Speed puzzling is the new bar trivia

• There were 151% more puzzle competitions from August 2024-July 2025, compared to the year prior, according to a report from live event marketplace Eventbrite.

How it works: Typically teams of two or four gather around tables, each with a mystery puzzle sealed in a bag. After a countdown, they open it — sometimes groaning at the image — and race to finish.

• First ones to finish shout "Done!" and collect prizes.
• The vibe is similar to bar trivia — except puzzling offers something to do with your hands, which "makes conversations a lot easier," says Sarah Schuler, a St. Paul, Minnesota–based professional jigsaw puzzler and puzzle host known as Sarah Does Puzzles.

What they're saying: Events are "especially great for people that aren't super athletic but are very competitive, which is me," Schuler says.

• Plus, she says puzzling is an activity people of all ages can enjoy. At a recent competition she finished second behind a 12-year-old and his partner.

The bottom line: Speed puzzle contests may be the missing piece for people looking for low-pressure conversation and competition.