Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance – it’s about connection. It’s the perfect reminder to reach out to people who bring joy to our lives, whether they’re old friends, new acquaintances, or potential puzzle pals! Sharing a hobby, like puzzling, can be a wonderful way to bond, create memories, and even form lasting friendships.
Making Friends as an Adult Isn’t Easy
Let’s be real – making new friends as an adult can feel really hard. Finding time for friendships amid work, family, and daily responsibilities can feel impossible. Juggling schedules often means social connections take a backseat. It’s easy to prioritize other things over friendships, or get stuck in routines where we see the same people over and over. We also lack the built-in social structures like school, where everyone is brought together in similar life situations. Luckily, it’s never too late to build new friendships. What I’ve found is that a shared hobby is the easiest way to connect with like-minded people. It’s not a quick fix, but it’s a starting point from where potential new friendships can sprout.
Puzzling is an especially great friend-building activity – no awkward small talk, just a shared love for finding the right pieces. But. There’s one major barrier to overcome: most of us tend to do puzzles alone at home. When I first started my puzzle journey, I didn’t know anyone who shared my passion to the same extent. As I longed to connect with others who truly understood the joy of puzzling, I set out to find my puzzle pals – and I did!
5 Things That Helped Me Find My Community
Joining Puzzlegram & Social Media Groups
I discovered an entire world of puzzle lovers online. Instagram, Facebook, and other social platforms were full of people who geek out over puzzles, just like I do! For me, personally, puzzlegram (Instagram puzzlers) has been the most important channel for finding fellow puzzlers. Puzzle groups and accounts often include the word “puzzle” in some form, so the best way to find puzzlers online, is to search with puzzle-related keywords on the platform you’re using. Another tip is that when you find someone whose puzzle profile you like, check whom they’re following – you’ll probably find many others to follow.Being Active & Open to Conversations
In the beginning I talked with puzzlers online, asked for advice and shared the knowledge and experiences I had. I believe that when you engage with others, connections happen naturally. So my tip is to focus on the connections that begin to flow naturally and see where they go. Being active online also helps with meeting others in real life: it’s a lot easier to attend puzzle events if you already knowother participants a little and there are a few familiar faces.Attending to Puzzle Events
Puzzle flea markets, meetups, and competitions introduced me to amazing people who love puzzles as much as I do. Even virtually, puzzling together creates a sense of community! I highly recommend attending puzzle events, locally and globally, because they are fun and offer plenty of conversation starters – from the puzzle you're working on to the event itself.Finding a Speed Puzzling Pair and Team
This was a major thing for me! Practicing was a great reason to regularly get together: before I knew it, I had got to know the team members pretty well. Working with challenging puzzles and competing together also helped form a strong bond. If you’re lacking speed puzzling partners you can search for them online. For instance, the official speed puzzle competitions, e.g. nationals and world championship, tend to have a dedicated platform where you can search for a pair or team.Starting Our Own Puzzle Club
Creating a space for puzzlers to gather, chat, and piece things together has been one of the most rewarding experiences! If your area doesn’t have an active puzzle community, perhaps you could take the lead and organize a puzzle event? To help get you started, you’ll find some tips here.
Puzzle Pal Friend Search
I’m hosting a Puzzle Pal Friend Search on my Instagram. This turned out to be a successful initiative last year and I wanted to make it into an annual tradition. So, whether you’re missing a speed puzzle pair, dreaming of local(ish) puzzle parties or searching an international puzzle pen pal to exchange ideas and puzzles with, this is a great opportunity to connect!
How it works: go to the Puzzle Pal Friend Search post and introduce yourself briefly in the comments, e.g. share your favorite puzzle, where you are from and what kind of puzzle pal you’re looking for. You can also reply to someone if you find a puzzle-match. Once you have a match, you can continue getting to know each other through Instagram DMs and perhaps you’ll end up as puzzle pals!
Final Thoughts
The joy of finding people who truly get it has been incredible. Now, I can puzzle with others, share excitement over a gorgeous puzzle, and feel seen in a way that truly matters. Some of these connections have turned into friendships – which is just incredible!
So, if you ever feel like no one understands your puzzle passion, you’re not alone! There are so many of us out here, and this hobby is AMAZING. And if you’re an introvert like me, don’t worry – puzzles give you plenty to talk about.