Wesley’s Week: Sudoku Mania

by Wesley

My name is Wesley Hyatt, and I am a sudoku addict.

At this point, were we in a self-help group, you would have responded, “Hi, Wesley!” Then I would have continued to tell you of my woes – how I have a hard time not completing one of those puzzles that appears daily in USA Today, and how I have spent extended portions of certain weekends trying valiantly to solve the five-star Friday edition to come up with the correct numbers.

Why does this game have such a pull on me, not to mention many other Americans I know? I mean, what is the appeal of arranging the numbers 1 through 9 in a square box so that they only appear once on any row or column? I only wish I knew.

Other Games Are Not the Same

Look, I have enjoyed playing many different word games in my life, usually on long trips to pass the time away. But of all the crosswords, word searches and Jumbles I have taken part in my life, none of them have been so addictive that I could not wait to do them the way I do with a sudoku offering.

I guess the appeal is that the concept seems so simple and easy to play, yet can be difficult to achieve. There is logic involved in deducing where the numbers go in the grid, but that logic can be obscure and frustrating sometimes, particularly in what are called the hard or difficult puzzles that have fewer numbers upfront for you to use as clues. When I manage to finish one of those, man, I feel as if it is almost as if a weight came off my shoulders, because the mental challenge to me was that strong. And I am not alone feeling this way.

Addicts Unite!

According to a story that ran nearly two years ago on CBS News, many other Americans share my obsession with this game, including Chicago White Sox pitcher Jon Garland, who works on his puzzles between innings during games. I would have a hard time just hitting the field if I was trying to solve one like that.

Also two years ago (has the fascination with this puzzle been only that long?), Seth Stevenson wrote about his love for the game in this article for Slate. He gave as among his reasons for his devotion the belief that sudoku makes him feel smart and that unlike some games like crossword puzzles, it requires no specialized knowledge, only logic. Guess I have to agree with both of those claims.

Wonder If You Are An Addict?

If you have been reading this far, chances are you have some interest in sudoku, but is it healthy, or just as messed up as mine is? On that note, here are three questions.

1) Do you try to play against the clock?
2) Do you reach a point where you do not double check what numbers you have entered?
3) Do you delay doing something for just a couple of minutes (or so you claim) in order to finish your puzzle?

If you answered yes to all of them, you are a sudoku addict. Congratulations on joining the club! Now to get you started, why not look here? (Yes, when it comes to sudoku, I feel it is best not to fight it.)

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