World Sudoku and Puzzle C’ship 2025: Indian solvers ready for the big stage

The world’s top puzzle and Sudoku minds will congregate under one roof as the 2025 World Sudoku and Puzzle Championships get underway in Eger, Hungary from September 21 to 28.

The event will see participation from over 40 countries. Meanwhile, a strong Indian contingent led by Prasanna Seshadri is ready to take on the best minds in the globe.

India at the World Championships 

India will field a balanced squad that blends experience with emerging talent.

In Sudoku (WSC), captain Seshadri will be joined by veterans Karthik and Jaipal Reddy, the unique father-son duo, alongside debutants Hemant Malani and Tushar Maheshwari, and rising stars Nityant Agarwal, Tigran Wadia, and Swaroop Guggilam.

In the Puzzle (WPC) category, Amit Sowani and Swaroop Guggilam will anchor the team, with Karthik Reddy and Tushar Maheshwari making their WPC debuts. Additionally, young solvers Nityant Agarwal and Tigran Wadia will add depth.

“We’re cautiously optimistic. This year the focus is largely on breeding in new blood, who will hopefully use the experience to make the team spots even more hotly contested in future years.,” captain Prasanna Seshadri told The Bridge.

India has made some steady progress at the championships over the years, especially in Sudoku and is now seen as one of the stronger nations.

Rohan Rao’s 8th place finish in 2012 and Prasanna Seshadri’s 7th place in 2015 are some notable individual achievements so far. The team also achieved a best-ever 5th place.

In the Puzzle category, the biggest highlight came in 2022 when Prasanna Seshadri won a silver medal, India’s only individual podium finish so far.

“We have gradually improved in both championships, but we have more depth in Sudoku, where we have seen two-top 10 finishes individually. In WPC, the progress has been a bit slower,” said Seshadri.

Championship Format: What to expect

Reflecting on the championship environment, Seshadri said that the rounds are highly competitive.

“Imagine an exam hall, filled with quiet intensity and shared passion. Top solvers usually sit near the front, and friendly discussions happen between rounds. It’s competitive, but also incredibly community-driven, built on mutual respect and a love for solving,” he said.

The World Sudoku Championship (WSC) will feature 14 rounds — 10 individual and 4 team rounds. There will be no eliminations, implying that every participant solves all rounds.

“Each round has a set time and each Sudoku has points. You get points for whatever you solve correctly within the rounds. Some years, not this year, there is a playoff for the top-10, after all 10 individual rounds are done,” Seshadri highlighted.

Team scores are calculated by combining individual and team round performances from the country’s main A team.

The WPC follows a similar structure with 18 rounds including 14 individual and 4 team rounds.

“There aren’t really categories as such in either of these but generally the organizing team tries to show off their creative prowess by having various themes across the rounds and championships,” he said.

Prior to the championship, an Instruction Booklet is released which is a vital tool for participants. It outlines the number and types of rounds, timings and rules for each round, among other important information regarding puzzles with detailed instructions.

“The instruction booklet is everything for us. It includes how many rounds there will be, the scheduled time for each round, the rules, followed by an example of every puzzle that will appear in each round. It’s the same for the Sudoku too.

“There are detailed instructions beforehand so that there is no need for teams to read and grasp English during the event, they can translate all the rules to their language, make practice puzzles for their team, and be ready,” Seshadri pointed.

A milestone year: Return to Eger

This year is significant as it marks a return to Eger in Hungary, where both events were first held back-to-back in 2011, a format now followed every year.

Recognizing the overlap, the organizers combined the two competitions into one week-long event starting in 2011, held again in Eger.

“The World Puzzle Championship is traditionally held around October. The World Sudoku Championship was initially held in March or April. It was seen that there’s an overlap of solvers and they’re having to travel twice a year, so in 2011, the two championships came to be held back to back, towards the end of the year, in Eger, Hungary. Since then, they have always been in the same week, with WSC first, a break day, and then WPC, two separate tournaments, but in one week,” Seshadri explained.

A brief history

The World Puzzle Championship began in 1992, created by crossword enthusiasts to promote language-independent, logic-based competitions accessible worldwide.

In 2005, Sudoku, once just one of many puzzle types at the World Puzzle Championship, gained massive global popularity, leading to the creation of a dedicated World Sudoku Championship the following year.

While both competitions focus on logic, they have evolved differently.

Puzzle Competitions have expanded with a wide variety of grid-based puzzles, including newer formats invented across the globe from Japan and Germany to India and the USA.

Sudoku Competitions have largely remained faithful to their origins, blending Classic Sudoku with a wide range of creative variations and Seshadri explains that difference in popularity across regions. 

“In Asian countries, Sudoku is definitely more famous, but in Europe there are countries where puzzles as a whole are famous,” he said, adding “Sudoku is a puzzle type, not a rival—many top competitors participate in both,” he said.

India to host WSPC 2026

India is gearing up to host the 2026 World Sudoku and Puzzle Championships, with Logic Masters India (LMI) at the forefront.

According to Seshadri, many of India’s top solvers will likely take on the role of puzzle creators instead of competitors.

“We are planning a special theme, which we can’t reveal at the moment but we will slowly let it out leading into the event. It’s a theme that is very much intertwined with LMI’s history and Indian culture.

“We want to use the event to further promote puzzle solving in India. We hope that this encourages more participation in our national championships leading into the event,” he concluded.

India’s journey in the world of puzzles and Sudoku continues to unravel with new names stepping up and experienced hands guiding the way. And now, the 2025 edition promises to be another exciting chapter waiting to be written.