Puzzling Pioneer: Kim K. Builds an Impressive Resume as a Competitor and Collector

Former information technology professional Kim K. (she/her) lives in California, where she has served as a Pasadena Unified School District elected school board trustee for 15 years. She has been puzzling casually for as long as she can remember and still has some of her first wooden tray puzzles from the 1960s. In fact, her collection contains hundreds of puzzles she has gathered throughout the years, including a number of handcrafted wooden Stave puzzles.

After entering the world of speed puzzling more than 35 years ago, Kim stepped away from competitions—until joining USAJPA brought her back to the table. The break didn’t slow her down. Kim has attended all four of the recent USA Jigsaw Nationals, and in 2026, she achieved remarkable results in the individual, pairs, and teams rounds.

Kim will compete in the California Speed Puzzling Championship in November 2026 and at the Saint Paul Winter Carnival in February 2027.

Q&A Time:

How long have you been puzzling competitively?

I did a competition in 1990. This was back when Hallmark and Springbok had a national contest for about 10 years. I found out about it in the last year. There was a preliminary round, which was held in a college gymnasium, and then a final round for the top 15 people. I came in fourth overall and included that on my resume for quite a while.

I didn't compete again until I joined USAJPA in December 2020. I did my first virtual contest in May 2021 and came in 10th (back when there were many fewer people in USAJPA)! That led to my first Nationals in October 2022.

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

Lots of practice! I find that when I don't compete for a while, my flipping slows down. I always make sure to practice that. And if you can't find a piece, move on!

What do you enjoy most about puzzling?

I like to leave the pieces in the box while working on the puzzle, and I find it very relaxing to comb through them to look for whatever section I'm working on. I also have many fond memories of puzzling in a corner of a room and listening to family members telling stories. Also, puzzles are a very ordered thing in a sometimes-crazy world. All the pieces fit in eventually!

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

I'm partial to old Milton Bradley Big Ben puzzles because I grew up doing those—mostly landscapes. I prefer ribbon cut to random cut but will do just about any puzzle I find. My family has tried to stump me with every type of difficult puzzle over the years, and I've quite enjoyed some of those.

I found out about Stave wooden puzzles in the mid-1990s and most enjoy their Teasers and Touzzles! I've been to quite a few of their "Puzzlenut" parties over the years and own almost 150 of their puzzles. Stave has contests, but they are for super difficult trick puzzles; no one finishes in the allotted time, but you get a prize for trying. I also like to find old puzzles from the 1930s and 1940s in thrift and antique stores. I’ve started to inventory my puzzles, and I'm up to 1,010 so far.

What is the puzzle community like in your area?

There are lots of puzzlers in the Los Angeles area, but we can be a bit spread out. There is a group of us who like to get together to do wooden puzzles a few times per year. I'm not much of a puzzle swapper—more of a collector!

Are you active in the puzzle community? If so, how?

I have competed in all the USAJPA Nationals and gone to the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship once. I participate in the California state championships, and my partner and I competed twice in the seniors division at Winter Carnival and came in first both years.

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

Not sure if this one is ready for prime time, but as I mentioned, I will do just about any puzzle. When I was young (maybe in the third or fourth grade), I was looking for a puzzle to do. One of the puzzles in the closet was a gag gift that my father had gotten at a party. It was of a Playboy centerfold. I remember sitting around watching TV with my family while doing this puzzle. This is one of the few puzzles from my youth that I don't seem to still own.

Tell us a bit about any of your puzzling teammates!

My first team came about because other puzzlers from the 1980s national contests reached out and wanted to make a team. I competed with Larry B., Meri C., and Liza F. at the 2022 and 2025 Nationals and at the 2023 Worlds. I've been pairing with Andrew B. at California state competitions and Winter Carnival. And I had a great time at the 2026 Nationals with Darya L., Elizabeth T., and Andrew B.

What do you enjoy most about the puzzle community?

It's great to hang out with people who like to do puzzles. We can be a unique type of person. Puzzling seems like something that many people enjoy, but they don't really talk about it much. It is nice to realize that there is such a big community.

Connect:

You can find Kim on Facebook and Instagram @kimkweb1.