#21 - Aussie All Stars

In the second episode of the Worlds Wrap mini-series, EB Caron and I check in with two-time World Champion Alejandro Clemente León to see if the 2025 Worlds ended up being as stress free as he thought it was going to be.

In the first episode of the Worlds Wrap mini-series (!), EB Caron and I talk to European Champion Kathi Reiner about the progress she's made since last year's Worlds and how she managed to place in the top 3 of every event at this year's Worlds. There may even be a stat or two.

EB Caron joins me once again to talk about some puzzlers you might want to watch for at the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship this year.

Alejandro Clemente León was just a regular boy who liked playing sports and using puzzles to relax his mind, never suspecting the extraordinary destiny that awaited him. Until the fateful day stumbled upon a hidden world of competitive jigsaw puzzlers, and determined that he would join them. That bold step would propel him into the stratospheric heights of puzzle wizardry, where he would master arcane techniques and forge bonds with fellow puzzle wizards. But his greatest challenge would be defending the treasure he had unknowingly carried within him all along: The Joy of Puzzling In this episode we talk to the two-time world champion about his journey from being told he had a special gift at his first competition, to his feelings about the 2024 worlds, and his outlook on the upcoming 2025 world championship.

Leading up to Worlds 2024, there were quiet rumors about Poland being a secret puzzling powerhouse. As the competition drew to a close, it was clear that the rumors were true. In this episode, I talk with Polish puzzlers Wiktor Kacprzak and Weronika Huptas live, and weave in parts of a text conversation that I had with Krystian Niedziela to find out what makes them tick. You can find the transcript of my conversation with Krystian here: http://bit.ly/3H8sS7M I highly encourage checking it out as there was much that I didn’t get a chance to include in this episode, like how he would have done the Individuals Final puzzle differently at last year’s Worlds.

In this episode, I talk to the Aussie All Stars: Hannah Farthing, Katrina Coleman, Melissa Townsend, and Rhianna Eriksen. Formed on January 1st, 2024, their explicit intention was to bring Australia onto the World Championships podium; a feat their country had never achieved. We discuss how this elite team, spread across Australia's vast continent (with distances comparable to New York to Dallas), managed to train and build chemistry, often huddling in back rooms at state competitions. The episode also touches on the distinctive green-and-gold Australian team jersey, which has become the official uniform for all Australian puzzlers at Worlds, fostering a powerful sense of national unity and pride.

Michelle Kasper launched the Euro Jigsaw Jam virtual competition series within four months of having her passion for speed puzzling ignited by a YouTube video, despite never seeing an online competition herself. In this episode, we talk about what it took to bring the idea together, the vibrant community that makes it happen, and what led her to creating her own puzzles.

In this episode of Piece Talks, I sit down with Michaela Keener. She takes us back to the early days of the modern competitive puzzling era, from the excitement of the first Duluth Derby to how the pandemic fueled the rise of "puzzlegram" and the unique world of puzzle influencer culture. Michaela shares her personal journey, including how the pressure of early influencer status and a documentary almost led her to step away from the sport. She talks about the about the pivotal moment at the 2023 NE Regionals, where she began her transformation from a performance-driven mindset to a growth mindset, a philosophy she applied during the intense 2023 Worlds Individuals Finals. We also delve into her unique practice methods, from mastering the art of calming and refocusing mid-puzzle to training in public spaces to conquer distractions. It’s an inspiring story of resilience and growth!

Canadian champion Devon Donaldson brings her big heart and thoughtful spirit to Piece Talks! Devon won the Canadian Nationals Individuals in 2023, the Teams in 2024, and the Pairs in the recent 2025 Canadian Nationals. In this episode, Devon gives us a deep dive into the world of Canadian speed puzzling. She reflects on the highlights of the 2025 Canadian National Championship and the journey that led her there including how she navigated the plateaus in her puzzling growth. We also talk about Canadian puzzlers to watch for at this year’s Worlds in September, and what she’s doing to help develop the next wave of Canadian puzzlers.

Kelly Walter swept the 2025 US Nationals. In this episode we talk her experiences at the major competitions, and how her approach has evolved over time, including a change in her mindset (and playlist) at the start of an event.