The Craze That Is Sudoku

If there is one game that would be identified with the new millennium it had to be Sudoku. The Japanese numbers game has become so popular in recent years that it is already considered a phenomenon by some people. You must be living in a cave if you have not heard about Sudoku. The popularity of Sudoku might be a big mystery to those who do not play the game. But to people who regularly enjoy the game, they know why it is such a special puzzle.

So where can one find information on Sudoku puzzles? That is very easy. Sudoku is everywhere nowadays. It is even syndicated in some newspapers just like the ever popular crossword puzzles. There are also many books about Sudoku available in popular bookstore. Some of these books even teaches Sudoku techniques, tips and tricks on how to solve a Sudoku game.

Aside from books and newspapers, one of the best place to look for information regarding Sudoku is in the Internet. The World Wide Web is simply a treasure trove of resources related to or about Sudoku. All of you have to do is type the word Sudoku in search bar of your favorite search engine like Google and Yahoo and you will be given thousands of web pages relating to Sudoku. And this process only takes a few seconds. You will be given everything from blogs about Sudoku to actual puzzles you can download and play. Most of these sites also feature Sudoku techniques. There are even groups about Sudoku fanatics online where people discuss their obsession with the game. You will simply be shocked with the number of individuals that are crazy about the game.

Mathphobes might initially be turned away with Sudoku because of the simple fact that it contains numbers. The secret to approaching Sudoku is not to think about math while solving it. The biggest myth about Sudoku is that one requires great mathematic skills to play it. The truth is, math has little to do with mathematics. More than anything else, Sudoku is a game of logic. The numbers are there only for convenience. You do not have to add or multiply the numbers. Sudoku only has one rule. That a particular number must not be repeated within the same columns and row. You can even substitute the number with shapes, colors or symbols.

Sudoku is a game that tests reasoning skills more than anything else. It is actually a good mental workout. Those who are experts in Sudoku can solve a puzzle in 10 minutes or else. But the average time in solving a Sudoku puzzle is 30 minutes.

A Sudoku puzzle is composed of a 9 x 9 grid. Some of the spaces in the grid are pre-filled with numbers. These numbers can actually serve as clues. The player must fill in the blank spaces adhering to the rules of Sudoku. Sounds pretty huh? But those who have experienced playing Sudoku will swear at just how difficult and mind boggling the game can be. It is even hailed by most puzzle enthusiast as one of the most challenging puzzles there is. It is even being compared to the Rubik’s Cube. The puzzles range in difficulty from very easy to very hard. So you will still be challenged even if you have learned significant Sudoku techniques already.

If you have not played Sudoku yet, it is time to grab a pencil and join the bandwagon.