For the bride who is almost drowned in all the stress that planning a wedding has to offer, or the couple who would love to add a few games to the wedding reception or pre-wedding parties, here’s another game you can try. It has gained much popularity in the recent years, and it is called Sudoku.
History and Development of Sudoku
Ancient civilization is known for its creativity and intelligence. They also have different forms of entertainment. Unlike today, people are dependent on the benefit of modern technology. In every corner you will see inventions such as radios and televisions. This is how people today make use of their spare time.
Sometimes, people also get bored with modern technology and turn to their mind and formulate their own brain twister in a form of riddles. This is how people explore their way of thinking and also their creativity. People naturally love activities that could twist their mind and form new ideas.
History speaks that some of the recent games that mankind have today are based on the ideas of early people, although with some innovations applied. Sudoku is one of the games that have existed since the ancient times. Perhaps this is the first time that you heard about the term. You might ask yourself what Sudoku is all about and where it originated.
The other name for Sudoku is number place. As you might think, it was derived from the Japanese language. This refers to a logic based placement. In other words, this is a type of puzzle game. It was published first in one of the magazines in United States in the year 1979 then followed in Japan until it gained its popularity.
If you are going to translate the name Sudoku into English phrase, it mans that “the digits must remain single”. It gathered various manners of pronunciation in different countries. Nevertheless, whatever the articulation is, the standards set on the games are never altered.
According to the people who discovered Sudoku, the puzzle enhances your critical thinking. It makes you utilize arithmetic relationship between numbers that are not relevant with each other. There are also basic rules that are set for you to play Sudoku puzzle.
You are probably getting interested with Sudoku as you read this article. Well, to cut your interest first, you should first know the story behind the game. When was it introduced?
During his late 70’s, Howard Garns anonymously designed the puzzle Sudoku. He was known to be a retired architect and indeed a freelance puzzle constructor. Obviously, he has ideas on how to create the tricks of a puzzle because it has been a profession for him for quite long time.
He deduced his idea from that of the Latin Square designed by Euler. Thus, he just placed some additional alteration to the game which he called the third dimension. He also provides the player with a partially-completed grid that will require the solver to complete the rest of the blank grids.
However, after Garns was able to develop it and introduce it in the US magazine, it was captured again in Japan by a person name Nikoli. That was the time that Maiki, President of Nikoli Sudoku was named because during the time of Garns he also has his own English translation.
Before, the game is played manually when it started to get published in the newspaper of Japan and United States. It was in the year 1989 when a computer version of Sudoku was made available for the users under the Loadstar Publishing followed by the Apple Macintosh. In the year 2005, it totally came at its peak of popularity.
Behind the popularity of the Sudoku puzzle is the acknowledgment to Rubik’s cube. This is another puzzle game that was popular during the year 1980. In fact, some of the attributes of Sudoku was also patterned from Rubik’s puzzle.
In the year 1997, the popularity of Sudoku in the media was overwhelming. Even the Hong Kong judge named Wayne Gould also became inclined to the game up to the point that he also developed his own version of the computerized version of Sudoku.
Nationwide, there was a press release that was published regularly in Japan that took the newspaper to sell the prints very quickly. It even reached the world media and was acknowledged as the “fastest growing puzzle in the world”.
There is no doubt that until now, the history of Sudoku remains in the thoughts of people. They owe much gratitude to the development and discovery of Sudoku puzzle because without the people behind Sudoku they are not able to enjoy the pleasure that have been brought to them by the puzzle.
How to Play Sudoku
Do you know anything about the Rubik’s Cube? Who haven’t heard about it? Have you ever played with it? If you did and you are trying to go for a bigger challenge, try Sudoku. Sudoku is a number placement puzzle game that needs careful thought and intense patience.
Sudoku is a great puzzle that can be found anywhere from newspapers, magazines, textbooks, and on the internet. It consists of a series of grids. The grids usually involve one big 9 x 9 grid that holds, 9 3 x 3 tiny grids.
The main objective of this game is to put the numbers 1 to 9 into each of the grid units. In Sudoku, you do not have to add the numbers and look for the sum of the rows and columns. Though it is a game number, definitely there will be no addition included.
However, there are three rules that must be strictly followed. And they are:
1. Each of the numbers from 1 to 9 should come out only once in each column.
2. Each number from 1 to 9 must appear once in each row.
3. Each should appear once in each small 3 x 3 grid
These rules should be followed significantly to make sure that each 3 x 3 grid has the numbers from 1 to 9 to show in the series only once. In this way, it is assured that it increases the challenge and difficulty in playing the game.
Sudoku game puzzle comes in different levels of complexity. The total of numbers provided in the first level in the 9 x 9 matrix differs. Many people think that the game would be easy if there are more numbers given at the first level. However, this is not so true because the assignment of the each number has an intense effect in making the puzzle difficult to solve.
Now, how will you play the puzzle game?
As mentioned above, you have to follow the three rules. Once you have put that in your mind, you may start playing the game. The following are steps which you can use in playing the sudoku.
- You do not have to guess everything when playing. The Sudoku puzzle can be solved sensibly. All you have to do is to think about it carefully. The best way to begin the puzzle is by searching for the clues. Majority of the players begin by looking for the numbers that often appear in the first puzzle. For instance you have many 4’s in the first puzzle. Look in the 3 x 3 box if the number 4 is also there. Now, can you find out other places where there is also the number 4? Start looking for the no. 4 in the rows and columns. These can help you locate where the other 4’s are. Remember, the number 4 must appear only once in each of the 3 x 3 box, rows or columns. If there is already a 4 in the columns 1 and 3, then there’s should be no other 4 in any of those 2 columns. Thus, the missing 4 should be replaced in column 2. If you are able to remove all the potentials in the box, you will have a bigger chance of solving it correctly.
- At the time that you are done looking at all the 3 x 3 boxes, you must ensure to fill in the numbers 1 to 9 in the rows and columns that hold most of the numbers. If only two numbers are not in the row or column you can always do the elimination method to know where to place the last two numbers. Check the rows and the columns to locate the missing numbers. If you have eliminated one of the possibilities on each row or column, there is a chance to fill the line you are playing.
- The two steps above will help you solve the simplest or the easy Sudoku. On the other hand, difficult puzzles need players who know how to look for the possibilities of the puzzle. The possibilities basically need someone who will solve and win the puzzle with all the given different choices in every square. There may be times that there is no way to remove a possibility, so a player will have to choose any of the numbers. When this happens, it is necessary to remember where you have chosen a number and think if your first choice was wrong.
Sudoku is game of wits. Sometimes, you will feel that you are only playing a non-stop game. But, following the steps and practicing it will help you know the techniques that are helpful and will lead you to victory.
