2nd German Puzzle Championship March 28-29, 2026 / Puzzle Association Germany e.V. - we were right in the middle of it!

The 2nd German Puzzle Championship – we were right in the middle of it! A review by the Ulmer Puzzleschmiede

“The 2nd German Puzzle Championship of the Puzzleverein Deutschland e.V. took place on March 28 and 29, 2026, at the CongressCentrum Pforzheim – and we, the Ulmer Puzzleschmiede, were honored to be there as volunteer helpers.

We helped at the reception and assisted with time tracking. Welcomed participants, checked them in, guided them, recorded times, and organized the tables. Hundreds of people arriving with shining eyes and puzzle bags. What a start to this special day.

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Arriving, greeting, marveling – the reception as a special place

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those standing at the reception see something most visitors don’t: the journey, the excitement, the anticipation, the smiles of people who traveled for hours to be part of this weekend.

From early morning until the last participant checked in, the reception was the heart of the event. Every person who arrived had their own story. Experienced competitors who had already been at the 1st Championship. First-timers, visibly nervous but highly motivated, receiving their badges. Families who came together. Teenagers, seniors, professionals, and enthusiastic amateurs – the puzzle community is diverse, open, and warm.

We experienced it up close. Thank you 

What made the 2nd Championship special

The 1st German Puzzle Championship in February 2025 in Leonberg had already set the bar high: over 360 participants, fully booked to the last spot, more than 500,000 puzzle pieces in a single weekend.

The 2nd Championship picked up right where the first left off – and raised the bar even higher.

Within less than an hour, all starting spots were taken and the waiting list was very long. 

The atmosphere in the hall was special from the very beginning. The focused silence before the starting signal. The simultaneous rustling of hundreds of puzzle boxes. And then – the quiet, steady clicking of puzzle pieces finding their place. Puzzle competitions are a unique experience that you have to see live at least once.

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Three disciplines – one passion

The competition was puzzling in three modes:

Individual – focused, alone, against the clock. The purest expression of concentration and technique.

Couple – pure communication and trust. Two people, one puzzle, one shared mission.

Team – when several puzzlers have to coordinate and work together, real team dynamics arise from the sport.

Especially nice: the special awards for the German Youth Champion (under 18 years) and the German Senior Champion (over 50 years). Puzzling connects generations – this was felt everywhere on that day.

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The winners of the 2nd German Puzzle Championship

Individual:

🥇 1st Place: Nina Schicks – Time: 0:31:52

🥈 2nd Place: Maja Von Borstel – Time: 0:32:54

🥉 3rd Place: Katharina Reiner – Time: 0:34:21

Couple:

🥇 1st Place: Klara Wesselkamp / Denise Bode - Time: 0:47:03

🥈 2nd Place: Nina Schicks / Anna Menges - Time: 0:49:07

🥉 3rd Place: Carolin Schöneis / Franziska Özdemir - Time: 0:51:17

Team: 🥇 1st Place: Eat Our Puzzledust! Merle Kleemann / Amke Eggers / Klara Wesselkamp / Laura Pescher - Time: 2:52:04

🥈 2nd Place: Pixel Perfect Franziska Treber / Valerie Ingwersen / Maja Von Borstel / Lena Malinowski - Time: 2:52:29

🥉 3rd Place: The Fast Four Magdalena Alberti / Anna Menges / Mara Holler / Nina Schicks - Time: 3:04:11

If you’re wondering about the placements: There was a German and an international ranking. The participants all puzzled together, but after finishing, the rankings were separated into two categories: German/international.

Here are the International results: 

Individual "International":

🥇 1st Place: Maartje Van der Meer - Time: 0:34:59

🥈 2nd Place: Chiara Dellantonio - Time: 0:38:30

🥉 3rd Place: Annemie Kostezer - Time: 0:41:28

Couple "International":

🥇 1st Place: Chiara Dellantonio / Katharina Reiner - Time: 0:46:36

🥈 2nd Place: Jesse Jansen / Maartje Van der Meer - Time: 0:51:01

🥉 3rd place: Annemie Kostezer / Patrick Inninger - Time: 0:57:11

Team "International":

🥇 1st place: The Little Puzzle Gluttons Chiara Dellantonio / Katharina Reiner / Kerstin Glaser / Maria-Magdalena Robrecht - Time: 2:35:53

🥈 2nd place: Noord-west Maartje Van der Meer / Tamar Visser / Jesse Jansen / Martine Valk - Time: 2:54:54

🥉 3rd place: Expecto Puzzonum Stefanie Kapfer / Fruzsina Wilheim / Franziska Özdemir / Carolin Schöneis - Time 3:12:24

Youth Champion: Franziska Treber Seniors Champion: Svea Stahl

Congratulations to all the winners – and to every single participant who had the courage to compete.

You can also find all results at www.Puzzleverein.de

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What this day has taught us

When you stand at the reception all day and greet hundreds of people, you learn something about a community. The puzzle community is different from many other sports communities. No elbow mentality, no arrogance. Instead: genuine enthusiasm, helpfulness, and an openness that deeply impressed me.

For us as Ulm Puzzle Forge, this day was more than an event. It was a confirmation: puzzling brings people together. Not temporarily, not superficially – but truly and sustainably.

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A huge thank you

Thanks to the team of Puzzleverein Deutschland e.V. around Michael Smit and the nearly 80 volunteer helpers – the energy and organization behind such a championship is impressive. 

Thanks to all participants who traveled from all over Germany and many other countries and made this weekend what it was.

And thank you for the trust to help at the reception and with timekeeping. It was both an honor and a pleasure.

Mascot Meeting: 

Thanks also to the mascots, who supported countless participants on their tables! Here is a part of the mascot meeting in front of the puzzle hall. 

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See you at the 3rd German Puzzle Championship.

Until then: Have fun puzzling!

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