By Mary O’KEEFE

La Crescenta Library is hosting a sport many may not have heard of but it’s growing in popularity – speed puzzling. 

According to an article “How to Get Started with Speed Puzzling” by Joyce Yoo, published at completingthepuzzle.com, “Speed jigsaw puzzling, or competitive puzzling, is the best sport you’ve never heard of, and it’s taking the world by storm.”

The competition is exactly what one would imagine – people putting puzzles together – but it is very intense when adding in the timing/speed competition. 

There are different levels of competition: Individual Division is when one person receives a puzzle, normally about 500 pieces, and races the clock and other individual puzzlers to put it together. Some of these puzzlers can put the 500-piece puzzle together in about 30 minutes. 

Pairs and Teams Division are teams of two to four people who work together on one or more puzzles. Nationals and Worlds Division is the U.S. Nationals that are held annually and is hosted by the USA Jigsaw Puzzle Association. 

The competition has drawn competitors from more than 40 countries, according to puzzlewarehouse.com.

Each team/person is given the same jigsaw puzzle, which is not revealed earlier to the puzzlers, and the competition begins. 

It is reported that the competition goes beyond speed – it is about community and meeting people. 

This is the first time La Crescenta Library will be hosting the event. Librarian Marta Wiggins invites everyone to come and participate or just watch this growing sport. 

To participate go to the La Crescenta Library at https://tinyurl.com/fskpwxz9; scroll down to “Upcoming Events” and register. 

To watch just come by on the day of the event, which is only July 14 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

La Crescenta Library is located at 2809 Foothill Blvd. For more information, call (818) 248-5313.