Puzzle authors from across the globe share their experiences at 33rd World Puzzle Championship

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A panel discussion with puzzle masters at the World Puzzle Championship in Kolkata | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

On the fourth day of the World Sudoku and Puzzle Championship, several renowned puzzle authors from across the world attended a panel discussion, interacted with public, and hosted a series of games for the audience themselves.

This was part of the Puzzle Palooza segment of the tournament on Wednesday (October 14, 2026), in which the principal puzzle master of LinkedIn Games, Thomas Snyder, two-time world champion Tantan Dai from China, another champion from Japan, Ken Endo, puzzle editor of The Picnic Post, Nipun Jain, and Co-founder of Matiks, Sushant Timmapur made their appearance. The panel discussion was hosted by author Ria Chopra.

During the discussion, all the panellists shared their memories of their first puzzle and their journey from picking it up as a hobby to pursuing it as a serious career option. They also insisted that everyone practice puzzle games daily to achieve better mental power.

"I remember my mother was a mathematics teacher, and she used to make me practice puzzles. It really helped me to be better at maths. I believe it should be part of the school curriculum. It boosts brainpower and sense of logics of the children," said Mr. Snyder.

Meanwhile, Ms. Jain emphasised how it helps in the competitive examinations.

"In India, people barely take puzzles seriously. They focus more on academics. They like such serious business instead of just having fun. But there is always a section called logical reasoning. Someone who does puzzles daily would find it much easier," she said.

She also highlighted how puzzles are helping people revive their brainpower even in the digital era when people are having increasing screentime.

"COVID-19 pandemic was a phase when people got locked at the house. Championships didn't take place for two years. But more people took up puzzles. They started liking these games on social media more instead of only the ones published in newspapers," said Ms Dai.

The Crossword Editor of The New York Times , Will Shortz, was also all set to attend the event. But he couldn't arrive on time due to a delay in his flight. He sent a set of quizzes authored by him for the general quiz event, which was later hosted by Ms. Chopra in his place. The organisers said that a separate interactive event with Mr. Shortz will likely be organised on Saturday.

Some of the best puzzle solvers from across the world have gathered in Kolkata this year for the 19th World Sudoku and 33rd World Puzzle Championship (WSPC) 2026. The tournament organised by Logic Masters India (LMI) is showcasing elite mind sports athletes from 35 countries this year.

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