Offline Entries (New rules effective 1/1/26)
Competing Offline? Please follow these instructions and submit the offline entry form linked below.
If you cannot attend the scheduled event, you can still compete and be eligible for prizes. Offline entries can be submitted as early as you receive the puzzle, but no later than the night before the Zoom meeting (contest date).
New Rules/Guidelines:
Please follow these steps:
If you cannot attend the scheduled event, you can still compete and be eligible for prizes. Offline entries can be submitted as early as you receive the puzzle, but no later than the night before the Zoom meeting (contest date).
New Rules/Guidelines:
- When possible, please use a white or black puzzling surface (not a wooden, glass, or marbled surface). This is not only easier for us to judge, but it actually improves your completion time. Poster board and foam board is very cheap!
- Timers have to show H:MM:SS (not just MM:SS). The MM:SS timers roll over after 99 minutes and can be very confusing (45:30 could mean 0:45:30, 2:25:30, 4:05:30, etc.).
Please follow these steps:
- Click on the registration link and purchase the desired contest(s).
- Please don't send a separate email letting us know you'll compete offline; this new process is designed to minimize our inbox messages.
- Set up your camera and puzzling surface as described here.
- The video must be recorded full-length (not time-lapse).
- Start the video
- Show the unopened shipping package
- Remove all outer packaging (including shrink wrap). You may study the image for 15-30 seconds.
- Show the timer and start it
- Open the puzzle box and complete the puzzle
- Stop the timer
- Show the completion time on camera
- Stop the video
- Take a picture of the completed puzzle with the timer visible in the same image.
- Complete the offline entry form here. All entries must be received by midnight Central of the night before the contest date.
- ONLY IF REQUESTED: upload the video to YouTube, Google Drive, iCloud, or DropBox and send the link to Jonathan. The video should be sent on or before the date of the scheduled contest.