Sudoku FlowIs Sudoku good for your brain?
Updated 2026-10-05
What the 2019 study found
Researchers at the University of Exeter and King's College London looked at 19,078 healthy volunteers aged 50 to 93 in the online PROTECT study. The more often people reported doing number puzzles, the better they tended to perform on cognitive tests covering reasoning, attention, memory and how quickly they processed information. The work was published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry in 2019.
Sources: Brooker et al., International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (2019), Sci.News: Adults 50+ who regularly take part in word and number puzzles have sharper brains
What it does not show
The study compares people who already puzzle more with people who puzzle less. It cannot tell whether puzzles sharpen the mind or whether sharper minds enjoy puzzles more. The researchers said they cannot claim that playing these puzzles reduces the risk of dementia in later life.
Sources: Sci.News: Adults 50+ who regularly take part in word and number puzzles have sharper brains, University of Exeter: puzzles and brain function (2019)
What we can say
Sudoku is a logic puzzle that people play for fun. This study found a link between doing number puzzles often and scoring better on cognitive tests, but it did not show that Sudoku itself produces lasting benefits or prevents dementia. If you enjoy it, that is a fine reason to play.
Sources: Brooker et al., International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (2019), University of Exeter: puzzles and brain function (2019)
