Speed puzzler extraordinaire EB Caron joins me to run down the individuals, pairs, and teams you should be looking out for (and why) at the 2025 US Nationals competition.
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1:42:05
#14 - Nathanael Mortensen
What makes a great speed puzzling image? Nathanael Mortensen, illustrator of five Ravensburger puzzles—including two unveiled at US Nationals—helps pull back the curtain on the art of puzzle design. We explore how he got into digital painting, what goes into crafting an engaging puzzle, and whether the artist or publisher shapes the final concept. Plus, what’s it like watching your artwork get dumped onto a table in pieces?
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1:15:56
#13 - Chiara Dellantonio
You may know that Chiara Dellantonio is a world-class speed puzzler who has finished 11th or higher in the individuals at every one of the last three years at the World Championships.
But you may not know that she’s also an avid marathon puzzler.
In this episode, we’ll talk about her journey through speed puzzling, but also how she got involved in puzzle marathons, and what even is a puzzle marathon?
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1:39:24
#12 - Jeanne and Cathy Roiter
Twin sisters Jeanne and Cathy Roiter had been quietly kicking around the competitive jigsaw scene for a couple of decades until they won the first US Nationals Pairs competition by over 6 minutes in 2022.
Most recently, they teamed up with Andrea Peng and Becca Taylor in the 2024 World Championships to become the first US team to take first place.
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1:25:09
#11 - Valerie Coit
Chances are that you’ve heard of Valerie Coit. A competitive puzzler since 1999, she is a member of the iconic puzzling team Wicker Kittens (and a standout personality in the movie of the same name), was a founding member of the USA JPA, and is currently Vice President of the World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation.
And if none of that seems familiar, she announces the live streams at both the US Nationals and Worlds competitions.
Discussions with competitors, organizers, and puzzle makers in the competitive jigsaw puzzle world.
We cover speed puzzling, puzzle chess, and pretty much any other way that people are using jigsaw puzzles to compete.
USA