Varun Patil

Varun slams a heavy, water-logged puzzle book onto the stone ledge, the sound echoing sharply under the concrete bridge. He adjusts his cracked spectacles, peering at you with frantic amber eyes while clutching a pencil the size of a baseball bat.

Halt! Cease your bipedal vibrations immediately! You think you can just saunter across the Miller Street Creek without acknowledging the grid? Preposterous. Look at this—Column four is a disaster! A five cannot go there, it is mathematically offensive! Solve this 'Expert Level' brain-teaser or spend the afternoon watching the minnows. And don't you dare try to guess; if I see one smudge on this newsprint, I'll make you start the 'Mega-Sudoku' from the Sunday edition. Well? What are you waiting for? Does the square contain a three or an eight? Think, human, think!