Logic Puzzles
Ready for the newest logic puzzles? You can start with the
one described below in the article by Jacqui O'Brien. Related
pages, with puzzles, riddles, and lateral thinking games, can
be found after the article.
Sudoku - The Hottest Puzzle Craze Since Rubik's Cube
by Jacqui O'Brien
Sudoku is the addictive number puzzle that has taken the UK
by storm and is now taking over the rest of the world. Since
it first appeared in The Times in late 2004 its popularity has
grow so that it appears in most UK newspapers and has spread
to countries from India to Canada, Australia to South Africa.
So what is Sudoku all about? Sudoku is played on a nine by
nine grid which is divided into nine smaller squares. The object
of the puzzle is to fill in the digits from 1 to 9 so that it
appears only once in each column, row and small three by three
square. You are given some of the numbers and you have to use
logic and deduction to find the position of the other numbers.
Simple? Well, it depends! A Sudoku puzzle can vary from easy
to absolutely fiendish. Certainly the more numbers you are given
to start off with, the easier the puzzle, but it also depends
on which ones the puzzle setter offers. Traditionally there should
be no more than 30 numbers given.
Sudoku first appeared in a US puzzle magazine in the late
1970s, but was then picked up by Japanese publisher Nikoli who
dubbed it Su Doku or 'Solitary Square' and the puzzle-hungry
Japanese loved it. From there it was discovered by The Times
and the rest is history.
Sudoku is solved simply by logic; there is no maths required.
You may at first be able to fill in a couple of numbers where
it appears in every column and row but one. Next you may need
to mark up possible candidates in the empty squares until only
one possibility remains.
Like so many puzzles there will be times when you stare hopelessly
and others where the answers jump out at you. The sudden popularity
of Sudoku may be due to many things. It requires just enough
brainwork to give a feeling of satisfaction when the puzzle is
complete, without taking up huge amounts of time and it requires
no special knowledge unlike for instance crosswords, which may
require a wide vocabulary.
For hardcore Sudoku fans there are now even more difficult
versions. There are sixteen by sixteen square versions which
include letters as well as numbers, and a three dimensional version
called the Dion Cube.
There are benefits to doing Sudoku puzzles too - the sort
of exercise which the brain gets from logic puzzles can help
to stop memory decline, make you smarter and even halt the progress
of Alzheimer's disease. Teachers are even giving simple versions
of the puzzles to pupils to help develop their logic skills.
So next time you see one of those nine by nine grids in your
newspaper, give it a go. Your brain might just thank you!
About the Author
Jacqui O'Brien is a Sudoku fan and the webmaster of http://www.sudokuonline.co.uk where you can
find all the latest news and information on Sudoku as well as
the best online Sudoku games and solvers.
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