The Eleventh Annual British Jigsaw Championship, sponsored by the family-run puzzle company Gibsons Games, moves to a NEW VENUE in Newmarket at the Rowley Mile Racecourse. This means that we can accommodate more participants than ever and ensure that everyone plays in the same venue at the same time in each category.
The championships are still held as part of the Thirteenth Annual Newmarket Jigsaw Festival, which takes place at St Mary's Church in the town.
In the British Jigsaw Championships, competitors from across the world aim to be the first to complete a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, the design of which is not revealed until the start of the contest. Our sponsors, who supply the puzzle, are Gibsons Games, an independent British family-run business supplying high quality jigsaw puzzles featuring a variety of fun, picturesque scenes to puzzlers around the world, as well as other games and activities.
Entrants are welcome in three categories: élite (those who would expect to complete in under 3hrs), pairs and fun. In the fun category, you can enter on your own or with others, up to a maximum of four people. The entry price is per puzzle not per person, so if you are entering as a pair or as a group, you only need to purchase one entry ticket.
Prize money is available in each category, of £100, £100 and £50 respectively. The entry price includes the competition puzzle, which can be kept by the entrant(s), and also includes entry to the festival.
2023 results:
ELITE | Sarah Mills (1:52)
PAIRS | SJ Bodell and Dan Martin (1:39)
FUN | Emma, Sue and Richard Cobb (2:15)
We are once again offering early registration, which guarantees entry at last year's price. This has now been extended and will close on 30th September 2023. The main registration period is open from 1st March to 9th June 2024, and you must register before the closing date.
FAQs
Do I have to sign-up using EventBrite?
Yes, we ask everyone to use EventBrite to help us to coordinate who is participating in the competition. Please select the ticket that corresponds to your category. If you have difficulty using this facility, please get in touch and we will be pleased to help.
Is there a minimum age requirement to enter the competition?
No, there is no minimum (or maximum!) age requirement. Families may wish to enter the fun category together. A separate competition is running in local schools leading up to the festival.
What are my transport/parking options for getting to and from the competition?
There is ample parking at the venue, which is a short distance along the racecourse drive outside town. Newmarket is also served by a rail station with lines towards Cambridge (for London) and Ipswich, and local and national buses. National cycle route 51 passes through the town.
What can I bring into the competition?
Bottled water will be made available to competitors, and tea/coffee is available at the venue. Water and food (e.g. sandwiches) are allowed to be brought into the competition, but the organisers reserve the right to refuse entry if foodstuffs are likely to cause a distraction to other competitors.
Sorting boxes will not be supplied but may be brought in and used. A cardboard base will be supplied on which to build the puzzle, or competitors may which to bring their own puzzle board.
Are spectators allowed in the competition hall?
Spectators may be permitted into the hall at the organisers' discretion where space and logistics allow.
Do I have to supply my own puzzle?
No, a new puzzle is supplied by our sponsors, Gibsons Games, to all competitors to the same design, and can be kept after the competition.
Do I have to be a British Citizen to enter the British Jigsaw Championships?
No, we have had competitors from Europe, Australia and the USA in previous years, and welcome entrants from around the world. We will not ask entrants to prove their nationality for the competition.
What if I don't finish the puzzle?
The puzzle is yours to keep, and we will help you to disassemble it in order to take it home; or you may wish to transport it on its board. At the close of the festival at 4pm, we reserve the right to close the competition. Although a guideline of 3 hours is set for the élite category, we will not stop you if are not completed within this time.
Can I get my money back if I am unable to attend?
During the main registration period in 2024, we are able to offer a full refund until registration closes, less the EventBrite booking fee which is no longer refundable. A refund request can be made through the booking site if needed. If you are unable to attend, you must apply for a refund rather than re-sell the tickets, as we can only admit those whose name matches the name registered. We keep a waiting list and make refunded tickets available during the registration period. After the closing date for registration, we are unable to offer a refund, as we need to confirm numbers for supply of the competition puzzle from our sponsors, Gibsons Games.
Tickets booked during early registration in 2023 are non-refundable.
Do I need to buy a ticket to the festival as well?
No, your entry to the competition includes free entry to the festival at St Mary's Church all week, where there is a large selection of completed puzzles on display, which can be bought, boxed and taken away.
When do I have to sign up by?
Registration closes two weeks before the event, so that we can arrange supply of the competition puzzle from our sponsors, Gibsons Games. We are unable to accept entries after registration closes.
