The Monkeypuzzlers were one of 47 teams across 10 branches to compete in Mid-Columbia Libraries’ inaugural speed puzzling tournament in southeastern Washington last January. Photo: Madison Rosenbaum/Mid-Columbia Libraries

Hands flew, timers ticked, and tensions ran high. But team Piece Out found success by sticking to a classic strategy: starting its 500-piece jigsaw puzzle with the borders and sorting pieces by color. In the end, the team was the first to complete the puzzle—an illustration of a fantasy library—in 33 minutes and 23 seconds.

It was the winning moment of the inaugural speed puzzling tournament at Mid-Columbia Libraries (MCL) in southeastern Washington last January. Piece Out triumphed over 46 other teams—with names like The Misfits, Separation Anxiety, and Planet Fit This—in the competition, which coincided with National Puzzle Day, January 29.

“People really liked to take [a victory] away from it,” says Programs Specialist Dawn Brooks.…