Do U Sudoku?

Are you part of the latest craze?   

While Sudoku puzzles have been around for over 20 years, they just seem to be reaching critical mass.  The first puzzle was created in the United States, but the craze ultimately took off in Japan (likely why the name "sudoku" stuck) in the mid-1980s.  But just a year or so ago, the puzzles made it into British newspapers where sudoku has been dubbed "the Rubik's Cube of the 21st century."

And now Sudoku has landed in the States.  Our local newspaper, The Arizona Republic, gave the puzzles a try-out this month.  Last week, they announced the puzzles were a "resounding hit" and sudoku will continue to be published every weekday.

I will admit my first attempts at completing the puzzles were very frustrating.  Each puzzle is given a difficulty rating based on how many numbers are showing and their relationship to each other.  But I could not even complete the 2-star puzzles (5-star being the most difficult).  This infuriated me.  I have always been a big fan of puzzles.  As a kid, I even subscribed to Games Magazine.  But I kept at it... determined to get a puzzle solved!

Eventually I solved my first puzzle ... and from that point on have had great success at it (even solving a 4-star difficulty puzzle!).  I can't really tell you my "light bulb" moment... I guess it was just practice, practice, practice!   And now, like seemingly the rest of the world, I am addicted.

So what the heck am I talking about?  Here is a sample puzzle ("medium" difficulty):

To solve the puzzle... each 3x3 section (or "region") must contain the numbers 1 thru 9.  Likewise, each row and column must contain a 1 thru 9.  Easy, right?! 

Oh, I created a spreadsheet (there are not many problems in life that can not be resolved by creating a spreadsheet!) so that I have a larger copy of the puzzle... I definitely need more room to work with (I don't know how anyone works with the original tiny boxes!).

So for example, take the left-bottom section (the one with 8-6-4-7)... let's place a 5 in that region.  The 5 can not be in the first column, since there is already a 5 in that column.  Same logic, for the second column... so, by default, the 5 must be in the 3rd column above the 6-7.  See, why?!

Sometimes you just have to narrow it down and wait for some further information... look at the right-top section (the one with 1-6-2-9)... let's try and figure out what could be between the 1 & 6:

Well, first it can not be 1-6-2-9 since those are already in that 3x3 region.
Next, it can not be a 1-2-4-5-6 since those are in the same row.
Finally, it can not be a 1-2-7-9 since those are already in that column.
So the number in that box, by process of elimination, must be a 3 or 8.

Ok, so call me a geek... but it is kind of fun... and it is a good way to keep the mind going, with Alzheimer's in my family...  Sudoku might just help me down the road!

If your local paper does not publish Sudoku puzzles yet, don't worry there are tons of them readily available on the Web (just type in "sudoku" or "sudoku puzzles" into your favorite search engine)... and there are also puzzle books out there at your favorite bookstore (online or "real").   You can also find sites that may help you out with strategy if you are stumped (I read some of them, but like I said, it all really didn't click at first).

Click here for a pop-up window with the solution to the above Soduko puzzle

Comments

[tLM]

I've been hopelessly addicted to Sudoku for awhile now. Very cool to see it's catching on. (Especially since I'm so rarely ahead of trends.)

FYI, the best online version of Sudoku can be found at sptimes.com in their "Puzzles" section. It has helpful indicators that light up when you complete a row/section without duplicating a number. Check it out.

[Scott-O-Rama]

Do I Sudoku? Isn't that kind of a personal question?

[Olivier Verdin]

Like Sudoku? Check out http://www.sudokuprime.com

[Meesh]

A. DICT. TED.

totally.

[Kenna]

Oh - my sister showed it to me over Labor Day weekend. It's bigger than Spider Solitaire. But so far I've managed to stay away from it - been spending my time honing my resume.

[J]

New sudoku site:
Su Doku
http://www.pedagonet.com/sudokuE/

[Arnaud]

Very good game. In french : www.e-sudoku.fr

[AndreL]

"Computer Aided Sudoku" free Excel game to search on Google or download at http://perso.wanadoo.fr/sudoku.laviron
Also in french "Sudoku Assisté par Ordinateur" jeu gratuit Excel

[Sebastian]

Another new sudoku site from frenchies : http://www.lesudoku.com

[AndreL]

SUDOKU EXCEL to free download at http://perso.wanadoo.fr/sudoku.laviron/
"Computer Aided Sudoku Excel" includes now new features :
- generator of sudoku puzzles to print or to play
- gradual helper
- fast solver
- sudoku SURPRISES when sudoku solved without help
- sudoku HISTORIC records all the plays. Partial replay.
- sudoku CLINIC to analyse your sudoku
Enjoy to play this free Sudoku excel game on your computer.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/sudoku.laviron/