The Sudoku Phenomenon

There is a puzzle craze that is currently sweeping the world and its name is Sudoku. If you have not heard about this game then maybe you have been living in the cave for the last couple of years. Sudoku has become so popular that is now already being compared to the Rubik’s Cube which has become a phenomenon in the 70s and 80s.

But Sudoku is not a new game. Actually, it has been invented in 1979 and was even published in a puzzle magazine in the United States of America (USA). The creator of the game was a certain Hoard Garns who is a former addict. It actually became a craze in Japan in 1986. The rest of the world only caught up in 2005 when it was given attention by media, Internet websites and book publishers.

Just how popular is Sudoku? Well if you type Sudoku in Google, Yahoo or any Internet search engine for that matter you will see thousands of web pages dedicated or about the puzzle. Indeed, the Internet is a treasure trove for everything Sudoku. From actual puzzles, to tips and tricks and to blogs about it. Here are even computer software that can solve Sudoku puzzles for you if you want.

What does the word Sudoku mean? It actually stands for the Japanese phrase suuji wa dokushin ni kagiru. In English, it means the digit remains single. A Sudoku puzzle is composed of a 9 X 9 grid. Within a bigger grid is a smaller 3 X 3 grid. Some of the squares have the numbers 1 to 9i in it while some are blank. The object of the game is to fill up all of the squares with numbers from 1 to 9.

Where’s the fun in that you may ask? Well of course you just can’t write the numbers in a random fashion. You must enter the numbers logically. And how do you do it you might ask? Well the one main rule in Sudoku is not to have the same number in the same row are column within the smaller grid.

Sounds pretty simple huh? Well you probably haven’t played a game of Sudoku. Those who have cab attest just how frustrating it can get., The difficulties of Sudoku vary from beginner’s level to expert level. This means that Sudoku can be enjoyed by almost everyone , young and old.

But don’t be fooled to think that Sudoku is juts for geniuses and mate freaks. Actually, has little to do with math. The number are there for convenience only. It can be replaced by colors and symbols if you like. What Sudoku is is a logic game just like the Rubik’s cube that became a hit in the 1970s.

So what should you do if you want to get started in Sudoku? The best thing to do is to use the Internet. The Web is simply one of the best place where you can learn about Sudoku. Best thing is, the information in the web are mostly free. There you can find printable Sudoku puzzles that you can download.

So what are you waiting for? Log on now and search for Sudoku websites. Download a printable Sudoku puzzle then grab a pencil. Or go to your nearest bookstore and grab a Sudoku book. You do not want to be left behind do you? A word of warning though: Sudoku can be very addictive.