International Sudoku Day: Puzzles over scrolling? Delhi’s youngsters take to the grid

On International Sudoku Day today, enthusiasts share how the game is helping them step away from doom scrolling and focus better on what matters.

The humble 9x9 Sudoku grid is finding new takers among Delhi’s youngsters. The logic puzzle, in which players fill a grid so every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9 without repetition, is becoming a way to take a break from social media. On International Sudoku Day today, enthusiasts share how the game is helping them step away from their phones.

From sudoku themed singles meetups to competitions, the game has found its own niche in the city.

A finite break

The appeal, psychologist Gayatri Batra says, lies in the contrast with social media. “Unlike social media’s infinite, reward-driven scroll, Sudoku offers a finite problem. It is a game I have been advising a lot of my clients who especially have ADHD to take up. There is a clear end point — a small, closed loop of effort and payoff that doomscrolling never delivers,” she tells us.

Finding a community

“We do monthly Sudoku meetups where we bring different variants of Sudoku along with the classic 9x9 Sudoku and sit at some cafe in Delhi NCR and play as a community. Once someone attends a session, they keep coming back and tell me this is an activity that is helping them stay away from mindless scrolling and their social media,” says Anubhav Balodi (left), who runs Logic Masters India and hosts Sudoku meetups and competitions. “We usually have 20 slots, and these fill up real quick. I guess the prizes on offer for the winners are also an incentive to turn up,” the 31-year-old adds.

Sudoku dates

Noida Sudoku Club is turning the game into an icebreaker by hosting singles meet-ups with Sudoku at their centre. “Those who sign up share their proficiency level, and we match opponents accordingly. Whoever loses has to take their opponent out on the next date. You’ll see no one on their phones at these meetups,” says Tanya Shastri, 23, a member of the club.

A dare turned habit

Neha Sirohi, a Faridabad-based marketing professional, picked up the habit on a dare. “My best friend challenged me that because she was not able to solve Sudoku, neither would I. So I started sitting with the newspaper, and within 4-5 months I had aced it,” she says. Instagram, the 34-year-old adds, used to take up two hours without her noticing: “But now I instead open the app for Sudoku. Whenever I’m working, feel tired, and just need a mental break, a game of Sudoku comes to my rescue.”

Beyond the phone

For Madhav Agarwal, a Delhi University master’s student, sudoku doubles as academic training. “My phone goes aside on its own. No scrolling, no notifications, just me and the grid. It trains you to hold multiple possibilities in mind and stay patient, exactly the mindset my computer science degree demands,” the 20-year-old says.