Sudoku's Storied History
by Terence Uniacke
Ancient civilizations did marvelous things, and built wonderful reminders of their skill and creativity, such as the Great Pyramids. They used their intelligence in many ways, including to entertain themselves. They did not have radio or television, but instead relied on their brains to solve problems and develop creative solutions.
Today, when people find the media has become somewhat dull, repeating stories in a cycle -- "the sames" rather than "the news -- they often turn to brain teasers and puzzles as a remedy. Doing so encourages our brain to get a bit of a mental work out, and dusts off unused parts of the mind that need to be worked to keep them healthy. Puzzles and riddles serve lots of purposes, and all over the world, people enjoy challenges that help keep the mind active and thinking up new ideas and strategies.
Many ancient games have been modernized, or simply repackaged, for a modern audience. Others have had a few tweaks to make them more relevant to today's world. Sudoku may have been played centuries ago, and its simple design can be inviting to newcomers, but there are layers in abundance here.
The word "Sudoku" is derived from the word for "number place." Based on the Japanese language, Sudoku indicates that it is a logic-based placement. Therefore, it is a kind of puzzle game. The first modern Sudoku puzzle was published in a US magazine in 1979. It was picked up by players in Japan in 1984 and was instantly popular. The original name of the game was abbreviated to Sudoku, which, translated into English, actually means "the digits must remain single." There are also various different pronunciations of "Sudoku" throughout the world, but the basic elements of the game remain the same. And the mental power benefits also accrue wherever the game is played.
Retired architect and freelance puzzle constructor Howard Garns created Sudoku while in his late 70s. Mr. Garns created puzzles for a living, so he knew the tricks to creating a great puzzle. The idea for Sudoku was derived from that of Euler's "Latin Square" puzzle. Howard Garns took the ancient game and altered it by adding a "third dimension". In the Sudoku version, Garns also provided the player with a partially completed grid that required the solver to complete the rest of the blank grids.
Only after arriving in Japan did the name "Sudoku" get applied to the game, which Garns had named "Number Place." Later, the name was copyrighted by a Japanese company, though the puzzle itself was launched in Britain and then around the world.
For the first few years, players used paper and pencil to play the game, but in 1989, a computerized version was introduced. More recently, a Rubik's Cube style version of Sudoku has been constructed.
By 1997, Sudoku had established an enormous worldwide following. In Hong Kong, Judge Wayne Gould decided to create a computer program that can make millions of variations of Sudoku puzzles. He made a deal with The Times of Britain, which began publishing a daily puzzle in 2004.
Newspapers in many countries began printing Sudoku puzzles, and they would sell out for that reason alone. Some analysts stated that Sudoku was the world's fasted growing puzzle, and it perhaps peaked in popularity in 2005.
Though the puzzle alone is fascinating, the history of Sudoku adds something to the playing of the game as well. Ancient beginnings, modern computer technology, and a cross-cultural acceptance have all led to its current status. Say a thanks to Howard Garns, for bringing hours of puzzle pleasures to our lives.
Terence Uniacke is happiest writing for several popular contemporary web sites, on hobby center and ultimate hobby themes. You can get a unique content version of this article.
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