Joshua Miron won $1,000 in less than 10 seconds in the Larry Berg Time Trial Puzzle Competition in High River last week.
Eighteen competitors from Calgary, Okotoks, High River and Foothills County descended on the High River Library on Jan. 2 and 4 for the annual competition hosted by Berg, a retired math teacher who serves as sponsor and judge.
Miron took just 8.64 seconds to solve the four-ringer puzzle and claim the first-place cash prize.
Paul Milligan, the timer/registrar for the competition, said the margins are getting slim as just over two seconds separated first and fifth place.
“I was taken aback by the high level of energy, enthusiasm and speed provided by all the competitors,” said Milligan. “To win this competition, you’ll have to do one thing: practise, practise and practise again.”
Samuel Fraser finished in second place with a time of 8.84 seconds to take home $500. Avra Miron (10.02, $250), Theodor Radulescu (10.81, $150) and Rebecca Fraser (10.93, $100) rounded out the top five.
The other competitors included: Cecily Fraser (11.35), Kristian Berg (11.41), Grace Lawlor (12.20), Mataya Lawlor (12.66), Jacinta Fraser (12.79), Stefan Radulescu (12.85), Tricia Rakos (13.58), Drianna Lawlor (13.84), Rylee Navratil (15.14), Landen Brigham (15.28), Marie Fraser (16.49), Joseph Fraser (18.36) and Karl-Erik Berg (19.32).
There is a life-time prize money limit of $2,000 per competitor.
Berg said the competition is a tribute to his parents, Knute and Alvilde, who survived the drought and economic depression of the Dirty Thirties. The prize money was raised, over a period of retirement years, by Berg selling brain teaser puzzles throughout the province.
Berg encourages people to step away from the TV and other electronic devices and find entertainment with manual puzzles instead.
The puzzle used in the competition has a wooden block base with four screw-in eyelets and steel rings linked together with a long U-shaped rod, called a wand. Berg said the competition, open to all ages, is organized to promote hands-on skills and rewards determination, perseverance, concentration and logical thinking.
Berg said the four-ringer puzzles used in the competition are available to borrow, similar to a book, from the High River, Okotoks and Nanton libraries. There are puzzle brochures available at all libraries for additional information.
For more on future competitions or the four-ringer puzzle, contact Berg at 403-652-7710 or [email protected] or Milligan at 403-652-4164 or [email protected].
