Kolkata Hosts 2026 World Sudoku and Puzzle Championships: Dates, Venue and Key Facts

Kolkata is hosting the 19th World Sudoku Championship and the 33rd World Puzzle Championship from 11 to 18 October 2026. The venue is The Westin in Rajarhat, and the organiser is Logic Masters India (LMI). As of 15 October 2026 the championships are ongoing, because the stated end date of 18 October has not yet passed. The sources do not report any results.

Event status as of 15 October 2026

The two source articles were published on 12 October 2026. That is a day after the launch and is not the event date. The Hindu's article is timestamped 1:43 pm IST.

What the championships involve

Organiser and venue

LMI is the national representative to the World Puzzle Federation (WPF) and has held that role since 2008. The competition takes place at The Westin, Rajarhat, in Kolkata. Participants come from 35 countries.

Format and puzzle themes

The sources describe five days of competition with 38 rounds, over 100 Sudoku puzzles and 250 other puzzles created by LMI. The Hindu says the tournament runs for seven days to 18 October, while the competitive programme itself covers five days. Some puzzles draw on stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Sudoku is a number-placement puzzle, usually played on a 9-by-9 grid divided into nine 3-by-3 boxes. In the standard form, every row, column and box must contain the digits 1 to 9 without repetition. Other puzzle rounds can test different kinds of logic, and the organisers set their formats.

Why Kolkata

According to The Hindu, Kolkata was chosen for its reputation as India's "intellectual capital" and so that foreign delegations could experience the Durga Puja festivities. The sources do not give any other selection criteria.

Why it matters

India has hosted the World Puzzle Championship before, in Goa in 2008 and in Bengaluru in 2017. The 2026 edition adds Kolkata to that list and combines the World Sudoku Championship with the World Puzzle Championship. The event also gives the Indian team a home-ground contest. The team's stated target is a top-five finish.

Indian team and past record

• Team members: Kishore Kumar Sridharan (team lead), Nityant Agarwal, Harsh Poddar, Jaipal Reddy Mogiligundla and Kartik Reddy.
• Father-and-son pair: Mogiligundla and Reddy.
• Team sponsor: Rodha.
• 2022 record: Prasanna Seshadri won India's first silver at the World Puzzle Championship in Poland. Nityant Agarwal won the under-18 gold at the World Sudoku Championship.

The Hindu also names several former world champions among the participants: Tantan Dai of China (2025 champion), Kota Morinishi of Japan and Thomas Snyder of the USA.

Puzzle Palooza on 14 October

Puzzle Palooza was planned as a public event for puzzle lovers in Kolkata. The Hindu gives the schedule as 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., with these sessions:

• 3:10 p.m.: LinkedIn Games tournament, hosted by Thomas Snyder.
• 4:30 p.m.: general quiz, hosted by Will Shortz.
• 5:45 p.m.: puzzle-design masterclass workshop, run by LMI.

Shortz is the Crossword Editor of The New York Times, and Snyder is the Principal Puzzlemaster of LinkedIn Games. The Hindu adds that author Ria Chopra was also due to be present.

Sponsors and partners

Matiks is the title sponsor, Amuse Labs is the technology partner, and The Hindu is a media partner.

Exam-relevant revision points

This topic suits the sports and places-in-news areas of current affairs. Note these static facts:

• The editions are the 19th World Sudoku Championship and the 33rd World Puzzle Championship.
• The dates are 11 to 18 October 2026, and the venue is The Westin, Rajarhat, Kolkata.
• LMI has represented India at the WPF since 2008.
• India's earlier World Puzzle Championship hosts were Goa (2008) and Bengaluru (2017).

This post does not claim that any question on the topic will appear in an exam.

What the sources do not say

Neither source reports scores, rankings, medals or the final standings. Neither confirms how the Puzzle Palooza sessions went. Check official LMI or WPF announcements for results after the event ends.

FAQ

Is the championship over?

No. As of 15 October 2026 it is ongoing, and it is scheduled to run until 18 October 2026.

Who is organising it?

Logic Masters India (LMI), India's national representative to the World Puzzle Federation since 2008.

Practice MCQs

Question 1

Where are the 2026 World Sudoku and Puzzle Championships being held?

1. Goa
2. The Westin, Rajarhat, Kolkata
3. Bengaluru
4. Poland

Answer: The Westin, Rajarhat, Kolkata — the sources name this as the venue of the 2026 championships.

Question 2

Which editions are being held together in Kolkata in 2026?

1. 18th World Sudoku Championship and 32nd World Puzzle Championship
2. 19th World Sudoku Championship and 33rd World Puzzle Championship
3. 33rd World Sudoku Championship and 19th World Puzzle Championship
4. 20th World Sudoku Championship and 34th World Puzzle Championship

Answer: 19th World Sudoku Championship and 33rd World Puzzle Championship — both sources give these edition numbers.

Question 3

Which organisation has been India's national representative to the World Puzzle Federation since 2008?

1. Matiks
2. Amuse Labs
3. Logic Masters India
4. Rodha

Answer: Logic Masters India — the sources describe LMI as the organiser and India's national representative to the WPF since 2008.

Question 4

Before Kolkata, where did India host the World Puzzle Championship?

1. Goa and Bengaluru
2. Delhi and Mumbai
3. Chennai and Hyderabad
4. Pune and Jaipur

Answer: Goa and Bengaluru — the sources say India hosted the championship in Goa in 2008 and Bengaluru in 2017.

Question 5

How many countries have participants in the 2026 championships?

1. 25
2. 30
3. 35
4. 38

Answer: 35 — both sources say participants come from 35 countries (38 is the number of rounds).