Did you hear about this puzzling thing?
Good morning from the Valley — the fields are talking, the rivers are moving, and we've got stories from five communities that matter.
### You won't believe how fast some folks put puzzles together
Okay, so out here in the Valley, sometimes the news isn't about the price of blueberries or the latest ALR debate. Sometimes it's just... *different*. And this one really made me scratch my head: there's a whole international competition for speed puzzling. Like, people are getting paid to put together 500-piece puzzles as fast as humanly possible. I always thought puzzling was a nice, quiet way to spend a rainy afternoon, maybe with a cup of chai and some Punjabi music playing softly. But apparently, for some, it's an Olympic sport. Who knew?
It got me thinking about how we find joy and challenge in the most unexpected places. While most of us out here are focused on getting crops in, fixing fences, or making sure the kids get to their soccer practice at Bateman Park, there are people training for this. And the article says times vary widely depending on the puzzle's image. Imagine that – the texture of a barn, maybe a mosaic of different berry varieties, could make or break your time. It’s certainly not something you hear about every day, especially when you’re used to reports on the Sumas River levels or the latest update from the greenhouses near Bradner Road.
* **What This Means for Abbotsford:** * It's a reminder that even in our busy, agricultural heartland, there's a whole world of unique hobbies. * Maybe we need an Abbotsford Speed Puzzling Championship at the Tradex next to the Airshow one year? Could be fun for a community day! * It just goes to show, you never know what kind of competitive spirit is hiding in your neighbours, whether they're farmers or city folk.
It’s just wild to think about, isn't it? While we're all out here making sure the Valley keeps feeding Metro Vancouver, some folks are setting world records for jigsaw puzzles. It's a nice little chuckle to start the day, makes you think about what else we're missing out on.
Harpreet Gill-Thiessen, MiTL Sports Desk, Abbotsford.
Keith and the crew break down all the strange stuff every morning — catch it live at mornings.live.