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EVENT DETAILS >>Home / Events 2025 / Rules & Regulations
Malaysian Jigsaw Puzzle Competition 2025 Rules & Regulations
(OFFICIAL COMPETITION RULES)
General Conduct & Competition Etiquette
1
Arrival Time
- Participants must arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled start time.
- If a participant arrives after the competition starts, their timer will continue to run as normal.
2
Puzzle Sealing
- Puzzle boxes must remain sealed and unopened until the official start signal is given.
- Any participant who opens their box prematurely may be disqualified.
3
Competition Etiquette
- DO NOT interfere with other contestants or their puzzle area.
- If you are sharing a table, please be respectful and stay within your space.
- You may stand or move around your own table, but do not enter surrounding puzzle zones.
- Puzzle box lids may be placed in the middle of shared tables
4
Movement & Breaks
- You may eat, drink, or go to the toilet, but the competition timer will not stop.
- Only light snacks such as bread are allowed at the table.
5
Allowed Tools
- Participants may bring accessories such as:
- – Sorting trays
- – Headphones (no phone calls allowed)
- – Magnifying glasses
- – Spatulas
- The following are NOT allowed:
- – Headlights or torches
- – Adjustable/tilting puzzle boards
- – External printed references
- – Extra lighting or electronic tools
During the Competition
6
Start Signal
- The puzzle may only be opened and started after the official signal is given.
7
Dropped Pieces
- Any pieces dropped on the ground will be left in the exact position they fall.
- Judges will place a colored post-it note underneath for visibility, but will not return the piece to you.
8
Declaring Completion
- When finished, competitors must announce loudly to get the judge’s attention.
- Once declared, competitors must remove their hands from the puzzle and await verification.
9
Completion Area
- After completing the puzzle, competitors must leave the competition area within 5 minutes.
- Participants must remain quiet and respect others still competing.
End of Competition
10
Time Limit
- When the division’s time limit is reached, all puzzling must stop immediately.
- Judges will begin their assessment based on the current state of the puzzle.
11
Puzzle Verification
- Judges will count all remaining pieces and determine the number of correctly joined pieces.
- Only groups of 3 or more connected pieces are counted as valid progress.
12
Missing Pieces
- A 10-second penalty will be applied per missing piece upon declaration of completion.
- If two or more adjacent pieces are missing, it is considered a manufacturing defect and no penalty is applied.
13
Incorrect Pieces
- A 5-minute penalty will be applied for every 2 pieces that are placed incorrectly after verification.
14
Ranking Method
- Rankings are based on:
- – Puzzle completion status
- – Total penalties (if any)
- – Number of correctly connected pieces if incomplete
- Judges’ decisions are final.
15
Post-Competition Duties
- All participants must assist in organizing leftover pieces into piles of 10 for ease of judging.
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