WHEATLAND — When you think of piecing together a puzzle, you may imagine a cozy winter day with lazy snowflakes falling outside and leisurely watching the image unfold under your nimble fingers.  

Not so at the annual Puzzle Tournament hosted by VFW Auxiliary Post #3558 and supervised by Ruth Herdt, who checks in teams and organizes registrations and prizes. These puzzlers are on the clock and they are not messing around. This is a contest of speed. Each team, comprised of two members, is racing the clock, and other teams, as they complete a 500-piece puzzle.  

Each team is presented with a “mystery” puzzle. The image is unknown to puzzlers until they open the generically wrapped box.  The teams get set at their own table and cannot start until Ruth shouts “Go!” It is interesting to watch each team strategize their outcome. Edges first? Colors or shapes first?  

There is not a time limit set, but the first team to finish their puzzle wins; and each team constructs the same puzzle. “Teams are usually completing their puzzles within 90 minutes to 2 hours,” said Herdt. “But people actually practice puzzling at home getting ready for tournaments like this.” Herdt also commented that while puzzle tournaments are slowly catching on here, they are very popular in Nebraska, adding that invitations and advertisements are sent to Douglas, Laramie, Lusk, and Torrington. “We do have people from Torrington here today.” 

The largest turnout the tournament has drawn was 15 teams, and there were 11 teams competing on Sunday, October 22 at the First State Bank Conference Center. “We’d love to have more teams, and there is no limit to how many teams can compete,” added Herdt, “we would just have to find a large enough space.” Winners were Evan and Stephanie Bradley, 1st Place; Johnnie and Krystal Worster, 2nd Place; and Liz Fry and Josephine Young coming in 3rd place. Second and 3rd place standings were divided by a mere six seconds.  

Prizes are awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in the form of Chamber Bucks, a new Platteopoly board game, and a new puzzle. Registration is $20 per team and this fee is put back into the VFW Auxiliary Post #3558 for special programs and community services such as the placement of cemetery wreaths. “We also participate with the library’s summer program and sponsor a puzzle day. The kids have a blast with it,” said Herdt. “The participants can also buy the puzzles they compete with for $5.00 each,” she added.