John’s Puzzle Story: 

John (he/him) lives in Indiana, where he is an IT Manager in the student loan servicing industry. He and his wife, Kyle, both enjoyed puzzling while growing up, but caught the puzzle bug again in 2019 when they rediscovered some 1990s-era Ravensburger puzzles in their storage unit.

Now, John and Kyle are puzzle collectors, having amassed more than 2,000 puzzles. Their collection exponentially grew in 2020, bringing their collection to where it is today. Then, they considered themselves to be casual puzzlers, but they are now speed puzzlers as well, having participated at the USA Jigsaw Nationals each year since 2022. (The USAJPA Board would like to point out that they are rock stars because they also volunteer a SUBSTANTIAL amount of time at each Nationals.)

John enjoys puzzling as a way to de-stress after a day at work. He loves the sense of accomplishment when completing a puzzle, and enjoys that puzzling can be an individual activity or done alongside a loved one.

In addition to attending USA Jigsaw Nationals, John and Kyle have also been to Puzzle Palooza in Indiana, and Origins Game Fair in Ohio. They enjoy meeting people who enjoy puzzling as much as they do, and actively trade with others through local libraries and communities.

Q&A Time:

What is your best advice for someone who wants to improve their speed puzzling abilities?

“In my experience, the more you puzzle, the better you get. It trained my mind to be better at recognizing patterns and shapes. I learned what techniques work best for me, whether that is sorting by color, shape, or just piecing together from the start. I also got a great perspective on how the best puzzlers on the planet go about their craft by watching past competitions.”

Do you have a favorite brand, type, or style of puzzle?

“If I had to pick a favorite, Ravensburger would be the one. Although lately I am really obsessed with Enjoy and Magnolia puzzles as well. I like puzzles from artists like Demelsa Haughton and Holly Carden, but my favorite is probably Charles Wysocki. I find his Americana style fun and interesting to do in a puzzle.  The types of puzzles I do really vary. Some days, I like an image with a lot of detail (Bizarre Town by Colin Thompson) or a good White Mountain collage. I tend to avoid shaped, gradient, and wooden puzzles because my brain just can't figure them out! But it works out because those are Kyle’s favorites.”

Do you have a cherished or unforgettable puzzle-related memory?

“Completing and assembling the Dowdle “What A Wonderful World”, 60,000 piece puzzle.  It took me ten months to complete and it was a huge accomplishment and memorable experience.”

What is the puzzle community like in your area?

“Not having a social media presence, I find pockets of interest around Indianapolis, mostly through local trades and library puzzle swaps.  There is an annual puzzle tournament in Shelbyville, IN every November that has gotten bigger and bigger since it started in 2022.  It would be great if Indiana had its own state association!”

Tell us a bit about any of your puzzling teammates.

“Kyle and I chose “Darn Turkey” as our team name for Pairs. It sounds unusual but there is a backstory.  From a local trade, there was a puzzle which had a note inside the box that said “Darn Turkey – missing one piece”. We asked our trade partner about the note and she explained that Turkey was her cat and he ate the missing piece. We thought this was very funny and now every time we encounter a missing piece, we always yell “Darn Turkey!”. We have participated in several Pairs competitions and complement each other well.”

Connect:

Although John does not have a social media presence, here are a few news articles in which he is featured:

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