NYT Crossword Legend Will Shortz to Headline Puzzle Palooza in India's World Puzzle Championship Chapter

If you’re a puzzlehead and have been tracking the World Puzzle Championship every year, then you know that India is getting a taste of the WPC this October with NYT Crossword legend Will Shortz headlining a special Puzzle Palooza event.

The special one-day event will take place on October 14, 2026, right in the middle of the World Sudoku and Puzzle Championship (WSPC) week, which runs from October 11 – 18. The Puzzle Palooza will be organized at the same venue as the WSPC, at the Westin Hotel, Newtown, Kolkata, on Oct 14 from 2 PM to 7 PM.

While the WSPC 2026 will bring top puzzle and Sudoku solvers from around 35 countries to Kolkata, the main competition itself is a closed-door event. Puzzle Palooza, however, is open to the general public, which gives them a chance to interact with puzzle legends and personalities like:

Will Shortz (NYT Crossword creator)
Thomas Snyder (LinkedIn Games editor)
Tantan Dai and Ken Endo (World Sudoku Champions)
Nipun Jain (Indian trivia creator)
Ria Chopra (Best-selling author)

Puzzle Palooza Poster WSPC — Image Credit: WSPC

Shortz will host a General Quiz at the event where attendees can participate in teams of one to three, and Snyder will host a Mini Games Contest for solo participants.

Puzzle Palooza will also feature an Experts Panel on Creative Strategy, which will teach attendees how to craft puzzles like NYT Wordle, critical thinking, and careers in brain games. At the same time, Logic Masters India will host a UX Masterclass where puzzle champions will teach attendees how to construct puzzles from scratch.

The event will also have interactive booths and prizes for the quiz and mini-game competitions, with attendees able to meet participants from 35 national contingents taking part in the WSPC 2026.

If you’re looking for how to get in, tickets for Puzzle Palooza are on sale on the Unstop website for INR 199 per person, and the event is open to all ages. Once you’ve made your purchase, an e-ticket will be shared with you via email.

Beebom Puzzle will also be attending WSPC 2026 and Puzzle Palooza, so stay tuned with us for more coverage!

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