What is the NK puzzle?
I copied the following description from the website of the Dutch National Championships puzzles:
“The Dutch Jigsaw Puzzle Championships was first called OVLK, or Open Veense Jigsaw Championships. The event originated as a joke at the bar. The first puzzle championships took place in 2011 in Roelofarendsveen. The first year with 20 teams and after that it grew every year to eventually 75 teams. Certainly in the beginning it was still a search for how to organize this event and we got all kinds of 'jokes' from it, such as removing the lid, obligatory change of seat and even puzzling by candlelight! It soon became apparent that this was not necessary at all and that the participants were not waiting for this at all. A nice entourage, pleasant music, something to drink and of course the puzzle is more than enough for a successful evening. In 2016 I contacted Jumbo, the maker and licensee of the Jan van Haasteren puzzles. We soon figured it out and together we organized the first Dutch Championship jigsaw puzzles in 2017. The undersigned was allowed to organize it and Jumbo facilitated.”
NK Puzzle Records of Fastest Time NK Puzzle
I have put an overview of the fastest times achieved during the Dutch National Championships puzzle. Can you see what the all-time record is during an NK:
| NK Puzzle Year | Fastest time |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 hour 29 minutes and 30 seconds |
| 2018 | 1 hour 8 minutes and 35 seconds |
| 2019 | 58 minutes and 41 seconds |
| 2020 | Expired due to Corona |
| 2021 | Expired due to Corona |
| 2022 | 1 hour 2 minutes and 45 seconds |
| 2023 | 50 minutes and 1 second |
What about the teams and the puzzles?
I copied the following description from the website of the Dutch National Championships puzzles:
“A table has been reserved for each team (maximum 4 people) with your team name, four chairs and of course the puzzle. A Jan van Haasteren puzzle is made every evening. You can take these home with the team afterwards. Every evening we make a different puzzle of 1000 pieces. During the preliminary rounds we choose one from the current collection and during the final we try to make a completely new puzzle in consultation with Jumbo. We are even trying to keep the image a secret.”
Atmosphere impression of NK puzzles – a preliminary round in 2018
It is very nice to get an idea of how things are going during, for example, a preliminary round. In this case a video of a preliminary round in Reek (Brabant):
The description of the video:
“On January 20, the 4th preliminary round of the Dutch jigsaw puzzles was held in the Wapen van Reek. 34 groups of 4 people received 1000 puzzle pieces and the Moreentjes from Uden (with 2 former mathematicians) had won with a time of 1 hour 25 minutes and 9 seconds.”
Atmosphere impression of NK puzzles – The Final in 2019
The final was held in Roelofarendsveen:
Which puzzle should the participants make?
It is unknown to all teams which puzzle they will have to make, but one thing is certain, it is a puzzle from Jumbo and Jan van Haasteren. And this puzzle is specially made every year for this NK puzzle. Which puzzles have been made especially for the Dutch National Championships puzzles in recent years? View the following overview.
NK puzzles 2017: Technical Delights
That's this puzzle:
Which team was the winner?
The team "De Amsterdammertjes"
What was the fastest/winning time?
This team of 4 people completed this 1000 piece puzzle in 1 hour, 29 minutes and 30 seconds
NK puzzles 2018: Flower parade
That's this puzzle:
Which team was the winner?
The team “SondervanderHam”
What was the fastest/winning time?
This team of 4 people completed this 1000 piece puzzle in 1 hour, 8 minutes and 35 seconds
NK puzzles 2019: NK Puzzle
That's this puzzle:
Which team was the winner?
The Team “Puzzle Madness 1”
What was the fastest/winning time?
This team of 4 people completed this 1000 piece puzzle in 58 minutes and 41 seconds
NK Puzzle 2020: this edition has been canceled due to Corona
NK puzzles were canceled in 2020.
NK Puzzle 2021: this edition has been canceled due to Corona
NK puzzles were canceled in 2020.
NK Puzzle 2022: Fair of the Future
The Dutch Puzzle Championships were held on Sunday 5 June 2022. The puzzle 'The Fair of the Future was unveiled there'. And this puzzle will be available from June 11, 2022.
That's this puzzle:
Which team was the winner?
The team “The Puzzle Cats”. The Puzzle cats also have their own Facebook page and will probably participate for many more years, so you can follow them!
What was the fastest/winning time?
This team of 4 people put this puzzle of 1000 pieces in 1 hour 2 minutes and 45 seconds
NK Puzzle 2023: Jan van Haasteren Studio 10 Years
The NK Puzzles was held on Sunday, May 7, 2023 in Roelofarendsveen. The puzzle 'Jan van Haasteren Studio 10 Years' (1000 pieces) was unveiled there. And this puzzle is available from May 8, 2023. For people who have been to the NK with an entrance ticket, they could already buy this puzzle on May 7, 2023!
That's this puzzle:
Which team was the winner?
The team "De Puzzlepoezen" - they won the Dutch Championships in both 2022 and 2023!. The Puzzle Cats also have their own Facebook page and will probably participate for more years, so you can follow them! You can see them here right after they won the NK 2023:
What was the fastest/winning time?
This team of 4 people completed this puzzle of 1000 pieces in 50 minutes and 1 second.
How long does a 1000 piece puzzle take?
Want to know the fastest time anyone has ever done on a 1000 piece puzzle – the world record? Then read the special page 'How long does a 1000 piece puzzle take?'
How long will it take me to complete a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle myself?
If you want to know whether you can participate in the Dutch National Championships as a contender with a team, you can divide the winning time from 2019 by about 4. They took 4 minutes with 58 people, let's round this up to 1 hour. I have to say that this is a difficult one, because how quickly would you have to puzzle to register for the Dutch Championships? It takes me about 8 hours myself, a Jan van Haasteren puzzle (read also 'How long does a 1000 piece puzzle take?'). I certainly don't have to sign up. If I search a little further on Facebook, there are also people who take 4 to 5 hours to put together a puzzle of 1000 pieces. Huh, that's quick! And I even read somewhere for 3,5 hours!
See these posts:
I continued to investigate further. And what posted on Facebook. And a reaction from a participant in the Dutch National Championships puzzle. She writes the following:
“It takes me an average of 3,5 hours to complete a 1000-piece puzzle. No idea how that is with the other 3 ladies, but we were 5th at the last NK in a preliminary round. It was less than 3 minutes in my opinion with the winning time. So think you have to be around that time per person if you want to have a chance to go through to the final. And otherwise you join, because you like it 😉”
sosss: if you can put a puzzle of 1000 pieces within 3,5-5 hours, I would say: sign up with a team for the NK Puzzle, who also make it around that time. Do you still have to find 3 of those other puzzle-crazed ones who are ALSO fast……I think it's quite difficult.