Norwegian Puzzler
What's your name?
Veronica Nes
Where are you based?
Karmøy, Norway
Tell us about what your ordinary day looks like.
I work as an accountant (I definitely do not have all my puzzles catalogued in a big spreadsheet…ahem). On a regular evening, I would most likely be puzzling and/or watching TV. I am also the leader of the board for the Norwegian Jigsaw Puzzle Association!
How did you get into the world of puzzling?
I bought my first puzzle (as an adult) at the very beginning of lock down back in 2020. It was a 1500 piece Ravensburger puzzle of the Eiffel Tower that I spent a week doing. A month or so later, the bookstore had a 3 for 2 sale. I found three puzzles that looked really fun, so I bought them. It all escalated pretty quickly after that, and now I own over 300 puzzles.
What makes you keep puzzling & how often do you puzzle?
There are just so many beautiful puzzles. I love trying new brands, and I’m always finding more images that looks fun to puzzle. It seems like no matter how many puzzles I own it will never be enough! Competing has also added a fun addition to puzzling. After signing up for worlds I bought so many 500 piece puzzles to practice, and it’s really fun trying to beat my records. How often I puzzle varies a lot. Sometimes multiple puzzles in one day, sometimes just a few per month.
What is your favorite type of puzzles?
Before I started competing almost all my puzzles were 1000 pieces, but now I really love a quick 500 piece puzzle. I mostly have standard ribbon cut, but it can be fun to mix it up with a random cut once in a while. My favorite puzzles are colorful and bright, usually an illustration or photograph.
During puzzling sessions, do you listen to anything or puzzle in silence?
I usually puzzle in silence, or have a TV show running in the background (only reruns!). Sometimes I’m watching puzzle videos, or I’ll put on a podcast. I might try experimenting with listening to music to see if it can make me faster at speedpuzzling. At worlds I was singing in my head the entire time to keep focus, so it might work!
If you were to describe what puzzling means to you, what would it be?
Lots of fun, and many new friendships over shared nerdiness!
Tell us about your other interests & joys.
Puzzling is for sure my favorite hobby, but I also enjoy crocheting, knitting, watching TV, and lots of other stuff. I also love traveling, and I am definitely planning on combining that with puzzle events around the world!
Do you have anything you want to share?
Me and three others are planning the first ever Norwegian Jigsaw Puzzle Championship! It is incredibly fun and I strongly recommend being involved in something like this. If there aren’t any competitions where you live, why not throw something together yourself?