International Sudoku Day: What to Play
Sudoku is commonly believed to be an ancient brainteaser, however the history of this logic-based number puzzle goes back to late 1700s, to the game of Latin Squares invented by a Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler. In 1979, a popular puzzle magazine titled “Dell Pencil Puzzles and Word Games“ introduced a brainteaser named “Number Place”. Strangely enough, the new pen-and-paper game grew greater popularity in Japan than at home, and there it acqured the name it goes by today. Sudoku can be losely translated as “single number”. A New Zelander Wayne Gould spotted the printed puzzle, became its avid fan and created a software to generate more of them. Since 2004, when The Times thus started publishing sudoku puzzles regularly, popularizing the brainteaser yet further. So far, that the World Puzzle Federation even founded International Sudoku Day in 2013. Due to the classic 9×9 grid, September 9 seemed like the best date choice.
Regarding the true sudoku mania of the last decades, countless variations of the number puzzle has emerged. For instance, as an additional challenge, both longest diagonals mmay also feature unique digit, as it is in The Daily Diagonal Sudoku. A nonomino or Jigsaw Sudoku, features a board devided into 9 polygons instead of usual squares. To experience the challenge, play Microsoft Sudoku online for free. Its Irregular mode will give you the notion of nonomino.
In terms of size, number puzzles range from Sub Sudoku, also known as Mini-Sudoku, to Super Doku with the grids larger than 9×9. Together with the amount of filled in cells, this allows to adjust the difficulty level from novice to the true sudoku master. Play WellSudoku online to put your logic skills to test with 6 grid sizes in 3 difficulty levels. Whether you are looking for easy sudoku puzzles, or are really up to challenge, the brainteaser will provide you with limitless puzzle-solving pastime.
In 2004, a Japanese Math teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto trademarked KenKen, or KenDoku. The logic puzzle retrieved the original rule of unique digits in each line and row, but inner boxes could be of different size. Instead they featured math symbols, which turned numbers in equations. Be sure to play MathDoku online on our website to enjoy this addicting brainteaser. Another Japanese puzzler, Tamaki Seto, introduced Fitoshiki game. Also known as More or Less, the brainteaser features inequation signs surving as hints to solve number puzzles.
In a word, there are countless of variations to the logic game of sudoku, many of which you can play without download on our website. Some online sudoku games also offer free sudoku printouts for those who literally prefer pencil-and-paper games. They are especially popular among seniors, becouse puzzle games for adults are a great brain-training. And they also help kids to develop logic skills and quick thinking. And the upcoming International Sudoku Day is another reason to enjoy the addicting number puzzle.
by Anna