My minimal toolkit

I don't buy fancy mats. My essentials are:

• A clean desk and bright desk lamp.
• Over-ear headphones with a lo-fi playlist.
• On this site: zoom on mobile, sound on for matches, off for focus sprints.

Settings I tweak every time

• I bump the board zoom to about 110% on phone.
• I toggle the reference image every 90 seconds.
• I keep hints off unless I'm truly stuck for a minute.

Less gear, more flow. Try stripping your setup back and see if your times improve.

Extended reflections

I once traveled with a backpack full of “productivity” gear—a laptop stand, fancy mouse, cable organizer—and forgot my headphones. The missing headphones mattered more than everything else I packed. Now my checklist is tiny: lamp, headphones, water. If I have those, I can play anywhere.

I also discovered that surface texture matters more than gadgets. A simple matte desk pad stops pieces from sliding and instantly makes mobile play feel controlled. It cost less than a latte and helped more than any app setting I’ve tried.

When I’m away from my desk, I make a digital kit instead of a physical one: I preload three puzzles for offline play, download one playlist, and flip on Do Not Disturb. Lower friction beats higher tech. If the screen is small, I just pick 64-piece boards instead of fighting 144s.

The fewer objects I juggle, the faster I hit “Start.” Gear can be a disguised form of procrastination; trimming it keeps the hobby fun. If you’re gear-hunting right now, try the opposite for a week. Strip it down, notice what you truly miss, and keep only that. Everything else goes back in the drawer.