Rob’s Puzzle Story: 

Rob (he/him) lives in Oregon, and he is sure it comes as no surprise that he works with data analytics. His family has intermittently puzzled for years, and Rob occasionally searched for local jigsaw puzzle competitions, but never found anything nearby. In September 2022, Rob and his wife Rachel started reading “The Puzzler” by A.J. Jacob. One of the chapters discussed competitive jigsaw puzzling and the author’s experience at the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship. At that time, Rob was lucky enough to discover that the 2022 USA Jigsaw Nationals was scheduled a month later, so they practiced, attended, and now have what they lovingly consider an all-consuming hobby.

Rob doesn’t cite a favorite brand, type, style, or subject of puzzle, saying that he is happy to do pretty much any puzzle. He finds the most enjoyment in the closing moments of a puzzle when you’re racing near the end and everything falls into place with a final flourish.

Rob is best known within the community for his puzzle-centric podcast “Piece Talks,” which allows him to have deep conversations with prominent members of the worldwide puzzling community. From the founding of national organizations, to a glimpse into participating in long-form speed puzzling marathons, to tips from the fastest puzzlers in the world, Rob has a talent in uncovering unique parts of his guests’ journeys through his questions. 

As part of the USAJPA’s year-round volunteer team, Rob assists with event results and JPAR. Watch for Rob and Rachel at the 2025 World Jigsaw Puzzle Championships, and cheer them on!

Q&A Time:

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

“I have a podcast you could listen to! ;)”

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

“I'm not sure this first one counts as "cherished" exactly, but at the recent Nationals, I felt like a celebrity when, without asking, multiple people told me where my table was for the Individuals preliminary heat.  I even had a camera follow me to my seat (I'm included as a very small part of a puzzle documentary being made by Portland's own Maggie K.). My heart was full! And then I got CRUSHED by a puzzle that didn't let me use my one strength: edges.  

One that I actually DO cherish is the first time my team (Flippin' Pieces) went to the St. Paul Winter Carnival.  We had spent all day puzzling, with the crowds and excitement that accompanies Carnival.  Exhausted, we found a small, quiet corner of the hotel …and did a puzzle!”

What is the puzzle community like in your area?

“It's pretty great. In Portland, Oregon, the Portland Puzzle Company has put on at least one competition a week for a couple of years now, which has been a great place to meet other puzzling people. There's also the Portland Puzzle Exchange, which is a giant puzzle swap, with (I'm guessing) thousands of puzzles exchanged by hundreds of people twice a month. We're not like some places in Minnesota where you can apparently join a bar competition seven days a week, but you can still get a competitive fix at least once a week!”

What do you enjoy most about the puzzle community?

“Members of this community are kind, inviting, quirky, inquisitive, and simultaneously competitive and supportive. But most impactful to me is the community's generosity. 

Two Winter Carnivals back I was hardcore fangirling over being in the same room as Yvonne F. and Tammy M. when suddenly I was having a conversation with them like they were just regular people. I had been kicking around the idea of doing a podcast ever since that first Nationals competition, but it was at that moment that I realized that if I asked people to be on my podcast, they might just say yes. Sure enough, the first person I asked, Andrea P., immediately said yes. I had put out zero episodes, and she didn't know me, but she was willing to spend some time to support an unknown. And the thing is, everyone I've talked to shares that same spirit of support.

Are you active in the puzzle community?

In addition to everything else I mentioned, I host a small Discord called Jigsaw Puzzle Stats Nerds.  If you like long periods of silence punctuated by brief flurries of exuberant discussion about where to get data, and whether it's important that a competition puzzle is unreleased or not, hit me up!

Connect:

You can find Rob on Instagram @piece_talks for his podcast, and his non-podcast account @the_puzzling_rob