Sudoku – a globally addictive puzzle game or fun with numbers?

Sudoku is not maths (as opposed to magic squares, which are!) and is universally understandable.  It is generally done by filling in numbers (or alternatively, symbols, pictures or letters) to allow a logical solution to be discovered.  We can see Sudoku’s place as an educational tool or extension of a child’s ability to play with numbers and not fear them.  Everyone should Sudoku, at least once….

Simply, Sudoku (single number) is a 9x9 grid divided into 3x3 sub grids with a few ‘given’ numbers as hints.  They vary from very easy (www.sudokukingdom.com/very-easy-sudoku.php) to general Sudoku (www.sudoku.com.au) both links give online versions as well as printables.  Warning: these can be addictive; do not try if you have to do something with your kids soon.

The topic of Sudoku addiction pops up frequently due to the ease of availability of Sudokus online, in newspapers (also heralded as the saviour of paper newspapers due to their ability to meet the daily fix) and cheap or free access in every corner of life.  I even remember one Christmas where I was given Sudoku toilet paper!  The sense of accomplishment is the part which gives the real addictive aspect to Sudoku and for kids, this is the key to giving an opportunity where numbers are fun not just school work.

In saying this, I am definitely an advocate for the introduction of kids to Sudoku.  From a kids perspective, from the age of 6 up Sudokus with varying degrees of difficulty can easily be found.  Working together with children and helping them with the logic and ability to see patterns is just another opportunity to spend one to one time with your child.  As Sudoku does not use maths, it is the aspects of concentration, focus and the ability to do something methodically that are a huge boost for children in an effort to get them to ‘see something through’.

Interestingly, Sudoku has tenuous links to preventing and easing depression, helping prevent dementia and Alzheimers- see New England Journal of Medicine.  Whilst I have a strong belief that if you say something enough and find and survey the appropriate sample of people, anything can be ‘proved’, I do see how exercising the brain, using sustained logic and working the brain can in no way hurt the brain!!  Boosting concentration and the sense of completion as the tricky little devils ‘work their way out’ does make you feel like you have succeeded even if you have had a shocking day!

I can personally attest to the fact that for short periods, Sudoku can be addictive, I remember not wanting to go shopping or to go and play with the kids until I had finished the Sudoku I was doing or feeling fed up as I scrumple another section of the newspaper into a ball as the Sudoku was obviously broken!!  For kids, the ability to deal with success and failure on a small scale should also be a good thing.

Euan