So, do you sudoku?

[MaryH]

For all of you puzzle people (especially the math minded ones), you need to check out this puzzle. It's in the LA Times every day now.

See www.sudoku.org.uk

[Jazzmatazz49]

I think that's the kind of puzzle that makes my head hurt.:D

[moonbeam]

I love sudoku. I downloaded a trial version and immediately became hooked. This has been my downfall late at night. I will keep playing one game after another, until I can't think. My free trial was up today, so I need to check out that link you posted.

Kim

[MaryH]

I do have to confess that I have not been able to solve one yet (even the "easy" ones.) Must be that missing math/logic gene. :p

[SusanL]

we printed it and hope to work on them today! I will let you know how well we can/can't do them also;) .

[gertdog]

Our paper also just started printing them. The first "medium" puzzle was in yesterday's paper and I'm proud to say I finished it! However, it's taken a few weeks of making lots of mistakes in the "easy" puzzles for me to get the hang of it. I love this kind of puzzle.

[SusanL]

hard. We are still working on it but not as often as we would like. Thanks so much for this thread!

[MaryH]

Originally posted by gertdog
Our paper also just started printing them. The first "medium" puzzle was in yesterday's paper and I'm proud to say I finished it! However, it's taken a few weeks of making lots of mistakes in the "easy" puzzles for me to get the hang of it. I love this kind of puzzle.

That's me. I "finished" an easy one yesterday, but then found a mistake. (What, you mean I CAN"T have two "9's" in the same row. :p )

[gertdog]

Heh- well, after triumphantly completing one "medium" puzzle, I've screwed up the last two! Today's puzzle is "very easy"- back to basic training for me!

[Escher]

No math is required to do this puzzle. It is pure logic.

And it is right up my alley. Thanks for introducing it.

[kbs]

Our local paper had an article and a puzzle at the end of May and since then I can't get enough of them. The Boston Globe just started including them in their paper this week which is very exciting. The London Times publishes their puzzles online every day and I always do those. I feel especially good when I finish a puzzle labeled "fiendish".

Happy Puzzling!
-Kim

[Lucinda]

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only addict. During our week long garment fitting, I would keep a printed out puzzle on my clipboard and surreptitiously work on it when the model was changing or when there were sidebar discussions that didn't involve me. The local paper now carries them and I copy them-- erasing too many times just shreds newspaper and I have yet to complete one without lots of erasing! But I still love them!

[little_bopeep]

Where does one find the directions for doing these puzzles? I don't understand just by looking at them. :confused:

[Meganator]

.Where does one find the directions for doing these puzzles? I don't understand just by looking at them.

On the puzzles in the "Sudoku Archive" that I looked at, the directions are above or below the puzzle grid: each small 3x3 box must contain the numbers 1 through 9, and each line both down and across the whole grid must contain the numbers 1 through 9, no repeated numbers.

[KristaMB]

Susan,
I just downloaded these instructions (http://www.sudoku.org.uk/PDF/Solving_Sudoku.pdf) from the site posted. I can't wait to work my first puzzle!

[lakelady1]

They started in the Washington Post a few weeks ago and I'm HOOKED!! Makes the Metro commute go very quickly while I "logic away" -- but last night I did get on the wrong train because my nose was in the paper. No problems completing the v.easy or easy -- beyond that I start to struggle but am getting better. I'm definitely NOT a math person, but love to solve puzzles and these are perfect for me.

[gertdog]

Originally posted by kbs
I feel especially good when I finish a puzzle labeled "fiendish".


The difficulty level goes up to "fiendish"? :eek: Uh-oh!

[moonbeam]

I found this website last night. I love doing the game on the computer, or you can print them up and take them with you. The levels here include easy, medium, hard and evil.


Happy sudoku-ing :p

http://www.websudoku.com/

Kim

[little_bopeep]

Originally posted by KristaMB
Susan,
I just downloaded these instructions (http://www.sudoku.org.uk/PDF/Solving_Sudoku.pdf) from the site posted. I can't wait to work my first puzzle!

Thanks very much, Krista!

[MaryH]

So I introduced a friend to this today and now she's hooked. I actually finished one, because she wouldn't let me stop. I was feeling all proud and thought I had finally solved a "gentle" one. For about 20 minutes that is. As my friend was still working on hers, she said something. I told her "no, the answer is ..." but when I double checked, it turned out my answer was wrong. (I finally checked it against the actual answer.) So, the good news is for 20 minutes I finished one, the bad news is, I still didn't get it right. ;) :)

[leightx]

Ack! Must. Stop. Playing. I've worked my way up to doing the diabolical ones now. :eek: These will be great entertainment on the plane (unless they provoke conversation with the people next to me...).

I have my 6 year old hooked too.

Another addicting (and easier) game that we've been playing is Set. It is a card game, but they also have an online version: www.setgame.com . Click on the daily puzzle under Set and Triology. I think my daughter is better at this game than I am!! :o

[rosie_one]

Oh my, thanks for posting this, I think. Love it. I can see becoming addicted!

[Laura B]

Thanks for posting this. I just tried an easy one, and got everything filled in except two squares. I screwed up somewhere so my last two squares won't work! I don't know if I can fix it or not. I might just start a new one. Fun! :cool:

[mmtibbs]

Leightx--

I absolutely love the card game Set. We play this at work on really slow days, because interruptions make no difference. It is a game that you either get, or don't. For me it is like "reading" the cards. Others just struggle so much with the patterns. Sudoku will be my next challenge. They say that working puzzles wards off dementia, so I'll keep at it.

[leightx]

I'm trying to teach my almost 5 year old how to play Set, but he just doesn't get it yet. I think there must be some crucial logic / pattern skills that set in around kindergarten. He's pretty funny to play with though, since he'll get all excited and yell "Ooooo!!! SET!!" and then point out something that is so NOT a set. :p

They are both doing pretty well with Sudoku. I wish there was an kid's version with fewer boxes (maybe 2x2 instead of 3x3). I downloaded a computer version and that is pretty handy since I don't have to erase as much!

[Kristal]

Just bringing this thread back up because I am now completely addicted to sudoku puzzles! It's become a morning ritual for me to solve the puzzle each morning during my commute. I've also discovered a few Web sites that have free sudoko puzzles each day. I like that they have timers; I completed one today in about 4 minutes! :D


http://www.sudoku.net.au

http://www.lovatts.com.au/sudoku/sudoku.htm

http://www.lovattscrosswords.co.uk/brainteasers/sudoku/sudoku.htm

[tea4one]

There are so many books out for this I seen quite afew yesterday when I was out shopping, including a sudoku for dummies. I have never tried doing one. Looks like fun.

[stacy7272]

They started putting these in the new, big-size TV Guide! I don't think I should have made my first attempt ever at one of these puzzles in pen!

[imloulou]

Thanks for posting this Mary!...when I was in St. Louis recently the local paper there had it. I picked it up but did not have time to do one...I made a mental note to look online when I got home and completely forgot.

This kind of game is right up my alley!!!!!!

[Chris415]

Although I remember this thread from the summer, I got hooked when my Mom bought a book and became quickly engrossed in trying to do just an easy one! There is a new magazine out that I bought at Borders a couple of weeks ago, Extreme Sudoku, where there is an "X" in the middle of the puzzle, so you have to have the correct numbers in those too! :eek: Sort of makes it easier, just another method to figure everything out!

Chris

[MaryH]

For those of you who want the next level on this, I noticed that in Sundays SF Chronicle (in the pink Datebook section) they have what they call "Monster Sudoku" where they use all the numbers plus about 6 letters. I know you can access the newspaper onl;ine at www.sfgate.com but I don't know if the puzzle is available online.

[MaryH]

For those of you who want the next level on this, I noticed that Sundays SF Chronicle (in the pink Datebook section) has what they call "Monster Sudoku" where they use all the numbers plus about 6 letters. I know you can access the newspaper onl;ine at www.sfgate.com but I don't know if the puzzle is available online.

[EmilyK]

Wanted to bump this thread back up, because I've just become addicted to Su Doku myself and searched to see if others in here were too! :) I've seen it around, but hadn't picked up any of the books to see what the puzzles were all about. I just did and I LOVE these things!! I've been working out of the for Dummies book and have decided to give it to a good friend for Christmas, because she should appreciate getting hooked on it as well! I'm assuming others might get the books as gifts.

Any other new addicts?? :D

[Beth]

I bought paperback books for both of my boys as stocking stuffers and then was told by my oldest that he hates those puzzles. I couldn't believe it. I wonder if they are harder for him because his mind functions in a different way where it might be hard for him not to try to "do the math." I also got a box of playing card size puzzles for my nephew. I'll be curious to see how they work out.

[Lrimerman]

My mom and sister have always loved logic puzzles, which I have always hated!!! My mom has now gotten into the Sudoku. I bought her two books for Hannukah.

I haven't tried it, but don't think it is my thing. I may take a look though. I bet my almost 7 year old would like it.

Lisa

[PoppyJ]

I recently became addicted too. I go to http://www.daily-sudoku.com/ and print them out and do them at night when my DH goes to bed. I notice that I am not reading as much now because of these darn puzzles. I was doing them last night instead of wrapping. :rolleyes:

[EmilyK]

Does anybody else have the Su Doku for Dummies book? Puzzle 3 (Easy) was a bear for me. I tried to do it 3 different times and messed it up COMPLETELY every time. I have been able to do up to Medium so far, and this one single puzzle gets me. Just curious, really.

[ErinM]

I have the Mensa Sudoku book. I love it! I've found that I cannot do the puzzles close to bedtime, though, or I have a tendency to make mistakes.

[cocoa'smom]

Not trying to spam, but my co-worker makes and sells these really cool T-Shirts....black with rhinestone crystals that say "I DO SUDUKO" They are really fun and when I saw her wearing one I immediately bought one for a friend who's hooked on sukuko. If anyone's interested in a T-Shirt, you can PM me. She can do any color or whatever you want. I think they are $20-$25 each.

[memartha]

I recently got hooked on Suduko. Still don't know how to pronounce it, but I love it! I'm only on the Easy level so far.

[Jazzmatazz49]

I've only done 2 "easy" puzzles, but I think I'm hooked. I did look after finishing the first one, and it took me 46 minutes. It said the "average" time is 71/2 minutes! I suppose I'll get better and faster.

I also love SET. I prefer the card game to the web edition, but it's a great game for getting kids used to using logic.

[mmtibbs]

I'm with Margaret--Set is addicting (as is Sudoku). Some people love it, some hate it. To me, it's just like reading, I see the sets so easily. It is a great brain exercise. And Sudoku is also a great way to force the synapses!

Michelle

[MKSquared]

After finishing all the word puzzles in the newspaper, I was left with a very empty Sudoku puzzle. It beckoned. I answered. It took me quite a while, but I finished it!

It's ridiculously captivating, isn't it? I finish the crossword puzzles much faster than these, but I've had practice with the crosswords. Now, to work on my Sudoku skills ...

[BeachBum]

I put a book in DHs stocking and we had a lot of fun with it yesterday. Today I've been doing them while nursing the baby. I think I will do it more than DH just because I have a lot of time to sit and not do much else (but hold the baby). :)