"It started as something to pass the time. I remember being 10, in 2001, at my grandmother's house, a 1,000-piece puzzle spread across the table. I was determined to complete it before my mum and sister returned from a hike. By the end of the day it was done, and something clicked. There was a sense of satisfaction in fitting those pieces together."
"At first, it was just a fun side project. But then Covid-19 hit. The world slowed down and people were stuck at home. Suddenly puzzles were popular and my videos were getting more views. In 2021, I decided to take on a 24,000-piece puzzle the first true giant I filmed. I recorded the whole thing over several months and people loved following along."
Jigsaw puzzling began as a childhood pastime, sparked by completing a 1,000-piece puzzle at age 10. Puzzle solving became a regular hobby, ranging from 500-piece weekend projects to larger holiday challenges. Years later the hobby expanded into YouTube videos about collections, favourites, and solving techniques. Puzzle viewership surged during Covid-19, prompting a 2021 project assembling and filming a 24,000-piece puzzle over several months. Focus shifted entirely to puzzles, culminating in a 2022 Guinness World Record for most-followed jigsaw puzzler on YouTube with 143,000 subscribers. The role brings audience expectations, the need to keep content fresh, and boundary-setting to avoid burnout. Competitive puzzling and events returned post-pandemic.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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