Information for assistants
| Individual category | Pairs category | Teams category |
|---|---|---|
| Linda | Darja | Māra |
| Aļona | Aaron | Mārtiņš |
| Māra | Elena | Aaron |
| Mārtiņš | Ineta | |
| Artūrs | ||
| Aiga |
Schedule
|
9:30–11:15 Individual category |
➡️ | Awards Group photo Preparing the hall |
➡️ |
12:30–14:00 Pairs category |
➡️ | Awards Group photo Preparing the hall |
➡️ |
15:00–17:00 Teams category |
➡️ | Awards Group photo |
| 9:30–11:15Individual category |
| ⬇️ |
|
Awards Group photo Preparing the hall |
| ⬇️ |
|
12:30–14:00 Pairs category |
| ⬇️ |
|
Awards Group photo Preparing the hall |
| ⬇️ |
|
15:00–17:00 Teams category |
| ⬇️ |
|
Awards Group photo |
Timer
You’ll need to use a timer on your phone. For Android, the built-in timer works fine since it has a lap feature. For Apple devices, you’ll need to install this Stopwatch app.
Make sure to practice at home so you know which buttons to press and which time to watch.
The timer should be ready before the start. Everyone will start it at the same moment when you hear “3, 2, 1, GO“.
Usually, there is some free time at the beginning of each category (around 30+ minutes, depending on the category). You are welcome to use this time for your own needs.
Participants are seated according to their results – the fastest at the front. However, keep in mind that some of the newer participants sitting at the back may also achieve great results!
- The assistant can tell the participant verbally if a puzzle piece has fallen, but must not pick it up.
- Do not disturb the participant.
- The assistant may neatly adjust a fallen name holder or table number, but it’s not mandatory – try to interfere as little as possible. If a participant has hidden their name slip (this happens sometimes), leave it as is.
- The assistant keeps an eye on the participant’s progress and stays nearby discreetly as they approach the finish. Participants are informed that if they’re about to finish but no assistant is nearby, they should raise their hand so the assistant notices and comes over. However, the assistant’s main task is to prevent this! The participant shouldn’t have to worry about where the assistant is – raising a hand is a last resort!
- The time is recorded when the participant places the last piece.
- The time should be wrtitten in the form as (H:)MM:SS.
- The assistant gives the form to Žanna, who enters the result on the computer, signs the certificate, and leaves it on the table for any nearby assistants. The certificate is then handed to the participant once they’ve finished.
- In the Pairs and Teams categories, the assistant also gives finished participants an extra puzzle copy along with their certificate(s).
- Sometimes participants leave to take a break without waiting for them. In that case, everything should be left on the table.
- Due to participant complaints about noise, this time, as an experiment, participants will be asked to temporarily leave the room after receiving their certificate.
If a participant is missing a piece
- they do not look for it and say “Stop” – 5 seconds will be added to their time for each missing piece. For example, if they place the last piece at 0:55:30 but are missing 2 pieces and decide to stop, their final time will be 0:55:40.
- If the participant looks for it, their result will be the time they place the last piece they have. If it turns out that the piece was missing due to a manufacturing defect and was never actually included, no penalty time will be applied. That’s why it’s important to press the Lap button when the participant places their last available piece – so there’s a reference in case it turns out a piece is missing.
If the participant does not finish within the time limit
- For those who do not finish in time, they will be asked to group the remaining pieces into stacks of 10.
- Assistants help count the remaining pieces and record the result in the form in this format: “500 (or 1000) – counted pieces = completed pieces” (please calculate the final result).
Awards
When the results are ready and displayed on the screen, the top three winners are called. Each is awarded, photographed, and asked to wait on the side, starting with 3rd place. At the end, take a group photo of the top three (except for teams).
P.S.: This time, more than just the top three participants will be awarded. Shh… let’s keep this a little secret! 🙂
Afterwards, we take a group photo in the hall. The assistant helps organize the participants’ movement from the competition room to the hall. 😀
Break
- One assistant stays in the hall by the puzzle exchange table – in case any participant wants to ask a question or buy puzzles from previous competitions.
- The remaining assistants, after the Individual and Pairs categories, help prepare the hall for the next competitions. We will have 2 technical staff available to assist with tables and chairs.
- Preparing the hall: remove the previous table numbers, put out the new ones, set up the candies (1 per participant), the result sheets, and the puzzles. Please make it look nice 🙂
- The table numbering will follow the layout below:
| Screen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| ... | ... |
- No spoilers: do not share any puzzle-related information with participants.
- Before the Teams category, the result sheets will be set up only after the start, as they will contain the puzzle names. Teams will need to choose one puzzle out of two – their choice should be marked on the form and left on the table.
