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Sudoku for the buff, Sudoku SAP for the beginner!
By Harvey Intelm
Sudoku for the buff, Sudoku SAP for the beginner!
Millions across the world can't kick-start their day without the puzzle that originated in the land of the rising sun. Some call it suduko, others sudoko. However, the nine by nine-grid puzzle is actually spelt Sudoku. Everyone seems to be caught in the Sudoku frenzy. A 700 percent increase in the sale of pencils has been attributed to the Sudoku craze. An airline even had to send a memo to all its cabin crews, forbidding them to work on Sudoku puzzles during takeoffs and landings.
I have often wondered why it should be Sudoku when we do have other distractions such as Rubik's cube, Soma cube, Tangram etc. I think we can chalk it down to human nature which abhors vacuum. The innate desire of humans to fill in the empty spaces, in both their lives and elsewhere, explains the raging popularity of Sudoku.
Before the advent of Sudoku, crosswords were ubiquitous in newspapers. But in recent times, every other newspaper shows a preference for Sudoku over crosswords. The audience for Sudoku and crosswords may overlap. However, crosswords have a more literary attraction compared to Sudoku, which appeals to anybody equipped with a logical bent of mind. To solve Sudoku, you just need a sliver of intelligence, served with a slice of analytical thinking. It is a puzzle that needs no extraordinary mathematical skills. Shuffling the numbers before placing them in their respective grids does the trick, quite nicely.
Sudoku has more to it than just the grids that meet the eye. Experts have proved that Sudoku puzzles can actually help you to tune up your brain, quickly. Even in the twilight years of life, the brain has quite a lot of residual capacity to reorganize and "rewire" itself.
Brain cells learn by literally making new connections with one another. Every neuron passes a signal to the other at an intersection called a synapse. Repetitive activity will follow well-worn neuronal paths, traveling between cells that often exchange data. Unless these cells are forced to find unfamiliar neurons or new parts of cells, they will stick to known paths.
You exercise the same cell connections while you are in a familiar place, with familiar people, listening to known subjects. Introducing something new will enhance the properties of neural circuits, improving their processing speed. Although most brain development occurs when we're children, even as adults, our neural cement never completely hardens. People of all ages can, thus, hope benefit from regular brain workouts.
Behavioral scientists have spoken of feeding cognitive inputs to the brain, thereby improving brainpower by means of sensory activation. Learning is growth. Our minds continue to grow, as long as we are alive. Unlike our bodies!
Coming back to less cerebral matters, how do we fill in all the grids of a Sudoku puzzle? Are there rules that can be followed? The answer to this is an emphatic yes. A novice should go in for a Sudoku SAP (Simple as Possible) variant, rather than the more complex conventional puzzles. The goal in solving every Sudoku puzzle is to enter a numeral, 1 to 9, one each in every cell of a 9x9 grid made up of 3x3 subgrids. Completing the puzzle demands precious time, patience and logical ability.
To solve a Sudoku puzzle, you need to scan, mark and analyze. Once you learn to wield these skills, you'll find you're able to solve these puzzles, in a jiffy. Beginning with Sudoku SAPs, you should concentrate on accuracy, rather than speed. I recommend that you leave speed for later. With constant practice, you are sure to acquire speed.
At times, you might find yourself solving only half the puzzle. Never mind. Follow the right stratagem, and you'll get there, eventually. If you are a beginner, keep your eyes peeled and log on to sudokuvillage.com. With the oodles of resources available there, you might well find yourself turning into a sudoku buff overnight.
Click here: www.howtosolveallsudokupuzzles.com/Sudoku.htm
Harvey Intelm,
(Compulsively Addicted Sudoku Player Beyond ALL Hope And Reason)
http://www.SudokuVillage.com
http://www.SudokuBrowser.com
http://www.SudokuSmorgasbord.com
http://www.FreeSudokuHost.com
http://www.SudokuStationery.com
http://www.HowToSolveAllSudokuPuzzles.com/Sudoku.htm
Email: Harvey@SudokuVillage.com
About the Author The innate desire of humans to fill in the empty spaces, in both their lives and elsewhere, explains the raging popularity of Sudoku. A novice should go in for a Sudoku SAP (Simple as Possible) variant.
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Some other articles by Harvey Intelm | |
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