Texas 12-year-old pulls off stunning upset at USA Jigsaw Nationals, beating legendary twin champions in Atlanta

When it comes to doing puzzles — the jigsaw type, typically spilled out atop a kitchen table — there are those who think it will be relaxing, and those who treat it like a full-contact sport.  

Welcome to the second group: The USA Jigsaw Nationals in Atlanta, where hundreds of individuals and teams are given the same puzzle and attempt to complete it in the fastest time possible.  

It's called speed puzzling — part rec room, family fun meets NBA Game 7 intensity.  And this year's competition at the Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart was a thrilling upset.

For years, twin sisters from the Seattle area, Cathy and Jeanne Roiter, have been fixtures in this world — champions, fan favorites, and, until now, teammates.  Last year, they won the pairs finals, and have also won individual titles.

But this year, a dramatic twist — they split up, taking on new partners in the pairs competition — twin vs. twin.

"We've had a friendly rivalry. We keep going back and forth… and this year, we thought — let's mix it up. Compete against each other," said Cathy Roiter about her sister Jeanne.

Even the chief judge, William Shandling, knows what's at stake.  

"The Roiter sisters are an institution," Shandling says. "To see them split up…it's pretty epic."

And then, another surprise.  

At just 21 minutes, 52 seconds into the competition, the crowd erupts.  There's a winner, but it's not either Roiter sister.  It's 12-year-old Conner Delaat, from Houston, and his partner Josh Trauger, pulling off the upset.

"We pulled it out," Delaat says, who will take home a $2,000 cash prize and bragging rights as the youngest competitor.

A three-time Texas state champion, Delaat says he completes three to four puzzles a day and occasionally mixes in basketball.  

"But I mostly do puzzles," he says.  

For his mom, Kimberly, watching from the crowd, it's a deserved moment for years of hard work.  

"We are beyond proud of him," she says. "This is a dream come true at 12 years old."  

As for the Roiters, their split came with mixed results:  Jeanne Roiter and her partner finished fourth and her sister, Cathy, who struggled to find the final piece of the puzzle (it was on the floor, where else?), finished tenth.  

No word yet on whether the sisters will reunite next year.  As for Conner, his mom says there's a celebration awaiting him in Houston, and "he can have anything he wants — within reason."