Panel Details - Top Sudoku Solvers

Host: Tom Collyer (UK)
Panelists:

• Tantan Dai (China) - Winner of the WPF Sudoku Grand Prix 2021
  
• Bastien Vial-Jaime (France) - Multiple-time podium finisher at WPF International Sudoku events, and owner of the Youtube Channel 81 Cells
  
• Tiit Vunk (Estonia) - 2016 World Sudoku Champion and 3-time winner of the WPF Sudoku Grand Prix
  

Panel Details - Japanese Solvers

This is a panel built of some amazing Japanese solvers who have contributed to Japan's continued excellence at Puzzle events.
Host: Byron Calver (Canada)
Panelists:

• Ryotaro Chiba - A talented young solver that continues Japan's tradition of bringing in newcomers into their top team, Ryotaro finished 12th in his first World Puzzle Championship
  
• Ken Endo - Former multi-time World Puzzle Champion and current World Sudoku Champion
  
• Hideaki Jo - A veteran solver who has placed on the podium multiple times at World Sudoku as well as Puzzle Championships
  
• Kota Morinishi - Former multi-time World Sudoku Champion
  

Panel Details - Top Puzzle Solvers

Host: Wei-Hwa Huang (USA)
Panelists:

• Walker Anderson (USA) - This young solver from the USA is a potential future World Champion, finishing at 3rd place at the 2019 World Puzzle Championship
  
• Palmer Mebane (USA) - 2011 World Puzzle Champion
  
• Yanzhe Qiu (China) - While China is known for its dominance in the Sudoku scene, this young solver stands out as one of the world's elite in other puzzles too, finishing 7th at the 2019 World Puzzle Championship and constantly improving
  
• Philipp Weiss (Germany) - The current World Puzzle Champion
  
• Freddie Hand (UK) - Freddie finished 3rd in the WPF Puzzle Grand Prix 2021, and is an amazingly talented young solver, and a potential future World Champion like Walker.
  

Panel Details - Authors Panel

The hosts of popular Youtube Channel Cracking the Cryptic get to pick the brains of some of the world's top puzzlemakers.

Host: Mark Goodliffe (UK) & Simon Anthony (UK)
Panelists:

• Gareth Moore (UK) - Popular author with books of Sudokus and other puzzles published worldwide
  
• Prasanna Seshadri (India) - Contributing Puzzlemaster at Grandmaster Puzzles, Lead puzzle author of World Puzzle Championship 2017
  
• Thomas Snyder (USA) - Founder and owner of Grandmaster Puzzles
  

Panel Details - Experienced Solvers

The World Puzzle Championship and World Sudoku Championship take place annually in regular years. In addition to the top title contenders, there are many brilliant and wonderful people who participate in these events, perform admirably, and have a good time socially. This panel features a light and casual chat about that community and spirit of a regular WSC/WPC participant.
Host: Tantan Dai (China)
Panelists:

• Agnieszka Buczma (Poland)
  
• Byron Calver (Canada)
  
• Tom Collyer (UK)
  
• Ulla Elsila (Finland)
  
• David Jones (Canada)
  
• Vasso Kalaitzidou (Greece)
  

Watch on Youtube - Top Sudoku Solvers Panel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57ceMzRRBOY
Many thanks to Tantan, TiiT and Bastien for providing an insightful look into the preparation and mindset of a top Sudoku solver, and to Tom Collyer for being an amazing host.
The above link is an edit of the previously shared livestream one, it can be viewed now as a normal video. It is well worth the watch.

The link for this as well as the Opening Ceremony + Q&A video from earlier are now linked to on the landing page.

Watch on Youtube - Japanese Solvers Panel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB9oXZ6NzEQ&list=PL_awKdiInNyhjIPflG...
A fascinating look into the minds of Japanese solvers, how they view puzzles vs Sudoku, logic vs intuition, and even fun tidbits like their favourite anime and music - This was an excellent interview conducted by Byron Calver, and we thank Ken Endo, Kota Morinishi, Ryotaro Chiba and Hideaki Jo for being a part of it.

This link has been updated on the landing page too.

Watch on Youtube - Top Puzzle Solvers Panel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifgwDxxXFzc
Palmer Mebane, Walker Anderson, Freddie Hand, Yanzhe Qiu, Philipp Weiss and Wei-Hwa Huang talk about a wide variety of topics related to puzzle solving. Hear from the best what its like to speed-solve at the highest level, and much more.
Thank you to all the panelists for giving their time.

This link has been updated on the landing page too.

Watch on Youtube - Authors Panel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrtFw3vvHKc
Gareth Moore, Thomas Snyder, and Prasanna Seshadri offered 3 varying and enlightening perspectives on puzzle construction. A peek into their process, quality and difficulty control, the role of luck in puzzle construction, and so much more, along with valued input from the Cracking the Cryptic duo Simon Anthony and Mark Goodliffe!

Thank you to all the panelists for giving their time.

This link has been updated on the landing page too.

Watch on Youtube - Experienced Solvers Panel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6hy2S2aMUc
Regular participants at the World Sudoku and Puzzle Championships discuss what its like to go to the event, their initial experiences vs current ones, advise for newcomers, and much more! Featuring Agnieszka Buczma (Poland), Byron Calver (Canada), Tom Collyer (UK), Ulla Elsila (Finland), David Jones (Canada) and Vasso Kalaitzidou (Greece). As a bonus, Byron does a special rendition of his smash hit song "Sudoku"!
All hosted by one of the organizers of this whole event, Tantan Dai (China)

Thank you to all the panelists for giving their time.

This link has been updated on the landing page too.