YOU HAVE A GOOD QUESTION FOR
HEATHER SIMPLY EMAIL IT TO HER
BY GOING TO WCCO.COM/LINKS.
WE'VE LIKELY ALL DONE A
PUZZLE AT SOME PAGE IN OUR
LIVES.
IT'S RELAXING AND SOMETHING YOU
CAN DO BY YOURSELF OR WITH
FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
FOR OTHERS IT IS COMPETITIVE.
TEAMS TRAVEL TO COMPETE IN
JIGSAW PUZZLE DERBIES AND
CONTESTS.
THE ST. PAUL WINTER CARNIVAL IS
HOST TO THE BIGGEST IN THE
COUNTRY.
THE PASSION PEOPLE HAVE FOR
PUZZLES IS PALPABLE.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1!
WHEN THEY DO THE COUNTDOWN
AND ALL THE BAGS OPEN IT'S SO
EXCITING FOR US TO SEE ALL OF
THESE OTHER PEOPLE HERE THAT
LOVE TO DO PUZZLES JUST LIKE US.
THE PUZZLEAL IS KEPT A SECRET
UNTIL THE MOMENT TEAMS TEAR IN.
77 TEAMS OF FOUR FILL THE ROUND
TABLES INSIDE THE LANDMARK
CENTER.
CAN I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS
THIS MANY PUZZLE FANATICS.
THE GOAL IS TO THE INTERLOCK
ALL 500 PIECES THE FASTEST.
I'M GOING TO START TAKING
DARK BLUE OUT.
PARTICIPANTS TRAVEL FROM
TEXAS, UTAH AND.
WE'RE FROM ORANGE COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA.
THE REIGNING CHAMPS FROM
TITLE.
WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF
PRACTICING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
THE BEST CHANCE POSSIBLE.
AND THERE'S THE TEAM LOOKING
TO MAKE A COMEBACK.
HERE'S ANOTHER EDGE.
WE'VE GOT A FRIENDLY RIVALRY
GOING.
I WAS ASKED TO AUDITION.
CYNTHIA, MARK, AND MIKE ARE
FROM THE TWIN CITIES.
IOWA.
WHAT MAKES OUR TEAM CLICK IS
HOW WELL WE WORK TOGETHER.
US.
EACH BRINGS THEIR OWN
SKILLSET TO THE TABLE.
I'M KIND OF A TACTFUL PERSON
AND KIND OF THE EYE HAND
COORDINATION.
THE TEAM DEVELOPS A STRATEGY
IN PRACTICE.
DON'T ANYBODY START ANYTHING
UNTIL EVERYTHING IS FLIPPED
OVER.
PRACTICING HOURS BEFORE THE
COMPETITION.
PEOPLE USUALLY PICK LARGE
COLOR AREAS AND WORK THEM.
ONE PERSON MIGHT BE SORTING FOR
THE TEAMS THAT'S OFTEN ME.
HOW DO YOU STAY OUT OF EACH
OTHERS WAY.
IF YOU'VE NOTICED WE DON'T.
PEOPLE ASK HOW DO YOU
PRACTICE DOING JIGSAW PUZZLES,
YOU DON'T REALLY PRACTICE.
IT'S A SKILL YOU HAVE OR DON'T
HAVE.
A TEAM.
WE DO PRETTY WELL.
THE PRACTICE OF SNAPPING
PIECES INTO PLACE BEGAN EARLY
FOR THEM.
I WAS AT THE TABLE SORTING MY
TINKERTOYS.
WHEN A PIECE CLICKS INTO
PLACE IT OFFERS A SENSE OF
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
IT'S A PROBLEM THAT OFFERS A
SOLUTION.
IF YOU WORK AT IT YOU KNOW YOU
CAN SOLVE IT.
WHEN YOU'RE DONE YOU KNOW YOU
SOLVED IT COMPLETELY.
THE TEAM LIVES ON COMPETITION
AND COMRADERY.
I'M GOING TO BE IN A ROOM
WITH 2 TO 300 PEOPLE THAT I CAN
SAY ALL THE STUFF THAT MAKES
SENSE TO THEM THAT WOULDN'T MAKE
SENSE TO OTHER PEOPLE.
OTHER PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY
LAUGH AT.
DURING THE RACE TO FINISH
IT'S UNKNOWN HOW FAR ALONG OTHER
PEOPLE ARE.
THE FOCUS IS INSIDE THE BORDER.
WHEN THE FINAL FEW ARE LEFT
TO CLICK INTO PLACE.
ALMOST THERE GUYS.
ALMOST THERE.
COME ON.
YOU CAN DO IT.
MOTIVATION GOES A LONG WAY.
DONE!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
WE'RE BACK.
WE DIDN'T BEAT THEM BY MUCH.
CONGRATULATIONS.
THE WINNING TEAM COMPLETED
THE PUZZLE IN 36 MINUTES AND
52 SECONDS.
OTHER TEAMS TOOK TWO HOURS
FINISH.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THIS TWIST
THAT MADE IT MORE CHALLENGING.
THE IMAGES ON THE BOX WERE IN
PUZZLE.
AND SOME OF THEM HAVE DIFFERENT
COLORS.
WHAT?
THEY'RE MESSING WITH YOU.
REGISTRATION FOR THIS