, B and C
S2: Qualified Groups D, E and F
The participating pairs will have to assemble an unpublished 500-piece jigsaw puzzle (Catalogue 2026), within a maximum period of 60 minutes, with the first 50 qualified from each semi-final going through to the final.
Final Pairs: 100 pairs will participate (50 classified from each semifinal). The World Champion pair will be the one who manages to finish an unpublished 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle (Catalogue 2026) in the shortest time, or in the case of no pair finishing within the maximum period of 2 hours, the one who has placed the most pieces correctly.
The registration fee for pairs is €60 per pair, for registrations made until May 31th (20% discount). The amount includes the two puzzles of the first round, and the remaining puzzles if you qualify for the second round and the final.
Teams Category
It will consist of 2 phases: first round and final.
Teams must be composed of a minimum of 3 people and a maximum of 4. No changes will be allowed during the competition.
Each team must choose the first puzzle, not being able to start assembling second puzzle until first puzzle has been correctly completed
and a member of the Organization verifies the correct assembly, records the time in participation act and authorizes to start next 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.
Qualifying Round Teams: A maximum of 500 teams will participate, divided into 5 groups (A, B, C, D and F) with a maximum of 100 teams per group.
The teams will have 3 hours to assemble two 1.000-piece jigsaw puzzles from 4 models.
The team will have a few minutes before the start to chose 2 models,
removing the 2 discarded models from the table. During the test, it is not possible to modify the 2 chosen puzzles.
The first 20 classified teams from each group will advance to the final
Play-off: Of all the participating teams from non-qualified countries, the best position team from each country will advance to the final, up to a maximum of 5 countries
Teams Final: 105 teams will participate (20 classified from each group + 5 of playoff). The World Champion team will be the one that assembles in the fastest possible time
two unpublished 1.000-piece jigsaw puzzles (Catalogue 2026) 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.
Registration fee in this category is €125, until May 31th (20% discount).
The amount includes all the 1.000-piece jigsaw puzzles in the tests in which participate.
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:
Individual: First classified World Champion Trophy + €2.000, 2nd classified Trophy + €1.500 and 3rd classified Trophy + €1.000. From 4th to 10th place trophies and puzzles
Pairs: First pair classified Trophy + €2.000, 2nd classified Trophy + €1.500 and 3rd classified Trophy + €1.000. From 4th to 10th place trophies and puzzles
Teams: First team classified Trophy + €2.000, 2nd classified Trophy + €1.500 and 3rd classified Trophy + €1.000. From 4th to 10th place trophies and puzzles
Subcategories (*):
Individual Debutant: First classified Trophy + €500, 2nd place Trophy + €300 and 3rd place Trophy + €200. (players who have not previously participated in this category in any of the previous editions).
Individual Junior18: Trophy and puzzles for 3 top classified (players under 18 years old - born in 2007 or later)
Individual Senior A: Trophy and puzzles for 3 top classified (players from 45 to 60 years old - born from 1965 to 1979)
Individual Senior B: Trophy and puzzles for 3 top classified (players aged 60 and over - born in 1964 or before)
Pairs Debutant: Trophy and puzzles for 3 top pairs classified (players who have not previously participated in this category in any of the previous editions).
(*) If there aren’t enough participants in the finals of any subcategory, a tiebreaker will be held between the top 5 finishers in the final round before they are eliminated.
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 (born before 2011) may register unless accompanied by an adult as a pair or team.
Each person can only participate once per category, that is, they cannot be part of two different teams or form a pair with two different people and participate in different groups in the first round.
Registration is considered final, with a reserved table, only when confirmed by email to the participant.
All puzzles delivered in each round become the property of the participant once the round is completed.
The Organization may use the tables and puzzles of participants who have not taken their place or have not shown up after 10 minutes of the start of the test, without any compensation or refund being derived 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 case of cancellation or postponement of the Championship due reasons beyond the Organization’s control, the Organization will not be responsible for indirect expenses incurred by participants, except for the registration fees paid.
If the cancellation is made by the participant, only those paid up to 15 days before the start of the competition are entired to a refund of the registration fee.
The Organization reserves the right to deny registration, participation, and entry to the venue to individuals it deems likely to disrupt the event or engage in behavior contrary to the principles of the Organization or its board members.
Countries and Nationalities
The Organization recognizes the official list of countries of COI.
Individuals with two or more nationalities must choose one to represent in the individual category before participating. Once chosen and participation has occurred, this selection cannot be changed in any future WJPC editions and must use same nationality in all tests.
Mixed pairs / teams
A mixed pair is considered to be one whose players are of different nationalities, regardless of their place of residence.
Mixed teams are those that do not have a majority of members from the same country, i.e., three out of four of the same nationality.
Mixed pairs and teams will participate under the international WJPF flag and will not be eligible for the play-offs due to the country rule.
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.
Food is not allowed into the competition area.
During the test, participants may leave the Competition Area whenever they wish to go to the toilet or rest, and player changes are not permitted and the time will be counted as if they were participating.
Start of the round
Until the presenter or main judge signals the start of the race and the stopwatch starts, participants may not remove the puzzle(s) from the bag, unseal or open the boxes.
If the puzzles are delivered sealed (with shrink wrap or side adhesives), the Organisation will provide an accessory for opening the boxes. Under no circumstances may the participant use scissors, cutters, knives or any other sharp or pointed object that may cause injuries or put the participant’s integrity at risk.
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: The judge will record the completion time when the participant clearly and audibly says ’TIME’ or ’STOP.’ Only then will the final time and any missing pieces be noted on the participant’s result sheet and submitted to the secretariat for inclusion in the results list. No changes to the recorded result will be allowed once a participant or pair/team has declared the puzzle completed by saying ’TIME’ or ’STOP’.” If the test involves assembling two or more puzzles, the penalty will be added to the final time. The penalty for each missing piece is 5 seconds.
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 4 hours of the test’s posted. To do so, they must visit the registration desk
Puzzle Usage and Models: In the first round, 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.
Accesories allowed
It is not permitted to carry extra lighting or any other mechanical or digital device that is an aid to the participant.
Printed templates with the puzzle image at a 1:1 scale, templates with the manufacturer’s cutting pattern type, or any other printed document that provides information about the morphology of the pieces in each position are not allowed, even if included in the product.
The use of digital devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) to view or enlarge the puzzle image is not allowed.
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 magnifying glasses is permitted.
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:
Participants from each country are evenly distributed across all groups.
The total number of different countries represented in each group is similar.
Proportionality is maintained between groups merging in subsequent phases.
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.