Something to puzzle over for the weekend.

  Sudoku

		6	9		8	1
2	5						9	8
		7				6
	3			4			7
		4	7		2	5
	2			5			6
		3				2
8	1						4	7
		9	8		1	3

In 2005 a new puzzle appeared in British newspapers. It was called Sudoku. At first it was thought to be a Japanese idea, but it turned out to have been invented by a team of puzzle constructors in New York in the 1970s.

Sudoku consists nine blocks of nine squares, arranged in a grid. The objective is to fill the grid of 81 squares so the numbers 1 to 9 only appear once in every row, column and individual block. A few numbers are revealed at the start of the puzzle in a symmetrical pattern.

The idea of fitting numbers into squares dates back to the 'Latin Squares' devised in 1782 by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler. In the 1970’s Dell Puzzle Magazines produced a “Number Place” puzzle that was the fore-runner of the Sudoku. The oldest copy Abby Taylor, Dell’s editor-in-chief , could find in their archive dated from 1979.

Around this time publisher Maki Kaji recognized a gap in the Japanese market and decided to produce a publication devoted to puzzles. Kaji founded the Puzzle Communication Nikoli and, in 1983, formally establish the Nikoli Co Ltd. Looking to expand his magazine Kaji stumbled upon Dell’s “Number Place” puzzle. Nikoli adapted the puzzle, insisting on symmetry of the revealed squares, named the puzzle Sudoku and published it in 1984.

Sudoku creator Maki Kaji  Photo: Nora Tam/SCMP

Sudoku quickly became a sensation across Japan but did not expand beyond the Far East until Wayne Gould, a New Zealander, spotted it in Tokyo in 1997. He spent six years developing a computer program to compile Sudoku puzzles. Having successfully published the puzzles in his local newspaper, Gould exported his idea to Britain.

Wayne Gould Photo : Bill Greene/Globe Staff

To solve Sudoku, players do not need an understanding of language or trivia. “It’s not what you know—it’s how you think. That’s what Sudoku tests,” Wayne Gould said in the New York Magazine.

Maki Kaji, founder of Nikoli, considers himself “The Godfather of Sudoku”. Each year he completes an ‘Around the World in 40 Days’ tour promoting his puzzles to students. In the past four years, he has visited 30 different countries. Speaking in Nichi Bei, Kaji suggests in that only 20 percent of people knew about Sudoku in 2007. “Now it’s probably closer to 80 percent, and probably 100 percent of people have at least heard of it before” he said. Kaji states the puzzles are meant as entertainment and are not designed to be educational.  He suggests this is what makes them more attractive to children, adding “People aren’t doing these puzzles for education or mental activity.”

However, although Sudoku is seen as just an amusing pastime by many, it has recently been used in Oman to raise awareness of Autism. The Black & White 'Sudoku for a Cause' was held on 1st June 2012 to raise awareness and support for Autistic in Oman. More than seven hundred participants took part in the preliminary rounds. Jade Pareira, Vimala Thyagarajan and  Mohammed Dodwalla competed in the final against defending champion, S. Vishwanath, who retained the title by finishing in four minutes eight seconds.

		6	9		8	1
2	5						9	8
		7				6
	3			4			7
		4	7		2	5
	2			5			6
		3				2
8	1						4	7
		9	8		1	3

If you'd like to try one now, have a go at the one above. Answer to follow in the next blog.

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