(Image Credit: CFJC Today).

By Stephanie Swensrude

18,000 Pieces

‘Let’s see her do this in a weekend’: Kamloops couple beat pandemic blues with massive puzzle

May 16, 2022 | 4:35 PM

KAMLOOPS — Savannah McKirdy is a bit of a competitive puzzler.

“It’s always been a thing I’ve done since I was a kid,” she told CFJC Today.

“I have two older brothers and a younger brother… and we used to puzzle-race when we were kids.”

Many people turned to hobbies, new and old, as COVID lockdowns opened and closed. Savannah and her husband, Allan chose puzzles as their lockdown obsession.

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In May 2020, a few months into the pandemic, Savannah had already put together all the puzzles she owned. Allan decided he’d buy her a challenge — a 2,000-piece puzzle.

“It lasted a weekend,” said Allan. “Three days.”

They needed something bigger. Around Mother’s Day, Allan ordered an 18,000 piece puzzle online.

“I ordered it up, thinking, ‘Oh yeah this’ll be good, let’s see her do this in a weekend,’” said Allan.

The mindful activity helped her take her mind off of the pandemic and the fact she wasn’t able to finish her schooling as an educational assistant.

“When I get super stressed out, it’s like, this is what I need to do. Just leave me alone and let me build my puzzle,” she said.

They powered through the last section of the puzzle and finally finished just after Thanksgiving 2021 — about a year-and-a-half after opening the box for the first time.

“We gotta get this done before Christmas. We have to have a kitchen table for Christmas,” she said.

It took the couple multiple jars of crafting glue to mount the puzzle on two pieces of foam insulation. The puzzle is now ready to be mounted on the wall forever, measuring about six-by-nine feet.

Image Credit: CFJC Today).

“Building a simple, 1,000-piece puzzle is satisfying but when you get one this big completed, you’re just like, ‘Holy man, how did we do this?’”

And as for what’s next for the puzzling pair?

“I can’t say I haven’t looked at a 42,000 piece one,” said Allan.