Puzzle Palooza Highlight: Meet Hannah
Hannah at the 2025 World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship in Valladolid, Spain
When Hannah isn’t deep in her PhD work at UC Berkeley, she’s likely deep into a jigsaw puzzle, swapping puzzles with fellow enthusiasts, or preparing for her next speed puzzling competition. One of the three speed puzzlers we interviewed from Oasis’ first-ever Puzzle Palooza, Hannah’s story captures what makes the puzzling community so special: curiosity, generosity, and a shared joy in the challenge.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m originally from the Bay Area. I left for college in upstate New York, but I was pretty homesick, so it feels good to be back. I’m currently in my fifth year of a PhD program at UC Berkeley, in electrical engineering, where my research focuses on human vision. At this point, I spend most of my time either in the lab or puzzling.
How did you get into speed puzzling?
It actually started on New Year’s Eve of 2023-2024. I was alone (but not in a sad way) and looking for something to do. I had just one puzzle at the time, so I decided to work on it. I’d done puzzles growing up, and it felt like reconnecting with something familiar.
Soon after, I found out about a puzzle swap happening in January. That introduced me to a whole online puzzle swap community, which was amazing because it meant I could keep puzzling without constantly buying new ones.
I already knew about speed puzzling from YouTube, so I tried timing myself. It turned into a fun challenge, and I realized I was getting better over time.
What’s your connection to the puzzling community now?
The Bay Area has a really active puzzling scene with lots of swaps and competitions. I started with one puzzle, and now I have over 100, along with a dedicated puzzle shelf! There’s always someone new joining, and every few months you see another person who’s suddenly really good. It’s exciting to grow alongside everyone else.
How did you find out about Oasis’ Puzzle Palooza?
Andrea Peng told me about it. Since Puzzle Palooza is in Berkeley, and I live in Berkeley, she knew I’d be interested. What really drew me in was that it was close by and team-based since I love team puzzling.
What stood out to you about the event?
I was really impressed. The artwork on the puzzle was beautiful, and having snacks available was honestly a big plus because that’s not typical at other competitions. I also loved the opening where Oasis’ Executive Director, Adam, introduced every team. It felt really intentional and welcoming, and everyone got cheered on even before the competition started.
What was it like to win Puzzle Palooza?
It was really fun, and only a little nerve-wracking. I hadn’t competed on a team with Andrea and Caroline together before, and there’s always a sense that you don’t want to let your teammates down. Winning was exciting, but being on that team was the best part.
Do you have any advice for people who are curious about speed puzzling?
My main advice is to prioritize enjoyment as much as speed. Whenever I do poorly, it’s usually because I’m stressed. Focusing on the gratitude of getting to participate in an activity you like and enjoying the activity itself makes a huge difference.
Follow Hannah on social media at @hannahkaypuzzle
Read more about why Speed Puzzlers Champion Oasis’ Mission