Sudokus
A couple of you have noticed my link for WebSudokus and have tried them out. Here's how I got started.
I was attending the Utah City Manager's Association conference in St. George the first week of April. I was sitting next to Mark Christensen, city manager of Washington Terrace. I had seen sudokus before in newspapers, but never gave them much attention because they looked difficult. Mark had the courtesy to explain the concept to me and I was hooked after the first one.
The idea behind a sudoku is you have 9 boxes lined up three X three. This creates a larger box that is 9 rows high and 9 rows wide. Each smaller box has 9 squares inside it. The rules of the sudoku is that with in each smaller box contains the numbers 1-9. Then within the larger box each row contains the numbers 1-9 and each column has the numbers 1-9. However when you start the sudoku you will be given a few numbers and you have to figure out where the rest of the numbers go. It is essentially a process of elimination to figure which number is supposed to go where. I know this probably didn't make sense so all I can say is to try one and you'll get the hang of it pretty quick.
Go to websudoku.com or click on the link on the right of this page. I recommend printing it on paper rather than doing it on the computer. It's a lot easier to be able to write in possible numbers in a square which you can't do on the computer. Once you do one you'll know what I'm talking about. Start with an easy one and you'll get the hang of it. When you can solve them with no problem then move to the next level.
I find sudokus get the blood pumping in the brain (does blood pump through your brain?) even to the point of a headache if you do too many of them. But to me it's invigorating and it gives me a mental challenge. I have been able to solve the easy, medium and hard level. I still haven't finished an evil one yet. The last two I tried ended in frustration.
It must be noted that I taught Becky how to do these and it wasn't long before she was faster than me. We will download the same sudoku and then see who can finish it first. I'm not sure if the reason that Becky is faster is because I'm stupid or Becky is a prodigy. It's probably somewhere in between. However, I've practiced enough and I'm a lot quicker so it's safe to say that, now, I'm better than Becky. So there.
If you use websudoku.com don't worry about running out of puzzles. For each level there are billions of puzzles. That's right, billions with a B.
WARNING!!! WARNING!!! ACHTUNG BABY!!!
These puzzles can get addictive. Please make sure your kids are fed, diapers are changed, and prayers are said (for more than one reason) because you can really get into these.
DISCLAIMER
Scott is not responsible for neglected children, malnutrution, divorce or any other social ailment that could possibly accompany any addiction to a sudoku. Any criticism directed at me will be promptly ignored.
I was attending the Utah City Manager's Association conference in St. George the first week of April. I was sitting next to Mark Christensen, city manager of Washington Terrace. I had seen sudokus before in newspapers, but never gave them much attention because they looked difficult. Mark had the courtesy to explain the concept to me and I was hooked after the first one.
The idea behind a sudoku is you have 9 boxes lined up three X three. This creates a larger box that is 9 rows high and 9 rows wide. Each smaller box has 9 squares inside it. The rules of the sudoku is that with in each smaller box contains the numbers 1-9. Then within the larger box each row contains the numbers 1-9 and each column has the numbers 1-9. However when you start the sudoku you will be given a few numbers and you have to figure out where the rest of the numbers go. It is essentially a process of elimination to figure which number is supposed to go where. I know this probably didn't make sense so all I can say is to try one and you'll get the hang of it pretty quick.
Go to websudoku.com or click on the link on the right of this page. I recommend printing it on paper rather than doing it on the computer. It's a lot easier to be able to write in possible numbers in a square which you can't do on the computer. Once you do one you'll know what I'm talking about. Start with an easy one and you'll get the hang of it. When you can solve them with no problem then move to the next level.
I find sudokus get the blood pumping in the brain (does blood pump through your brain?) even to the point of a headache if you do too many of them. But to me it's invigorating and it gives me a mental challenge. I have been able to solve the easy, medium and hard level. I still haven't finished an evil one yet. The last two I tried ended in frustration.
It must be noted that I taught Becky how to do these and it wasn't long before she was faster than me. We will download the same sudoku and then see who can finish it first. I'm not sure if the reason that Becky is faster is because I'm stupid or Becky is a prodigy. It's probably somewhere in between. However, I've practiced enough and I'm a lot quicker so it's safe to say that, now, I'm better than Becky. So there.
If you use websudoku.com don't worry about running out of puzzles. For each level there are billions of puzzles. That's right, billions with a B.
WARNING!!! WARNING!!! ACHTUNG BABY!!!
These puzzles can get addictive. Please make sure your kids are fed, diapers are changed, and prayers are said (for more than one reason) because you can really get into these.
DISCLAIMER
Scott is not responsible for neglected children, malnutrution, divorce or any other social ailment that could possibly accompany any addiction to a sudoku. Any criticism directed at me will be promptly ignored.
posted by Scott's Blog at Thursday, May 04, 2006
6 Comments:
I still don't understand how you decide where the numbers go. Is it random guessing? Do they all add up to a certain amount? What's the point of the puzzle? Is it that you can only use a number once? I'm very confused.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Becky,
I'll bring some to the family reunion and show you how to do them. It'll take you about one minute to figure it out once you know the initial strategy.
I've done so many of them in the last few days that now when I close my eyes I see the columns and rows and I'm trying to figure where to put the numbers. Ahhh, Dr. Mario revisited!!
So I finally figured out the objective last night. I had to reread your directions and the website's directions twice to understand what I was trying to do. They are very fun and I can see how they can be addictive.
I can't do them anymore because I too would dream about them all night. I even dreamed our bed was a grid and we had to figure out which body part went into which square. I just had to stop doing them.
For the record, I am still faster and better at them than Scotty. Whenever he gets stuck he gives them to me to get him unstuck.
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