Sudoku is an intellectual game that is commonly thought of as Japanese, but this is actually a misconception. The puzzle was invented by a mathematician from Switzerland. But the first puzzles were officially published not in Switzerland or Italy, but in France in 1895.
However, the Latin squares created by the Swiss were different from those invented later. The official author of Sudoku is believed to be Howard Garns from the United States. He published his puzzles in Dell Pencil Puzzles and Word Games in 1979 to "stretch the mind". It seems that the entertainment quickly gained popularity. What can we say: today the three-time world Sudoku champion is Thomas Snyder, a US citizen. Howard Garnes' puzzles were called Number Place because it was necessary to place numbers in empty cells, and the game was played on a field of 9 * 9 cells.
At the same time, the Japanese showed attention to the puzzles. In 1984, the game with numbers appeared in local newspapers and magazines. It was nicknamed "Sudoku". The name comes from the long expression "Sūji wa dokushin ni kagiru" in Japanese. The phrase translates as "numbers are limited to one location." It is the Japanese native who holds the record for the most world titles. Sudoku is still in demand in the country today. More than 600 thousand magazines with logic puzzles are sold every month.
Why is Sudoku so popular in Japan?
The reason for the popularity of the game Sudoku is not only in the mentality of the Japanese (although in it too, because representatives of this nationality are characterized by curiosity). The fact is that Japanese with its characters is not very suitable for crosswords. It is for this reason that numbers have become a universal language of communication.
Finally, the popularity of Sudoku is also due to the fact that the geography of Japan is complex. To get to the place of work, people have to spend 2-3 hours each. In order to "kill time" (and also with benefit for the mind), they solve Sudoku.
Interesting facts about Sudoku
The author of the first computer program was Wayne Gould (Wayne Gould). He was not a programmer by profession, but worked as a judge.
Puzzles, which were published in 1979 in Dell Pencil Puzzles and Word Games, at one time ceased to be in demand among Americans. In 1997, they were just brought back by Wayne Gould. Thanks to a judge from New Zealand, the game gained new popularity.
The Times of London began publishing Sudoku in 2004. The Conway (New Hampshire) Daily Sun was the first American to publish the puzzle "in a modern version".
The World Sudoku Championship was held for the first time in 2006. It was hosted by the city of Lucca, Italy. In 2023, the event will be held in Canada. In 2013, the World Cup was held in Beijing.
Thomas Snyder is the record holder in the speed of solving Sudoku. He is also a three-time world champion.
Why is the logic puzzle so popular today? You can play Sudoku not only in magazines and newspapers, but also online. It is enough to simply download and install a mobile application on Android or iOS. The software often has additional features like hints, quick selection of difficulty level and so on.
Sudoku is an intellectual quest that is suitable for beginners and professionals. The puzzle develops flexibility of mind, trains the twists, helps to develop the left hemisphere of the brain. At the same time, the rules are simple and clear. The language of numbers is universal, suitable for Americans, Italians, Germans, and Russians.
