The World's (previous) Largest Jigsaw Puzzle
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LIFE: The Great Challenge   -   by Royce B. McClure
    HALL OF FAME MEMBER                               Return to "Hall of Fame" home page

  • FIRST TO COMPLETE IN SOUTH AFRICA
  • FIRST TO COMPLETE AFTER MIXING ALL 24,000 PIECES BEFORE COMMENCING
    (note: other prior completions did the puzzle in four 6,000 piece sections.)
January 06, 2008
Jossie Williams  -  Pretoria, South Africa.

Assembled between 17 September 2007 and 6 January 2008   (Time: solo - 295 hours)

FIRST TO COMPLETE IN SOUTH AFRICA

My name is Jossie Williams and I am from Centurion in Pretoria, South Africa.

I completed the puzzle in 295 hours (17 hours to sort the pieces included). All the puzzle pieces were mixed together before starting on the puzzle and I set myself the goal of completing the puzzle in 250 hours. I was well on target of reaching that goal, until I started the lost city and the coral reef section. As with the other people, I also found the most difficult parts the birds and the lost city.

The combined quantity of the pieces for the water below the surface and the coral reef and the fine detail thereupon, slowed down my speed considerably. This causes the area to be a very difficult piece to build. Surprisingly the water surface was easy, as the colours change from left to right across the puzzle. I enjoyed the sea plants and small fish the most.

To the credit of Royce, the animals, sea plants and sea creatures "came alive" as the picture started to form. For its size, the puzzle is well planned and the colours well distributed throughout the puzzle. I have built a lot of puzzles, but this was really the most enjoyable of them all! I am looking forward to the next challenge!

View Jossie's progress chart HERE

 

Sorting the pieces:
Sorting the pieces

UPDATES:

Jan 21, 2008
Thank you, this achievement means so much to me, since in South Africa, puzzles are not such a big thing.  Because of that, I did not even tell the media. 

I have decided not to frame the puzzle, as I would really like to build it again in maybe 10 or 15 year's time, this time under no pressure to complete it first and to enjoy it on my own time.  Maybe by that time I have grandchildren old enough to join me.  I am also going to give it to my mom to build.  She is also 76 years old (like Hall of Fame - Mary Benjamin) and keeps herself busy with puzzles almost every day.  I will break it up into smaller pieces, as she resides in an old age home and does not have the space to build the whole puzzle.  She will have 12 x 2000 piece puzzles to keep her busy.  I have also forwarded her the inset from the old age home in Michigan, to see if they can maybe get together a group of enthusiasts to do the same for SA.

Keep well.
Jossie Williams.

Sept 11, 2008
I have stumbled upon this last email I received from you and just have the need to say hello again.

I cannot tell you how often I think back to the time I was building the puzzle and don't think I will wait another 10 - 15 years before I build it again. I can't wait for my mom to finish it! She is more than halfway already and is enjoying it immensely.

Josse Williams.


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