Welcome to Sudoku.
This puzzle does involve numbers, but you definitely don’t have to be a maths whiz to solve it. All you really need to do is think logically and be unafraid to use trial and error to explore different numerical placements.
Let’s consider the grid – it’s a 9x9 square containing 81 cells. The grid is subdivided into nine 3x3 blocks. Some of the cells already have numbers filled in and these are called givens. Your goal is to complete the whole grid using the numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and block contains each number only once.
Seems simple enough, right? Except, mathematicians have calculated that there are approximately 6.671×1021 or 6,670,903,752,021,072,936,960 different possible combinations for Sudoku puzzles. That’s a number with seven commas! I had to Google what such an astronomical number was called, since it’s not something you encounter every day. The answer is – 6 sextillion. That’s the number of possible Sudoku grids one can create.
Don’t panic just yet. This is good news for puzzle solvers like you. It means you don’t have to ever work on the same Sudoku puzzle twice.
It also means hours of relaxing fun that you can indulge in on gulfnews.com, while you pass time on the Metro, play with friends or and family, have a leisurely weekend breakfast, or take a quick break at work.
Remember, Sudoku isn’t a guessing game. Take your time, use logic, and revel in the accomplishment of completing one of these tricky puzzles.
To enjoy the game even more, invite a friend using the ‘Play Together’ button and solve the puzzle together.
Let us know if you found the Sudoku puzzles challenging or entertaining at games@gulfnews.com.
