Wonderful, Whoever has not played yet. Should play it once

I have tried sudoku a few times before. It can be challanging since there is more than one answer.

I used to love these, but once you get the trick down it's a little too easy. But, if you're looking for a bit more of a challenge, try one of these: http://www.samurai-sudoku.com/

Not a bad way to pass the time if you're bored... like when you're sitting in a waiting room. A step above twiddling your thumbs or counting the number of people wearing black shoes vs. brown shoes or sneakers.

My wife gave me a Sudoku calendar for Christmas, and I have to say that these things are pretty addictive. The first couple that I tried made my brain hurt. I found myself struggling to keep track of what numbers were missing, and all of the different ways to play process of elimination to deterimine which number fits where. But like anything else, once you get a little practice under your belt, you can improve. Now I'm able to crank through just about any of them. In fact, I've developed a methodical system that almost takes the fun out of it. Using the system I can brute force almost any Sudoku into submission, with very little creative thought required. Too bad.

Actually, according to the first book of these puzzles that I bought, they actually originated in England. However, they became so popular in Japan that they adopted the Japonese name sudoku (I believe it means 'number place'). Both these and kakuro puzzles (which unlike sudoku actually require some basic math skills) are highly addictive brain scramblers. I even joined a sudoku league online, but I must confess, I'm not very good yet.

This is a recent import to Western countries from Japan. They are gaining in popularity in the UK and I am sure they will be very popular in the USA. The idea is simple - just arrange the numbers 1-9 in each box, row and column so that no number is repeated. The easier sudokus start you off with more numbers filled in, the more difficult with fewer. Just try some of the easier ones, and it will get you hooked. The first day I started doing them, I could not stop and ended up trying to solve one while running on the treadmill. What appeals to me about these puzzles is that, theoretically, a kid could solve them too. You need no mathematical or word skills - just a clear mind.