As the (self-proclaimed) favourite grandchild, taking the initiative to understand my grandpa’s favourite hobby was the best way I learned to feel close to him while living away from home! Maybe one day I’ll be as smart as him :)
Something that can put me in a smiley, happy mood is having the chance to talk about the bond I developed with my grandparents. They played a huge part in my upbringing – so much so that 99.9% of my memories from my childhood involve them in some capacity.
As an adult, I feel that nothing has changed. I find love in reminiscing and reflecting on how my bond with them has grown – specifically, how the bond with my grandfather has become something that I hope my children have with my dad someday.
My grandfather is the most intelligent man I know and is the reason why I love all things science. He fueled my curiosity for the world growing up, going as far as helping me with my homework, teaching me the quadratic formula, and, most importantly, drilling the importance of “keeping your brain sharp.” Through his grandfather-esque conversations, we now share a collective love for Sudoku.
I know Sudoku is seen as a “nerdy” hobby because of all the numbers (I acknowledge the judgement that comes with being someone who willingly does math-like puzzles outside of school for fun), but I’ve developed a deep, emotional attachment to this puzzle because of my grandfather. I can never recall a moment where he did not have his book of Sudoku puzzles and a 0.5 black ink ballpen at his side, scribbling away, trying to beat his personal record for each puzzle. Just like me, he is extremely competitive, which made me want to try his favourite hobby. It was almost a test I had given myself because I wanted to be just like my grandfather: kind, compassionate, patient, and smart.
So, when I received the news that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, it felt like my world shattered. To make things even worse, his diagnosis came just a few months before my grandmother – his “better half” as he would fondly refer to her – passed away. Within a few months of turning 20 years old, I lost one of my first best friends, and I had to stay strong for the other.
Because Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease, I knew this meant that it was only a matter of time before my grandfather would have trouble with routine tasks, like his Sudoku puzzles. Even worse, I came to the realization that he would have trouble remembering me one day – his (self-proclaimed) favourite grandchild. I grapple with the guilt of feeling like I “wasted” time dwelling on this depressing thought; precious time that could’ve should’ve been spent with my grandfather in any capacity.
So, after coming to terms with everything, I felt like the best way I knew how to do this was to do our favourite hobby together: Sudoku! I cannot even begin to count how many puzzles we did together, whether it be the same exact puzzle, or two different ones in a kind of friendly competition. I loved seeing him laugh whenever he’d beat me at a puzzle but also beam with pride on the rare occasion where I’d win. I even convinced him to try doing some puzzles on my iPad so I could screen-record our gameplay just to have as a memory. (I think I’m a little too sentimental).
It’s been about 3 years since his diagnosis now, and even though the cognitive changes the doctors said would occur, have occurred, it hasn’t changed or affected who my grandpa is. He’s still the same compassionate, patient, and smart person I’ve always known him to be, who still continues to fuel my curiosity for the world. His reminder to “never limit yourself” is something I cherish, especially when the going gets tough.
With that being said, even though I know the road ahead for this disease may be precarious, I take comfort in knowing that my emotional attachment to Sudoku puzzles is an extension to the emotional attachment I had the privilege of creating with my grandpa, my best friend <3
References:
MedlinePlus [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [updated May 1, 2019; cited Nov 14, 2025] Alzheimer’s disease. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/alzheimers-disease/