Lauren’s Puzzle Story: 

Lauren (she/her) lives in Minnesota, where she is a 3rd grade Teacher. She has casually puzzled since she was a child, and competitively puzzled since 2020. Lauren is commonly seen on the podium at competitions in which she participates. At the 2024 USA Jigsaw Nationals, she placed 3rd in Individuals, 2nd in Pairs, and 2nd in Teams.

When asked what she enjoys most about puzzling, she fondly points to the friends she has made along the way. She loves her “team of Betches” and the many amazing people throughout the puzzling community.

Lauren continues to rank in the top 10 puzzlers via JPAR scores for USA competitors. She competes monthly through speedpuzzling.com and is looking forward to competing for the first time at the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship in Spain.

Q&A Time:

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

“Try listening to really fast upbeat music. It helps me keep my energy up the entire time.”

What is the puzzle community like in your area, and what do you enjoy about it?

“It is very active! There are puzzle competitions all the time. I love how competitive everyone is while still congratulating each other on our big victories.”

Are you active in the puzzle community?

“I host competitions throughout the Twin Cities area with Sarah. I also run a puzzle club for an afterschool program at the elementary school that I work at. Additionally, I have competed at Winter Carnival, Nationals, and I will be going to Worlds this year.”

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

“I love bright colorful puzzles, especially ones with candy. My favorite type of puzzle is wooden puzzles, especially Liberty puzzles.”

Tell us about your puzzle team. 

“My team is called ‘We Put the Betch in You Betcha’ and my amazing teammates are Sarah S., Dawne R., and Andrea K. These ladies are some of the most amazing people. I am so lucky that they wanted me to be on their team. Sarah and I puzzle very similarly and that has worked well for our team and our pair. We usually know what the other is going to do without even saying it. Since day 1 Andrea has always been able to tell when I need direction on the team and always has a pile of pieces sorted and ready for me to put together. Dawne is our anchor and consistently works on the parts of the puzzle that I hate! She's the reason we did so well at Nationals.”

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

“When I was growing up I said my first cuss word when my little sister dumped her puzzle into mine. I was 6 and she was 3. My parents still love to tell that story.”

Connect:

Although Lauren isn’t part of “Puzzlegram”, you can see her in posts by her fellow “Betches”!  @sarahdoespuzzles, @puzzlesinthepines, @puzzleblush

See Lauren at Sarah Does Puzzles events in Minnesota by searching “Sarah Does Puzzles” at https://www.eventbrite.com/