Yvonne’s Puzzle Story:

Yvonne F. (she/her) is from Burbank, California, and serves as a USAJPA Volunteer by managing the shipping of the Traveling Puzzles, and the Puzzle Club prizes. She has casually puzzled on and off since her childhood, and enjoys doing puzzles as a way to “bring order to chaos! It’s just really zen and calms my busy mind down too.”

She fondly remembers puzzling as a child with her mom, repeatedly completing the same puzzle (with missing pieces) that they purchased at a yard sale. Her mother passed before Yvonne’s love for puzzles grew to where it is today, and she often wonders what her mother would think of her current “full-blown obsession”!

Her first virtual speed puzzling contest was in June 2020. She is a well-known member of the speed puzzling community, as she consistently places “on the podium” in solo, pairs, and team competitions. Most notably, she came in 1st place in Individuals at the 2022 National Championship. Keep your eye on Yvonne, as she participates in many upcoming competitions local to Southern California, at the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, and the World Championship in Spain.

Q&A Time:

Are you active in the puzzle community?

“I help Maggie E. with our in-person Burbank Swaps when I can. In addition I run a free wooden puzzle library out of my driveway for the local community, where people can check out wooden puzzles that I either got discounted or there were several beautiful hand cut ones that were donated. If you’re in the area, DM me for info!”

What is the puzzle community like in your area?

“Burbank has a large puzzle swap Facebook page, and everyone is super friendly. Nearby in Santa Clarita another USAJPA member, Alyssa, started a swap/community page that has grown really quickly! Between the two I haven’t had trouble finding new puzzles and puzzle friends! There’s even an L.A. area wooden puzzle Facebook Messenger group!"

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

“Take note of how many times you’re picking up a piece. Ideally you’d like to move a piece at most 3-ish times. Once to flip, once to sort, once to place it. Everything else is extraneous so you want to think up ways to reduce the extra movements. For example if you’re moving pieces out of the way often, that’s extra movement, so how can you get it so you don’t have to move the pieces out of the way?”

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

“I love Ravensburger. And I love Aimee Stewart puzzles or any other super colorful ones!”

Connect:

Yvonne can be found through Instagram at @pieces_of_the_picture