What is Sudoku

Sudoku is a logic based game which is usually made up of a 9x9 grid which has 3x3 sub grids within. Some of the cells in the grid have numbers filled in and some do not. It is the objective of the player to fill in the remaining grids with the numbers 1-9. Each number must only appear in each column, row and region once. This means that a number should only appear once in each direction and in each 3x3 sub grid.

History of Sudoku

Sudoku, as we now know it, was first invented in America by Howard Garns in 1979. It would appear in a magazine and was originally called `Number Place`. Eventually, it became very popular in Japan where it was given the name Sudoku, which we now commonly call it. It wasn`t until around 2005 that sudoku became a worldwide success, but, now it is firmly here to stay. Games similar to Sudoku have been around since the late 19th century where games including the `magic square` were very popular in intellectual circles. It is thought that this is where the inspiration for Sudoku comes from.

Sudoku Hints and Tips

It is advisable when playing Sudoku, to made a list of the possible numbers for each blank cell. You should study each area carefully and determine the possible values which could fit into each by eliminating numbers which are already filled in, in that area. You will be left with possible candidates for each blank cell. If there are any cells which only have one possible value, you can fill that cell in with confidence. You should then be sure to remove this value from your list of possible in the same area. This is often called a single value cell.

Hidden value cells are slightly more complicated. A hidden value cell is a cell which only has one possible candidate which will fit, but, it is not clear which number is needed. You must therefore, carefully study the grid in order to assign the correct number to the cell. Both Hidden and Single value cell methods will help any beginner to complete a simple puzzle quickly.

There is also a technique called `locked candidates` . This is where a number within a box is restricted to either one row or one column. This means that you can safely remove this number from your list of potentials in other areas.

Benefits of Sudoku

Sudoku is a good way of keeping the brain healthy. Playing Sudoku games stimulates the brain and helps to keep it agile. It is also believed that playing Sudoku regularly can decrease the risk of Alzheimer`s and other degenerative brain diseases.

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