Michele enjoyed putting together this USAJPA Traveling Puzzle - a fun stained glass style Ensky puzzle featuring characters from Howl’s Moving Castle.
Michele does the “puzzle pick-up” with the custom USAJPA 500-piece puzzle (Heart of San Diego) during the Individual Competition at the 2022 Nationals Competition in San Diego.
Michele and her 60 lb pup, Santo! He prefers soccer over fetch!
Michele’s Puzzle Story:
Michele K. (she/her/hers) lives in San Diego, California, and serves as a USAJPA Volunteer by logging the finishing times for participants of USAJPA puzzle competitions throughout the year. She recently completed the mammoth task of recording the past 3 years of competitions in the new logging system which the USAJPA uses!
She has enjoyed puzzling her whole life, but began puzzling competitively when USAJPA Board Member Aly Krasny invited a few friends over one night to see how fast they could all complete the same puzzle. In her community, you will find the full range of casual puzzlers to competitive puzzlers. Regular competitions are held locally through Pacific Puzzlers.
When it comes to completing a jigsaw puzzle, she enjoys the pattern recognition in the images on the puzzle, as well as noticing which shapes go where. “It’s like a super complicated matching game.”
Michele looks forward to competing in the next virtual USAJPA-sanctioned SpeedPuzzling.com competition, which is exclusive for USAJPA members.
Q&A Time:
Are you active in the puzzle community?
“I participate in Pacific Puzzlers competitions, attend puzzle swaps, compete in virtual competitions, and casually puzzle with a group of women two or three times a month.”
What do you enjoy most about the puzzle community?
“I love how friendly everyone is, and how there are so many puzzles to be passed around.”
What is your best advice for someone who wants to improve their speed puzzling abilities?
“Practice! Record yourself to see where you may be spending too much time or where you can improve.”
Do you have a favorite brand, type, style, subject of puzzle?
“I love any puzzle that has dogs on it!”
Connect:
Michele can be found through Instagram: @michepuzzles for puzzle stuff, or @aventurasdesantolobo for dog content!