Mel Peddle moved to Gunnison in 2019, just a few months before the COVID-19 lockdown. Stuck at home in a new city, Peddle decided to take on a new hobby: speed puzzling.
Speed puzzling gained online popularity during lockdown. Speedpuzzling.com’s founder, Jonathon Cluff, began sending interested parties the same puzzles, all unopened. Competitors, via Zoom, would begin at the same time, all unraveling the plastic around their puzzles and racing to be the first person to place that final piece.
The new phenomenon gained popularity as it became a place for people to find community within their isolation.
“I have been a puzzler from a young age. Growing up, my older sister and I each got a puzzle for Christmas. Hers was Tweety Bird and mine was ‘Jungle Book,’” said Peddle. “I distinctly remember racing and beating her with our respective puzzles, and then switching puzzles and racing her again and still winning.”
Peddle first competed in the 11th contest and has become hooked. The website has now surpassed 500 different contests, each one larger than the last.
Lockdown has ended, but puzzling has only gained steam. Now, speed puzzling events can be found in bars around the nation.
Peddle has been traveling back and forth to the Denver area to compete in puzzle nights. She’s tired of the windshield time and has decided to bring speed puzzling to the Gunnison Valley.
Peddle aims to build a speed puzzling community here in Gunnison, hoping that bars in the valley will begin to host puzzling nights along with the other fun events that aim for community connection.
“I’m really hoping to grow the speed puzzling community locally and across the Western Slope. I think it’s an inclusive and competitive option for a valley that has so many athletic pursuits,” said Peddle. “There’s such an emphasis on athletics in the valley that having an option that is not that is an opportunity for anyone to form a new hobby.”
There are a few puzzling events approaching this spring. On Thursday, April 16, the Hub, which had its grand opening just a few weeks ago, will be hosting a speed puzzling overview and demonstration starting at 5 p.m. There will be a quick lesson and then an opportunity to practice.
The Gunnison Arts Center will be hosting two happy hour speed puzzling events, one April 22 and the other May 29.
The cherry on top, the Inner Piece speed puzzling competition, will be held June 19 and 20 at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts. The event will include puzzle chess races. Participants can compete solo, in pairs or in teams. There will also be yoga, massages and the event will conclude with puzzle trivia at the Bar Above.
Bring your favorite cozy hobby to life. Join the speed puzzling community as it begins to flourish in the Gunnison Valley.
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