Share
))
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time, with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media staples, as well as mainstays like Cousin Sal, Joe House, and a slew of other friends and family members who always happen to be suspiciously available.
…
continue reading
Fetch error
Hmmm there seems to be a problem fetching this series right now.
Last successful fetch was on November 04, 2025 13:11 (
What now? This series will be checked again in the next day. If you believe it should be working, please verify the publisher's feed link below is valid and includes actual episode links. You can contact support to request the feed be immediately fetched.
Manage episode 517682258 series 3534235
Content provided by Nate Kadlac, Aaron Kardell, and Joseph Rueter. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Nate Kadlac, Aaron Kardell, and Joseph Rueter or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.
James Sinclair shares his remarkable journey from immigration lawyer to full-time puzzle crafter and creator of the Artisanal Sudoku Substack—a haven for lovers of elegant, human-made Sudoku variants.
In this episode, James breaks down his puzzle design philosophy, his preference for handcrafted logic over AI generation, and how he’s turned personal passion into a growing newsletter, a community of solvers, and a published puzzle book. The conversation covers everything from the joys and challenges of variant Sudoku to the deeper question: What makes a puzzle satisfying to solve?
James also shares thoughts on monetization, platform choice, audience building, and why central hubs like Logic Masters Germany play a key role in the global puzzle scene. Plus, he previews Sudoku Con, talks about the fog-based puzzle design he’s experimenting with, and gives rapid-fire takes on puzzle pet peeves, dream collaborations, and favorite solves.
🧩 Games, Platforms & Influences Mentioned
- Variant Sudoku – His main craft
- Artisanal Sudoku – James’s Substack newsletter
- Logic Masters Germany (LMG) – Puzzle publishing hub
- Cracking the Cryptic – Popular YouTube channel mentioned
- Sudoku Con – Community event
- Dynamic Fog puzzles – One of James’s current experiments
- AI-generated puzzles – Discussed critically
🌐 Websites & Platforms Mentioned
--
- (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Background
- (01:13) - James Sinclair's Favorite Games
- (02:26) - Discovering Sudoku
- (05:04) - Exploring Variant Sudoku
- (08:53) - Starting Artisanal Sudoku
- (18:09) - Creating and Publishing Puzzles
- (22:12) - Choosing Substack and Growing an Audience
- (27:24) - Creating Puzzles for the Newsletter
- (28:14) - Logic Master Stot Land: A Puzzle Haven
- (29:21) - The Need for a Central Puzzle Platform
- (31:40) - Marketing Strategies for Substack
- (33:09) - The Journey to Publishing a Sudoku Book
- (38:53) - AI and Handcrafted Puzzles
- (46:11) - Sudoku Con and Community Events
- (47:35) - Rapid Fire Questions and Puzzle Preferences
- (50:15) - Dynamic Fog Puzzles and Final Thoughts
--
Check out our brainy games:
Sumplete - https://sumplete.com
Squeezy - https://imsqueezy.com/
Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.com
Mathler - https://mathler.com
Crosswordle - https://crosswordle.com
Sudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.com
Hitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.com
Wordga - https://wordga.com
76 episodes
