Sudoku
Logic puzzle that became a global phenomenon.
Sudoku is a logic-based, combinatorial number-placement puzzle. In its classic form, the objective is to fill a 9×9 grid so that each row, column, and 3×3 subgrid contains all digits from 1 to 9. The puzzle became a worldwide phenomenon after being popularized in Japan and later spreading to international newspapers in the early 2000s.
- key_popularizer
- Wayne Gould (Hong Kong judge)
Lore & Background
Whether he was familiar with 19th-century French newspaper puzzles that featured similar magic squares is unclear. French newspapers such as Le Siècle and La France had published number puzzles in the 1890s that shared key characteristics, but they required arithmetic and used double-digit numbers or broken diagonals.
Did You Know?
- The name Sudoku is a registered trademark in Japan; the puzzle is often called Number Place or Nanpure there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sudoku and how does it work?
Sudoku is a logic-based number-placement puzzle in which you complete a 9×9 grid so that every row, column, and 3×3 box contains each digit from 1 to 9 exactly once. No arithmetic is involved; solving relies purely on deduction and eliminating impossible placements.
What are the core rules a player must follow?
You begin with a partially filled 9×9 grid and must place the remaining digits so that no number repeats within any row, any column, or any of the nine 3×3 subgrids. The puzzle is considered solved only when all 81 cells are filled and every constraint is satisfied.
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