Emila, congratulations on your enormous work in favor of speed-puzzling. I haven't had time to watch the livestramings yet, but I'm sure you did great and you shouldn't feel bad at all for talking about your business project, which was extremely interesting for all the people who were listening to you. It was in the script that you would talk about all this. Regarding the critics, I can only say you that it is the best sign that you are on the right path. No one who reaches thousands of people can please everyone and you will always have a few protesting and criticizing, the important thing is that your opinions transcend! Don't pay attention to them and only consider the vast majority of opinions that appreciate your advices and vision of the world of speedpuzzling. It will be a pleasure to have you again next year. 😉
Thank you Alfonso! Your encouraging words mean so much to me. I truly believe new type of businesses emerging around puzzles is good for overall development of speed puzzling as well. More importantly, I want to thank you for your enormous amount of work for the sport and community. It is beyond amazing what you have made possible for all of us. I wouldn’t even have this puzzle business without the email you sent me last year about one of my first videos ever. It’s crazy how far we have come and ehat else is coming up in the future. I’m sure we will see next year in the WJPC and maybe even some national events before that!
Soooo enjoyed you as co-host. I found your tips and incites on the "sport" of speed puzzling. Very knowledgeable. As frequent viewer, I was happy to be introduced to more of your background. You are a unique voice in puzzling!
I agree with you about the chat when you were commentating. We should be grateful that we all around the world have access to this event and we can see it live. there's no reason to be nasty in the chat! I was happy to listen to you and I thought you brought up new angles to the conversation. there is plenty of time to fill and plenty of time for YOU, Emilia. Don't let those people get you down!
I know it’s a mistake to read anything but I always do it by accident. 🤣 And unfortunately, I know for a fact that I will never get used to it (on the other hand I don’t want to because I feel like it would shut down too much of my already non-existing emotional side). Doesn’t affect my actions and thoughts though, only emotions. Exhaustiiiiiiiiing. Let’s see what gem comments we will get this year to my recap video. 🙈 I’m super happy to hear you liked my commentary. ☺️ Means a lot!
Yeah that chat was filled with idiots…they couldn’t seem to understand that the camera people weren’t reading the chat and they kept asking to see Karen Puzzles…they had a problem with everyone for something or other…I wish I could say don’t listen to them or take what they say to heart but I know it’s gotta be hard to put yourself out there and get idiots saying stupid shit about you. I just hope that you take your fans and the people who support you more seriously than the idiots who just complain about anything. I think you did great! I think you and Val had good chemistry and I hope you keep doing what you’re doing!
You did great Emilia, both commentating and puzzling! You are always a joy to watch and I cant wait to see what you will be doing next, Puzzlelove from Sweden!
@@puzzlewithemilia I will for sure watching! My illnesses has a tendany to bother the last few months sojb wouldn't even be able to handle the journey unfortunately. I wouldn't miss for anything on earth 😅
As a South American raised woman living in the United States for many years, I understand you. Because cultures are diverse and they have social trends, and yes, unfortunately some individuals are just mean for no reason. I appreciate the honesty you bring to your videos and the desire to help others through the hobby you love. Envy is universal when a person is self driven.
Great comment. Also, it’s impossible to adjust to every culture in an international livestream. So it’s better just be you! Ofc when I meet one person from different culture I do consider that (like my in-laws are Chilean so they do cheek kisses and stuff) and it should also be two-way street in a way that both can expect their ”cultural behavior” to be respected. 😊
I loved your commentary and was very happy to hear about the success of your coaching clients. It gives hope to people like me who are very new to puzzling. Your perspectives are always insightful and analytical.
Thank you so much! I was so excited already after seeing results of the first two rounds. I remember telling Valerie all about it beforehand and she was like ”no no no you need to leave this to be told on the commentary” 😄
It would surprise many if they knew how shy and quiet I was as a kid. Well, I still am when it comes to small talk and groups. It was a lots of work to ”find my voice”. In Finnish we say ”paskan määrä on vakio” which translates to ”the amount of shit is constant” 😂 meaning that no matter what you do, there is always the same amount (of people) complaining.
I watched every minute of the live stream and I enjoyed your commentating. You delivered well thought out topics and talking points. I like how direct you are. Don’t change a thing. There is nothing wrong with promoting your business. Great job!
Yes!!! I was over 15mins faster this year in semifinals and I barely qualified. Last year I didn’t do any puzzle under an hour and made it nicely to finals (ranked 82th, now 115th). 😄 Crazy!
I’m neurodivergent and your style really appeals to me. I think you are interesting and funny. I like that you are passionate and self assured; you clearly love puzzling and you are good at it. You also like learning and improving which is something I also love. I can see that the words in the chat hurt you and I’m sorry about that. Val sung your praises in so many live streams and was always so excited to see you compete. You cannot please everyone and you don’t need to. Keep doing what makes you happy.
So happy to hear this. Let’s be honest that not all get my dry humour (and they don’t need to ofc). 🤣 No one can be everything for everyone, that’s for sure. It barely happens to me but I did get quiet for a moment after reading them. Luckily we had guests coming in too so I had time to collect myself. 😊
Loved you video! Your commentary at worlds was very informative and interesting. The more videos of yours I watch the more I appreciate your direct and honest opinions. You really are enjoyable to watch. I especially liked the comment (7-8 mins in this video) when you say you should only make money doing things you dislike but if you enjoy it you should do it for free…& how ridiculous that is… yes… agree! Keep up the great content!
Wow, thank you! And yeah, it makes it sound ridiculous when you say it out loud. But it seems very common opinion. It wouldn’t be a first time either that someone refers to my business as a hobby and at the same time get annoyed if it makes me money 😆 (I used to be a part-time entrepreneur before I opened my marketing agency and I have always had interesting mix of all kind of business projects going on)
Loved your commentary at Worlds . It was interesting to hear about the coaching and the role it plays in improving one’s puzzling. Valerie seemed eager to hear your story!
Much appreciated! It was so much fun to catch up with Valerie again. So much has changed since last year and I was so happy to have some actual results already to show. 😊
@@puzzlewithemilia I wouldn’t pay much attention to the negative comments on your commentary at Worlds. I blocked three people whose comments were inappropriate during the first hour. I think there needs to be several people monitoring the comments. (I do know it is difficult to do when there are so many trolls out there.)
I thought you did really well! I actually had a dream that I was leaving the event and stopped in at a cafe for a snack, and there was a puzzle sitting out on a table, then you walked in and started doing the puzzle. LOL
Great video as always! I am sad that I did not get to talk to you this year at World's! Btw, it is indeed an issue that you are able to guess which puzzles will be used. But the biggest issue in my mind is that those puzzles are only available to Europeans. Or to other regions if you can afford to pay extra shipping. My qualifications puzzle was Paris postcard. Was my first time assembling it. Many people in my heat had assembled it at least once. Some people had sped run it....(5 times and up). So let's say that the playing field being uneven is an understatement..... unless the federation changes the rules (all puzzles being new releases), I will not be returning to the championship as I don't feel it is a speed puzzling competition anymore. It becomes a memorization competition that favors europeans or rich non-Europeans....
Agreed. I recommend to contact Federation directly about this. Not because of they not being aware of the issue but also because it would be easier for them to negotiate with the sponsor to grant all these unpublished puzzles if they have proof to show that many people have said it to them (other than just saying that it’s the general opinion). We are so big at this point that it would be hard to get another sponsor that could actually pull off so many unpublished puzzles so pressure to that direction is needed too. I totally agree with you and understand your point.
Emilia don’t let people get you down for every negative comment you have hundreds of positives, there are so many people who love watching you and you are inspiring so as Taylor would say ‘shake ‘em off’
Haha thanks! Still up and will be. Just so damn annoyed and frustrated sometimes, I could totally live my life without some of the negativity online. 😃 ’high high hopes for a living’ 🎶
I thought your commentating was excellent - and if I recall correctly, Valerie said you were amazing at the end of your session with her. So, ignore the naysayers (that's what we call complainers). Your predictions were awesome... even with data, not sure how that's done. You have great instincts for that. Great recap! The being tired and sore back issue is important to talk about. The only way around it is to exercise to strengthen back muscles before the next Worlds... cause they won't reduce the number of competitions daily. Thanks for being so honest. Much appreciated!
Thank you! Naysayers added to my vocabulary. 🤩 Let’s say I work with data everyday, but also being young woman without a degree working with boards and executives already then years ago, I have learned to prove every instinct I have 😆 Now off to the physiotherapist!
People likely think you're rude because you sound confident and self-assured. You're not "demure" enough for them. And some people think that talking about money in any context is rude, even if you're not really talking about money. Please ignore those people. You're magnificent.
Next year I’m gonna do some serious self-promoting and turn all the negative comments into funny merch and make some crazy dollars. Yesh!!! People can ”demure” that (seriously, first time hearing that word).
@@NoThankUBeQuiet I’m sure. For people who actually speak English natively or in an English speaking environment. That would not be me. Mutta muuten ihan hyvä yritys kuitenkin. Vähän laajempi tämä sanavarasto omalla kielellä. Kiva oppia uusia sanoja. 😄
@@NoThankUBeQuiet Yes and no. While the word has existed for years, some TikToker recently used the term in a makeup video that went viral, so now everybody is using the god damned word.
A very interesting Worlds this year with the inclusion of unreleased puzzles. I noticed that no pictures of those unreleased puzzles appeared on the results page. This makes it difficult to make a note of any that one would like to buy at some point. So many more competitors this year and some faster ones have appeared to challenge those who have been before. You did very well, puzzling and commentating, 👍and your prediction of puzzles was good. I'm fascinated by the way you rock from side to side when puzzling. Is that to ease your back? Standing up and bending over a puzzle no doubt gets very tiring. Such a shame that the results page kept crashing making it difficult to check the ranking. Hopefully that will be sorted out ready for 2025.
That’s true. I could ask if they are still planning to add them. Maybe they were missing the images on those days. Lots of people pay attention to my ”rocking”. I never did until someone mentioned it. But I’m 90 % sure it’s just way to fight anxiety (the emotion, not a mental disorder). You can see lots of people doing that when getting nervous. It’s pretty universal thing (same as touching your face when nervous). I don’t do it ”on purpose”. But it’s definitely working. I also tell people that feel too nervous that do something physical before a competition because body/brain gets confused and thinks that you are not anxious but just doing a physical activity. I’m sorry my explanation is not super good because I don’t know all the scientific terms of this topic. I found this from NeuroScience Institute: ”Rocking back and forth can be a warning sign or reaction to mental distress. People with mental health disorders may exhibit this behavior. The rocking motion feels soothing to them. This movement might seem excessive as if it has no real purpose. However, rocking back and forth can help relieve stress and pain by stimulating the vestibular system. Typically, a sudden release of or drop in the feel-good chemical, dopamine triggers the motion.”
@@puzzlewithemilia That's alright Emilia, I can understand what you are trying to say. It's basically a way of soothing yourself in a stressful situation. If it works that's fine. 😍
@@puzzlewithemilia Im curious if it's connected to how we are rocked back and forth in the womb 🤔 And maybe that's why I feel less anxious when listening to sea sounds. The water swooshing. This is so interesting 😊
Hi Emilia, I too have a small puzzle business in which I want to grow into being my full-time job and I self advertised in the chat comments on the Final day on Sunday and I got called rude also and that I needed to stop self promoting my business. So I know the feeling ☹Good luck with your business though! and great video too btw!😀
I thought you commentary was great and you did not talk too much about your business. It was just interesting to hear of something new about puzzling. My only gripe is that you weren't on more but i might have missed you. Only watched about 70% of the livestreams.
Cool, thanks. 😊 I would love to commentate even more but also the competition get me very busy so not sure if it would be possible even if they asked me. Although, I almost like commentating and coaching more than competing myself.
I was in the chat during the whole competition and I think you were a very nice commentator, if that helps :D I really didn't understand what was happening with all that hate that some people were throwing. Unfortunately it happened a few times over the competition. Many of us (specially our wonderful mod) tried to keep a nice and welcoming environment in the chat but, as usual, trolls have that urge to troll everywhere. Thankfully the block button was very helpful to get rid of annoying people xD Anyway, I hope you had a wonderful time in my country. Cheers!
Haha thanks! The block button is singing indeed. I feel like it would be easier to moderate someone else’s channel and they could do mine. So it wouldn’t sting so bad. 😃
I love Val and even she got criticized in the chat! So annoying. You are great I love how she mentioned you just tell it like it is. So true. I love your unfiltered nature.
Whaaaaat. I cannot believe someone didn’t vibe for Valerie. I mean she is the warmest and sunniest person there is. And great professional who brings the best out of everyone. Those chatters must be out of this universe. 😃
@@puzzlewithemiliashe is the best. I loved every minute of it. She’s really talented at being able to vibe with any of the guests they brought on as well.
I didn't follow the live chat which was good bc last year was also disappointing at times. RUclips comments usually get like this. Being quiet and apologetic does not equal being respectful but people can have a very narrow view of things. I think your personality is more direct than some are used to. I think the other hosts said it was a breath of fresh air and I agree bc from an American side it can feel like you have to censor yourself or make sure to use the right tone (especially for women), so you being you is very welcome.
Agreed. I nowadays close the chat if I watch something. I guess I was trying to look if there was any questions for the hosts at that time. And most definitely. And ofc I also do tone myself down for example when talking with more quiet people so they have a chance to say something and feel comfortable. But with Valerie having such a great plan already nights before of what we wanted to talk about and also knowing her and our chemistry, there was no reason for me to tone it down as there was no problem with our communication together. 😄
I like that you are leaning into your “brutal” side in this video 😂🤗🙌 I hope WJPF pays attention to what you say about unreleased puzzles in all rounds. Your predictions were super impressive.
I hope so too! It was one of my goals to almost like provoke people to talk about the issue. It’s not a secret that my coachees and myself have been practicing with those puzzles for months and ofc it shows. I will play by the rules as long as they will have published puzzles but I do wish that they will change it for the sake of the sport.
I’m gonna be totally honest, the chat this year was absolutely horrendous. I was ashamed by some of the things that were being said in chat!! I think something needs to change next year - more rules or more moderators or something. I was so happy when you were commentating though ♡
Thanks for the comment! I have to say that moderating is so hard. Even with YT’s strictest (automated) moderation mode so much goes through and also sometimes totally okay comments get automatically blocked. It’s hard when it’s live and need to react in real-time. More help for the moderators is definitely needed. 😊
I thought you were great during your talk with Val. I also read those rude comments and it infuriated me. They’re the rude ones. I just don’t get the negativity. Everyone at the competition seemed so nice. Just wish the fans were as nice and supportive. You also did great in the competition. I watched every minute and at the end of teams I was like where is your team. Did I miss it and watched again to see your team finish. I had to look it up and then realized they didn’t show your team finish. I wanted to see it. 😢
People and drama seem to go hand in hand. And our team was not shown! There was so many other teams finishing at the same time as us. I probably looked completely exhausted so maybe better that they didn’t show me. 😂
In this day and age, there will always be rude commentators. Don't take it to heart. They are very insecure people. You did a great job with Valerie. Hope to see you again next year.
Thanks! I hope I will be invited next year too. 😊 Rude comments only sting for a moment. Just hard when they keep coming too often and combined with other negativity. Not a fan of it but I will figure it out 😊
I've heard that the puzzles are released in Europe and not yet released in the USA at the time of the competition. Is that true and if so, is that fair?
My basic opinion is that all competition puzzles should be unreleased. This year we had published puzzles only in classification rounds so I hope next year everything is unpublished. In further discussion I think we would need to think bigger than USA vs Europe, as the biggest issue is for South American, African and Asian markets where it can be really hard to even get any Ravensburger puzzle. One reason I did my predictions was that I wanted to show how ”easy” it’s to predict puzzles and then practice them beforehand AND hope it will make everyone realise why we should not have published puzzles in the name of fairness. Let’s say RB did not do excellent job with after-sales of competition puzzles either… they said they will be available worldwide but in reality only sold in FR, DE, UK, some fourth EU country and US (with a lottery?) 🙈
@@puzzlewithemilia I agree that everything should be unreleased for the reasons that you said and also because then more people would be eager to join just to get brand new puzzles, I saw some instagram stories of competitors that offered to swap their competition puzzles because they already had them.
I must admit that I like to complain too but never about people or make negative assumptions of their characters. I also like to think that I don’t only complain but also try to help with the issues I bring up. Thank you for the comments!
The comments from certain spectators were quite nasty at times during the live stream. I was appalled at their behavior and ended up ignoring all the comments by the end of the second day. I was watching the videos after they came out, otherwise, I probably would have gotten banned in chat for calling out those jerks. It is appropriate for you to discuss your business since the moderator specifically wanted to discuss what you did. It is shame that people can’t differentiate between expertise and arrogance. You were kind enough to take time to share your experiences and expertise with us and that deserves a thank you… not nastiness.
Thank you! I actually turned off the chat when watching the livestreams from our hotel. Last year I was more excited with the chat and people being more positive. And I agree. We should be thankful for all participants in the commentator booth. I know how nerve-racking it can be for some and then adding it to the fact that also competing can be a lot!
I thought you did a great job commentating. Some people should just keep quiet if they can’t say anything kind. I agree saying something positive about one person doesn’t mean you should put other people down. Well done on getting to the finals.
Thank you. And I agree. I also do see how some people may feel like the stuff I say sometimes is negative because I do point out stuff that can be done better (but also how to do it). But I don’t understand how they think they are so kind then going all in and claim that the whole person is rude and everything. 😄
You are not rude, those comments are probably from Americans who are simply not used to people speaking directly, like north-Europeans do. I have listened to most of the commentaries (havent read any chats) but not for one minute did I think you were rude. (But I am Dutch so those people would probably think we are all rude here.) And I think its totally justified to promote yourself and your business when you are there, they asked you as a commentator for your expertise and your knowledge, you give that away for free when commentating, so I see it as sort of your 'salary' that you hopefully get some more puzzle coaching work from it.
Yeah exactly. It was clear from the moment I was asked to join that they also wanted me to talk about Speed Up! and stuff, also because it kind of explains what I base my knowledge / track record to. I would never miss a chance as a business person. Maybe next year I will buy one of those ad slots of the livestream and not join to commentate. 😂 Maybe that’s what these people would prefer.
I completely agree with you in regards to that individual finals puzzle - boring! When I first saw it on the livestream, I thought, yuck, that's all they could come up with for the final. Actually I don't like a lot of Ravensburger puzzles, they're just not interesting. Thank goodness there are lots of other puzzle companies now that have much more captivating images. Keep saying things like they are! I too have been accused of being too direct, uncaring, and shrewd. Ah well, they just don't know me well enough.
Yep. Lots of variety with different brands fo all. I actually wish to have more random cut puzzles available in Europe. 😊 And I will. There is a huge different being rude and direct. Surely you can be both but I barely ever direct anything personal. More like talking about things and matters in general level.
I won't lie, I did feel like you were a bit sales-y, but not so much that it outweighed your value as a commentator! You were great - clearly knowledgeable and passionate. Esp bc it became clearer to me as the competition went on that Val really wanted people like you who are building speed puzzling through entrepreneurship and organization and *wanted* ya'll to talk about what you're doing. I wonder if the response to you in the live chat was partially because you were an early commentator? Probably more likely that people just love to complain and be unhappy.🙄
That’s fair to say. 😃 And I do agree. I generally sound salesy even when discussing with my friends about daily stuff. Nothing bad about it though. It’s not like anyone is paying for ad free premium version for watching and listening. I think it’s kinda also Federation’s idea because commentators are not paid either and that’s how it works elsewhere that both parties benefit (you know, podcasts and collaborations)😂 Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate it!
You did amazing during the chat, and the whole point was to hear your thoughts during the competition and tell us about your business. I hope to hear from you next year as well! You have so many insights about competing and getting faster, I definitely took notes!
I appreciate that! I hope I will be invited for the next year too. And maybe I even inspired some to consider having their own puzzle business / side hustle!
To me your commentary sounded like a sales ad. Which was not interesting to me. I'm here to see if you really are that arrogant or not. From what I've seen of your "prediction" video you just showed stacks and never said what you actually predicted. Weird that you think you are direct and yet never said "This one, that one and the other" I don't nessicarily dislike you im just curious.
There was a stack of exactly 10 puzzles. Maybe you can go and check it again because it was clear! The time stamp is 3:28, here is a direct link: ruclips.net/video/XJVOFRDzWYU/видео.htmlsi=qXSm86CeL0gunwcN&t=3m28s The original video (from 3 months ago), my website and the excel had more detailed list with links and all. 😃 For editing reasons I did not go one by one because I’m very long-winded and people prefer not too long videos. Nothing deeper there. Just curious too. Does something sounding like sales ad to you equal to that person being arrogant? Not sure if those are synonyms. But I do understand if the topic wasn’t for you. I just don’t see a reason to point it out. I think we can all tolerate a little bit listening to something we are not super interested in without making negative assumptions about someone’s character. Btw being direct doesn’t mean that a person goes into details with everything they say (especially in a YT video for entertainment). There is a different word for that. 😊 But thank you for watching my videos. However, I recommend not watching if you are not really interested. I’m sure there are more positive things for you to do!
Im curious if the commentary that heavily featured praise for american puzzlers affected you as much? Not trying to shade you but for some reason I assume you are american. Critique is always valid. Negativity doesn't belong in the puzzling world. All the best!
@@Sandra_puzzlesandmeows I'm American and that bothered me too. The commentators should do a bit better knowing the contestants from other countries. I'd like to see an American, Australian, and European commentator on the English stream, but they'd need a bigger table!
@@lauraberkholtz7959 Im very happy that Val who I really love took the time and effort to learn more about the european puzzlers this year. I truly understand her bias here. It was way more US focused the first 2 years she was host/commentator and she has grown into this roll so well over the years 🥰
You simply say that if anyone doesn’t like my way of talking or criticising left the channel so I say if you and some others doesn’t like country role don’t participate the competition it’s so simple, people from rich/big countries are used to everything be on their behalf
My favorite heroes (sarcasm…) are the people who watch my videos from beginning to end and then tell they hated it all. There is a word for that kind of behavior last time I checked… One thing that came to my mind from my previous sports. We had one country that we other countries sponsored so they could participate, and they always ended up winning. 😆 But it was the beauty of the sport that we wanted even less rich countries to have equal opportunities to compete in high level - even if it costs us the victory.
Emila, congratulations on your enormous work in favor of speed-puzzling. I haven't had time to watch the livestramings yet, but I'm sure you did great and you shouldn't feel bad at all for talking about your business project, which was extremely interesting for all the people who were listening to you. It was in the script that you would talk about all this.
Regarding the critics, I can only say you that it is the best sign that you are on the right path. No one who reaches thousands of people can please everyone and you will always have a few protesting and criticizing, the important thing is that your opinions transcend! Don't pay attention to them and only consider the vast majority of opinions that appreciate your advices and vision of the world of speedpuzzling. It will be a pleasure to have you again next year. 😉
Thank you Alfonso! Your encouraging words mean so much to me. I truly believe new type of businesses emerging around puzzles is good for overall development of speed puzzling as well.
More importantly, I want to thank you for your enormous amount of work for the sport and community. It is beyond amazing what you have made possible for all of us. I wouldn’t even have this puzzle business without the email you sent me last year about one of my first videos ever. It’s crazy how far we have come and ehat else is coming up in the future.
I’m sure we will see next year in the WJPC and maybe even some national events before that!
Soooo enjoyed you as co-host. I found your tips and incites on the "sport" of speed puzzling. Very knowledgeable. As frequent viewer, I was happy to be introduced to more of your background. You are a unique voice in puzzling!
I agree with you about the chat when you were commentating. We should be grateful that we all around the world have access to this event and we can see it live. there's no reason to be nasty in the chat! I was happy to listen to you and I thought you brought up new angles to the conversation. there is plenty of time to fill and plenty of time for YOU, Emilia. Don't let those people get you down!
I know it’s a mistake to read anything but I always do it by accident. 🤣 And unfortunately, I know for a fact that I will never get used to it (on the other hand I don’t want to because I feel like it would shut down too much of my already non-existing emotional side). Doesn’t affect my actions and thoughts though, only emotions. Exhaustiiiiiiiiing. Let’s see what gem comments we will get this year to my recap video. 🙈 I’m super happy to hear you liked my commentary. ☺️ Means a lot!
Yeah that chat was filled with idiots…they couldn’t seem to understand that the camera people weren’t reading the chat and they kept asking to see Karen Puzzles…they had a problem with everyone for something or other…I wish I could say don’t listen to them or take what they say to heart but I know it’s gotta be hard to put yourself out there and get idiots saying stupid shit about you. I just hope that you take your fans and the people who support you more seriously than the idiots who just complain about anything. I think you did great! I think you and Val had good chemistry and I hope you keep doing what you’re doing!
@@joeyotten2091That negativity in yt chat was the reason I created my own group chat on insta this year. A lot more fun ❤
You did great Emilia, both commentating and puzzling! You are always a joy to watch and I cant wait to see what you will be doing next, Puzzlelove from Sweden!
Thank you! Are you btw planning to participate/watch Swedish Nationals next year? ☺️ I might be joining again!
@@puzzlewithemilia I will for sure watching! My illnesses has a tendany to bother the last few months sojb wouldn't even be able to handle the journey unfortunately. I wouldn't miss for anything on earth 😅
As a South American raised woman living in the United States for many years, I understand you. Because cultures are diverse and they have social trends, and yes, unfortunately some individuals are just mean for no reason. I appreciate the honesty you bring to your videos and the desire to help others through the hobby you love. Envy is universal when a person is self driven.
Great comment. Also, it’s impossible to adjust to every culture in an international livestream. So it’s better just be you! Ofc when I meet one person from different culture I do consider that (like my in-laws are Chilean so they do cheek kisses and stuff) and it should also be two-way street in a way that both can expect their ”cultural behavior” to be respected. 😊
@@puzzlewithemilia I agree with you. By the way, my brother and his wife live in Chile but we are from Venezuela.
I loved your commentary and was very happy to hear about the success of your coaching clients. It gives hope to people like me who are very new to puzzling. Your perspectives are always insightful and analytical.
Thank you so much! I was so excited already after seeing results of the first two rounds. I remember telling Valerie all about it beforehand and she was like ”no no no you need to leave this to be told on the commentary” 😄
Sorry about those comments! I actually admire your ability to express yourself and give honest commentary!
It would surprise many if they knew how shy and quiet I was as a kid. Well, I still am when it comes to small talk and groups. It was a lots of work to ”find my voice”.
In Finnish we say ”paskan määrä on vakio” which translates to ”the amount of shit is constant” 😂 meaning that no matter what you do, there is always the same amount (of people) complaining.
I watched every minute of the live stream and I enjoyed your commentating. You delivered well thought out topics and talking points. I like how direct you are. Don’t change a thing. There is nothing wrong with promoting your business. Great job!
Glad you enjoyed it! I have to give credits for Valerie too whoo had planned the topics beforehand in notes and everything. 😊
@@puzzlewithemilia she has really come into her own on her end also. I made sure to compliment her on fb because it had to be such a hard task.
Its interesting to see how puzzling competitions change and evolve. It was also insane seeing how fast everyone in the finals were.
Yes!!! I was over 15mins faster this year in semifinals and I barely qualified. Last year I didn’t do any puzzle under an hour and made it nicely to finals (ranked 82th, now 115th). 😄 Crazy!
I’m neurodivergent and your style really appeals to me. I think you are interesting and funny. I like that you are passionate and self assured; you clearly love puzzling and you are good at it. You also like learning and improving which is something I also love. I can see that the words in the chat hurt you and I’m sorry about that. Val sung your praises in so many live streams and was always so excited to see you compete.
You cannot please everyone and you don’t need to. Keep doing what makes you happy.
So happy to hear this. Let’s be honest that not all get my dry humour (and they don’t need to ofc). 🤣 No one can be everything for everyone, that’s for sure. It barely happens to me but I did get quiet for a moment after reading them. Luckily we had guests coming in too so I had time to collect myself. 😊
Loved you video! Your commentary at worlds was very informative and interesting. The more videos of yours I watch the more I appreciate your direct and honest opinions. You really are enjoyable to watch. I especially liked the comment (7-8 mins in this video) when you say you should only make money doing things you dislike but if you enjoy it you should do it for free…& how ridiculous that is… yes… agree! Keep up the great content!
Wow, thank you! And yeah, it makes it sound ridiculous when you say it out loud. But it seems very common opinion. It wouldn’t be a first time either that someone refers to my business as a hobby and at the same time get annoyed if it makes me money 😆 (I used to be a part-time entrepreneur before I opened my marketing agency and I have always had interesting mix of all kind of business projects going on)
I really liked it that you gave some actual tips how to improve. Everyone else was more like just puzzle a lot.
Thanks! That’s nice to hear. I hope you liked the tips!
i loved you commentary on the live streams. They were alot better quality this year i think
Thank you. Glad to hear that!
I watched the live stream where you were a commentator. It was very interesting. Thank you.
I’m so glad to hear that. And all thanks to Valerie who did amazing notes or questions and topics beforehand!
Loved your commentary at Worlds . It was interesting to hear about the coaching and the role it plays in improving one’s puzzling. Valerie seemed eager to hear your story!
Much appreciated! It was so much fun to catch up with Valerie again. So much has changed since last year and I was so happy to have some actual results already to show. 😊
@@puzzlewithemilia I wouldn’t pay much attention to the negative comments on your commentary at Worlds. I blocked three people whose comments were inappropriate during the first hour. I think there needs to be several people monitoring the comments. (I do know it is difficult to do when there are so many trolls out there.)
I thought you did really well! I actually had a dream that I was leaving the event and stopped in at a cafe for a snack, and there was a puzzle sitting out on a table, then you walked in and started doing the puzzle. LOL
Epic. Maybe it wasn’t a dream after all? 😂
Great video as always! I am sad that I did not get to talk to you this year at World's! Btw, it is indeed an issue that you are able to guess which puzzles will be used. But the biggest issue in my mind is that those puzzles are only available to Europeans. Or to other regions if you can afford to pay extra shipping. My qualifications puzzle was Paris postcard. Was my first time assembling it. Many people in my heat had assembled it at least once. Some people had sped run it....(5 times and up). So let's say that the playing field being uneven is an understatement..... unless the federation changes the rules (all puzzles being new releases), I will not be returning to the championship as I don't feel it is a speed puzzling competition anymore. It becomes a memorization competition that favors europeans or rich non-Europeans....
Agreed. I recommend to contact Federation directly about this. Not because of they not being aware of the issue but also because it would be easier for them to negotiate with the sponsor to grant all these unpublished puzzles if they have proof to show that many people have said it to them (other than just saying that it’s the general opinion). We are so big at this point that it would be hard to get another sponsor that could actually pull off so many unpublished puzzles so pressure to that direction is needed too. I totally agree with you and understand your point.
Emilia don’t let people get you down for every negative comment you have hundreds of positives, there are so many people who love watching you and you are inspiring so as Taylor would say ‘shake ‘em off’
Haha thanks! Still up and will be. Just so damn annoyed and frustrated sometimes, I could totally live my life without some of the negativity online. 😃 ’high high hopes for a living’ 🎶
I don't think you did bad, it is that a lot of good people joined this year and they were not there in 2023
Absolutely. I had high hopes for the teams exactly for this reason because I know next year will be even higher level. But everyone did their best. :)
I thought your commentating was excellent - and if I recall correctly, Valerie said you were amazing at the end of your session with her. So, ignore the naysayers (that's what we call complainers). Your predictions were awesome... even with data, not sure how that's done. You have great instincts for that. Great recap! The being tired and sore back issue is important to talk about. The only way around it is to exercise to strengthen back muscles before the next Worlds... cause they won't reduce the number of competitions daily. Thanks for being so honest. Much appreciated!
Thank you! Naysayers added to my vocabulary. 🤩 Let’s say I work with data everyday, but also being young woman without a degree working with boards and executives already then years ago, I have learned to prove every instinct I have 😆 Now off to the physiotherapist!
People likely think you're rude because you sound confident and self-assured. You're not "demure" enough for them. And some people think that talking about money in any context is rude, even if you're not really talking about money. Please ignore those people. You're magnificent.
Next year I’m gonna do some serious self-promoting and turn all the negative comments into funny merch and make some crazy dollars. Yesh!!! People can ”demure” that (seriously, first time hearing that word).
@@puzzlewithemilia that word has been around for decades if not longer
@@NoThankUBeQuiet I’m sure. For people who actually speak English natively or in an English speaking environment. That would not be me. Mutta muuten ihan hyvä yritys kuitenkin. Vähän laajempi tämä sanavarasto omalla kielellä. Kiva oppia uusia sanoja. 😄
@@NoThankUBeQuiet Yes and no. While the word has existed for years, some TikToker recently used the term in a makeup video that went viral, so now everybody is using the god damned word.
@@puzzlewithemilia I hope you make tonnes of money off the jerks! Haha! And glad to introduce you to a new word. :P
I appreciate your directness and honesty, and have never thought of you as being rude. Enjoy your videos here and stories on IG. Ignore the trolls! ❤️
Thank you so much for your comment 😊
A very interesting Worlds this year with the inclusion of unreleased puzzles. I noticed that no pictures of those unreleased puzzles appeared on the results page. This makes it difficult to make a note of any that one would like to buy at some point. So many more competitors this year and some faster ones have appeared to challenge those who have been before. You did very well, puzzling and commentating, 👍and your prediction of puzzles was good. I'm fascinated by the way you rock from side to side when puzzling. Is that to ease your back? Standing up and bending over a puzzle no doubt gets very tiring. Such a shame that the results page kept crashing making it difficult to check the ranking. Hopefully that will be sorted out ready for 2025.
That’s true. I could ask if they are still planning to add them. Maybe they were missing the images on those days.
Lots of people pay attention to my ”rocking”. I never did until someone mentioned it. But I’m 90 % sure it’s just way to fight anxiety (the emotion, not a mental disorder). You can see lots of people doing that when getting nervous. It’s pretty universal thing (same as touching your face when nervous). I don’t do it ”on purpose”. But it’s definitely working. I also tell people that feel too nervous that do something physical before a competition because body/brain gets confused and thinks that you are not anxious but just doing a physical activity. I’m sorry my explanation is not super good because I don’t know all the scientific terms of this topic. I found this from NeuroScience Institute:
”Rocking back and forth can be a warning sign or reaction to mental distress. People with mental health disorders may exhibit this behavior. The rocking motion feels soothing to them. This movement might seem excessive as if it has no real purpose. However, rocking back and forth can help relieve stress and pain by stimulating the vestibular system. Typically, a sudden release of or drop in the feel-good chemical, dopamine triggers the motion.”
@@puzzlewithemilia That's alright Emilia, I can understand what you are trying to say. It's basically a way of soothing yourself in a stressful situation. If it works that's fine. 😍
@@puzzlewithemilia Im curious if it's connected to how we are rocked back and forth in the womb 🤔 And maybe that's why I feel less anxious when listening to sea sounds. The water swooshing. This is so interesting 😊
Hi Emilia, I too have a small puzzle business in which I want to grow into being my full-time job and I self advertised in the chat comments on the Final day on Sunday and I got called rude also and that I needed to stop self promoting my business. So I know the feeling ☹Good luck with your business though! and great video too btw!😀
Thank you! Happy to hear you have a business too. May I ask the name of your business? 😊
I thought you commentary was great and you did not talk too much about your business. It was just interesting to hear of something new about puzzling. My only gripe is that you weren't on more but i might have missed you. Only watched about 70% of the livestreams.
Cool, thanks. 😊 I would love to commentate even more but also the competition get me very busy so not sure if it would be possible even if they asked me. Although, I almost like commentating and coaching more than competing myself.
I was in the chat during the whole competition and I think you were a very nice commentator, if that helps :D I really didn't understand what was happening with all that hate that some people were throwing. Unfortunately it happened a few times over the competition.
Many of us (specially our wonderful mod) tried to keep a nice and welcoming environment in the chat but, as usual, trolls have that urge to troll everywhere. Thankfully the block button was very helpful to get rid of annoying people xD
Anyway, I hope you had a wonderful time in my country. Cheers!
Haha thanks! The block button is singing indeed. I feel like it would be easier to moderate someone else’s channel and they could do mine. So it wouldn’t sting so bad. 😃
I love Val and even she got criticized in the chat! So annoying. You are great I love how she mentioned you just tell it like it is. So true. I love your unfiltered nature.
Whaaaaat. I cannot believe someone didn’t vibe for Valerie. I mean she is the warmest and sunniest person there is. And great professional who brings the best out of everyone. Those chatters must be out of this universe. 😃
@@puzzlewithemiliashe is the best. I loved every minute of it. She’s really talented at being able to vibe with any of the guests they brought on as well.
I didn't follow the live chat which was good bc last year was also disappointing at times. RUclips comments usually get like this. Being quiet and apologetic does not equal being respectful but people can have a very narrow view of things. I think your personality is more direct than some are used to. I think the other hosts said it was a breath of fresh air and I agree bc from an American side it can feel like you have to censor yourself or make sure to use the right tone (especially for women), so you being you is very welcome.
Agreed. I nowadays close the chat if I watch something. I guess I was trying to look if there was any questions for the hosts at that time.
And most definitely. And ofc I also do tone myself down for example when talking with more quiet people so they have a chance to say something and feel comfortable. But with Valerie having such a great plan already nights before of what we wanted to talk about and also knowing her and our chemistry, there was no reason for me to tone it down as there was no problem with our communication together. 😄
I like that you are leaning into your “brutal” side in this video 😂🤗🙌 I hope WJPF pays attention to what you say about unreleased puzzles in all rounds. Your predictions were super impressive.
I hope so too! It was one of my goals to almost like provoke people to talk about the issue. It’s not a secret that my coachees and myself have been practicing with those puzzles for months and ofc it shows. I will play by the rules as long as they will have published puzzles but I do wish that they will change it for the sake of the sport.
I’m gonna be totally honest, the chat this year was absolutely horrendous. I was ashamed by some of the things that were being said in chat!! I think something needs to change next year - more rules or more moderators or something. I was so happy when you were commentating though ♡
Thanks for the comment! I have to say that moderating is so hard. Even with YT’s strictest (automated) moderation mode so much goes through and also sometimes totally okay comments get automatically blocked. It’s hard when it’s live and need to react in real-time. More help for the moderators is definitely needed. 😊
I thought you were great during your talk with Val. I also read those rude comments and it infuriated me. They’re the rude ones. I just don’t get the negativity. Everyone at the competition seemed so nice. Just wish the fans were as nice and supportive. You also did great in the competition. I watched every minute and at the end of teams I was like where is your team. Did I miss it and watched again to see your team finish. I had to look it up and then realized they didn’t show your team finish. I wanted to see it. 😢
People and drama seem to go hand in hand. And our team was not shown! There was so many other teams finishing at the same time as us. I probably looked completely exhausted so maybe better that they didn’t show me. 😂
In this day and age, there will always be rude commentators. Don't take it to heart. They are very insecure people. You did a great job with Valerie. Hope to see you again next year.
Thanks! I hope I will be invited next year too. 😊 Rude comments only sting for a moment. Just hard when they keep coming too often and combined with other negativity. Not a fan of it but I will figure it out 😊
I've heard that the puzzles are released in Europe and not yet released in the USA at the time of the competition. Is that true and if so, is that fair?
My basic opinion is that all competition puzzles should be unreleased. This year we had published puzzles only in classification rounds so I hope next year everything is unpublished.
In further discussion I think we would need to think bigger than USA vs Europe, as the biggest issue is for South American, African and Asian markets where it can be really hard to even get any Ravensburger puzzle. One reason I did my predictions was that I wanted to show how ”easy” it’s to predict puzzles and then practice them beforehand AND hope it will make everyone realise why we should not have published puzzles in the name of fairness.
Let’s say RB did not do excellent job with after-sales of competition puzzles either… they said they will be available worldwide but in reality only sold in FR, DE, UK, some fourth EU country and US (with a lottery?) 🙈
@@puzzlewithemilia great reply. Thanks.
@@puzzlewithemilia I agree that everything should be unreleased for the reasons that you said and also because then more people would be eager to join just to get brand new puzzles, I saw some instagram stories of competitors that offered to swap their competition puzzles because they already had them.
The comments on the livestream complained about a lot of stuff, pretty much everything at some points. I thought you did great as a commenter.
Some people aren’t happy unless they’re complaining about something. It’s a shame people can’t say nothing if they can’t say anything kind.
I must admit that I like to complain too but never about people or make negative assumptions of their characters. I also like to think that I don’t only complain but also try to help with the issues I bring up. Thank you for the comments!
The comments from certain spectators were quite nasty at times during the live stream. I was appalled at their behavior and ended up ignoring all the comments by the end of the second day. I was watching the videos after they came out, otherwise, I probably would have gotten banned in chat for calling out those jerks. It is appropriate for you to discuss your business since the moderator specifically wanted to discuss what you did. It is shame that people can’t differentiate between expertise and arrogance. You were kind enough to take time to share your experiences and expertise with us and that deserves a thank you… not nastiness.
Thank you! I actually turned off the chat when watching the livestreams from our hotel. Last year I was more excited with the chat and people being more positive. And I agree. We should be thankful for all participants in the commentator booth. I know how nerve-racking it can be for some and then adding it to the fact that also competing can be a lot!
I thought you did a great job commentating. Some people should just keep quiet if they can’t say anything kind.
I agree saying something positive about one person doesn’t mean you should put other people down.
Well done on getting to the finals.
Thank you. And I agree. I also do see how some people may feel like the stuff I say sometimes is negative because I do point out stuff that can be done better (but also how to do it). But I don’t understand how they think they are so kind then going all in and claim that the whole person is rude and everything. 😄
You are not rude, those comments are probably from Americans who are simply not used to people speaking directly, like north-Europeans do.
I have listened to most of the commentaries (havent read any chats) but not for one minute did I think you were rude. (But I am Dutch so those people would probably think we are all rude here.)
And I think its totally justified to promote yourself and your business when you are there, they asked you as a commentator for your expertise and your knowledge, you give that away for free when commentating, so I see it as sort of your 'salary' that you hopefully get some more puzzle coaching work from it.
Yeah exactly. It was clear from the moment I was asked to join that they also wanted me to talk about Speed Up! and stuff, also because it kind of explains what I base my knowledge / track record to. I would never miss a chance as a business person. Maybe next year I will buy one of those ad slots of the livestream and not join to commentate. 😂 Maybe that’s what these people would prefer.
I completely agree with you in regards to that individual finals puzzle - boring! When I first saw it on the livestream, I thought, yuck, that's all they could come up with for the final. Actually I don't like a lot of Ravensburger puzzles, they're just not interesting. Thank goodness there are lots of other puzzle companies now that have much more captivating images. Keep saying things like they are! I too have been accused of being too direct, uncaring, and shrewd. Ah well, they just don't know me well enough.
Yep. Lots of variety with different brands fo all. I actually wish to have more random cut puzzles available in Europe. 😊
And I will. There is a huge different being rude and direct. Surely you can be both but I barely ever direct anything personal. More like talking about things and matters in general level.
I won't lie, I did feel like you were a bit sales-y, but not so much that it outweighed your value as a commentator! You were great - clearly knowledgeable and passionate. Esp bc it became clearer to me as the competition went on that Val really wanted people like you who are building speed puzzling through entrepreneurship and organization and *wanted* ya'll to talk about what you're doing. I wonder if the response to you in the live chat was partially because you were an early commentator? Probably more likely that people just love to complain and be unhappy.🙄
That’s fair to say. 😃 And I do agree. I generally sound salesy even when discussing with my friends about daily stuff. Nothing bad about it though. It’s not like anyone is paying for ad free premium version for watching and listening. I think it’s kinda also Federation’s idea because commentators are not paid either and that’s how it works elsewhere that both parties benefit (you know, podcasts and collaborations)😂 Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate it!
@@puzzlewithemilia Totally! Mutually beneficial. I'm sorry people were cranky about it in the chat - it was definitely their problem and not yours.
You did amazing during the chat, and the whole point was to hear your thoughts during the competition and tell us about your business. I hope to hear from you next year as well! You have so many insights about competing and getting faster, I definitely took notes!
I appreciate that! I hope I will be invited for the next year too. And maybe I even inspired some to consider having their own puzzle business / side hustle!
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To me your commentary sounded like a sales ad. Which was not interesting to me. I'm here to see if you really are that arrogant or not. From what I've seen of your "prediction" video you just showed stacks and never said what you actually predicted. Weird that you think you are direct and yet never said "This one, that one and the other" I don't nessicarily dislike you im just curious.
There was a stack of exactly 10 puzzles. Maybe you can go and check it again because it was clear! The time stamp is 3:28, here is a direct link: ruclips.net/video/XJVOFRDzWYU/видео.htmlsi=qXSm86CeL0gunwcN&t=3m28s
The original video (from 3 months ago), my website and the excel had more detailed list with links and all. 😃 For editing reasons I did not go one by one because I’m very long-winded and people prefer not too long videos. Nothing deeper there.
Just curious too. Does something sounding like sales ad to you equal to that person being arrogant? Not sure if those are synonyms. But I do understand if the topic wasn’t for you. I just don’t see a reason to point it out. I think we can all tolerate a little bit listening to something we are not super interested in without making negative assumptions about someone’s character.
Btw being direct doesn’t mean that a person goes into details with everything they say (especially in a YT video for entertainment). There is a different word for that. 😊 But thank you for watching my videos. However, I recommend not watching if you are not really interested. I’m sure there are more positive things for you to do!
I think his avatar is showing the wrong end of the horse.
Im curious if the commentary that heavily featured praise for american puzzlers affected you as much? Not trying to shade you but for some reason I assume you are american. Critique is always valid. Negativity doesn't belong in the puzzling world. All the best!
@@Sandra_puzzlesandmeows I'm American and that bothered me too. The commentators should do a bit better knowing the contestants from other countries. I'd like to see an American, Australian, and European commentator on the English stream, but they'd need a bigger table!
@@lauraberkholtz7959 Im very happy that Val who I really love took the time and effort to learn more about the european puzzlers this year. I truly understand her bias here. It was way more US focused the first 2 years she was host/commentator and she has grown into this roll so well over the years 🥰
You're amazing, Emilia! Don't let the trolls get you down! Happy Puzzling! 🧩😊🥰
Thank you. 😊
You simply say that if anyone doesn’t like my way of talking or criticising left the channel so I say if you and some others doesn’t like country role don’t participate the competition it’s so simple, people from rich/big countries are used to everything be on their behalf
My favorite heroes (sarcasm…) are the people who watch my videos from beginning to end and then tell they hated it all. There is a word for that kind of behavior last time I checked…
One thing that came to my mind from my previous sports. We had one country that we other countries sponsored so they could participate, and they always ended up winning. 😆 But it was the beauty of the sport that we wanted even less rich countries to have equal opportunities to compete in high level - even if it costs us the victory.