The life of a Sudoku solver

Today there seems to live a little Sudoku solver in each and every one of us. This is now wonder as we are talking about one of the most fantastic games ever created - one that can provide anything from a huge to a moderately taxing puzzle challenge.

Being a Sudoku solver is definitely something you can be very proud of. The term is also not to be confused with Sudoku solvers, that has a slightly different meaning. Sudoku is a well known number placement brainteaser that requires and develops skills in logic. Additionally, patience is also a requirement for you to be able to successfully stand up to the challenge.

The main objective of the game is to place a number from 1-9 in each of the grid cells. However, unlike the Magic Squares for example, there is no need to sum up the numbers or perform other mathematical operations.

The conditions one follows are rather straightforward. Each number from 1-9 must only appear once in every column and once also in every row and once in each small 3 x 3 grid. This is generally considered a derivation of the Latin Squares.

The Latin Square connection

The Latin Square was originally created by famous mathematician Leonard Euler. Basically, a Latin Square is composed of a n x n table packed with letters, numbers, or symbols. Just like in sudoku, each symbol can only emerge closely once in each row and precisely once in each column. Sudoku puzzles are therefore a modified Latin Square, that has been developed one step further by the addition of the smaller grid limits. This seemingly small change increases the difficulty of the puzzle by the detail that you have to make sure that each small 3 x 3 grid has each number 1-9 only once.

Sudoku puzzles are freely available in a wide range of complexity and difficulty. The quantity of numbers given originally in the 9 x 9 matrix alters. One common misconception is to think that having more numbers given at the beginning would make the puzzle easier. However, this is not always applicable because the positioning of the numbers has a great consequence on the intricacy of the puzzle game.

Sudoku is a Japanese word that means "placement puzzle". It surged to enormous popularity in Japan in the 1980’s, but the very first Sudoku puzzle was actually created in the United States by Howard Garnes. It was then known as "number place" as an alternative of the term Sudoku. Consequently, it was published and featured in Logic problems and math puzzles.

So, what does one need to actually become a sodoku solver? Well, to begin with you must have patience and logical abilities to stand a chance. Because the trial and error method is not a good approach to this game. However, different players DO have various techniques as well as strategies to solve this puzzle game.

Some have created their very own methods that they share with other Sodoku players around the world, most often through the Internet. They are many sites online of which some have great forums where you can participate and learn more.

When playing Sudoku, you could really begin at any place in the puzzle. But according to many, the strategy of choice is to start by focusing on the top three smaller grids. Then look at the preliminary numbers and start laborating with the number 1.

You proceed by checking if a the number 1 appears in the other two smaller grids. After that, you could locate cells in these minor grids where you should be able to place a number 1 while still applying the basic rules of the game.

Furthermore, you will also have to take into account the 3 x 3 grids that are connected to the specified grid. Sudoku can be a very demanding puzzle game that will sometimes make you feel like you are going nowhere.

Like with any other game, skill or puzzle you will just have to keep at it - solving Sudoku puzzles of varying difficulty and from various sources. Then one day, you will wake up and feel that you are actually a rather avid Sudoku solver.

More Sudoku solver, puzzle and game resources