International Sudoku Day
About International Sudoku Day
Date When Celebrated: This holiday is always observed on September 9
Do you have a few minutes today to enjoy a fun and sometimes challenging puzzle? Today is International Sudoku Day, a September 9 holiday. Like any other type of puzzle, you get to use your brain to solve it by filling in the missing blank spaces. Millions of people play Sudoku every day. You can find new puzzles in daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, and puzzle books. Of course, nowadays there’s an App for that. Just look up “Sudoku” in the App Store and you will find several to choose from.
Solving Sudoku puzzles is a great leisure activity for a number of reasons. First, they are fun to solve. However, we must warn you that these logic puzzles can be addicting. Like any puzzle or game, playing Sudoku is relaxing, and solving them is rewarding. But, that’s not all. Games like Sudoku that challenge your mind is healthy for your brain. It keeps the mind sharp and active. And it is especially good for seniors.
We challenge you to challenge your mind. Play Sudoku today!
How to Play Sudoku
Sudoku is a game of logic. It is fun and relaxing. But like any puzzle, it requires you to think and analyze each individual square.
The game consists of a 9 X 9 grid with a total of 81 cells. Within the puzzle, there are nine boxes. The object of the game is to put the numbers 0 through 9 in each row, column, and within each box without any missing or duplicate numbers. The puzzle begins with some of the numbers filled in. Your mission is to fill in the rest of the puzzle.
Don’t worry. You will quickly catch on to how to solve the sudoku puzzle. There are plenty of puzzles for beginners. As you become more proficient, you can move on to more difficult-to-solve puzzles. As the degree of difficulty goes up, there are fewer numbers already filled in.
History of Sudoku Puzzles
The roots of Sudoku go back to the 18th century. Leonhard Euler, a Swiss mathematician invented the original game and called it “Latin Squares “or “Graeco-Roman Squares”. In 1895, the puzzle was first published in French newspapers.
Howard Garns, a freelance puzzle inventor from Connersville, Indiana created today’s version of the game. It is a little different from Latin Squares. Garns named the game “Numbers Place”. Then, in 1979, it was first published in the “Dell Pencil Puzzle and Word Game” book.
By 1984, the game reached Japan, where its puzzle-loving population fell in love with the game. Maki Kaji named it “Sudoku” and trademarked the name. It translates to “the digits are limited to one occurrence”. Kaji is called the “Godfather of Sudoku”. In 1997, New Zealand Judge Wayne Gould discovered the game while on vacation in Tokyo. Gould is credited with re-introducing it to the Western world. With a new and catchy name, the Sudoku puzzle became wildly and widely popular.
How to Celebrate International Sudoku Day
Here are some ideas on how to celebrate and participate in International Sudoku Day:
- If you’ve never played Sudoku, what are you waiting for!? Play today!
- For those of us who have played it already, enjoy solving a few of these puzzles today.
- Try your hand at making a couple of puzzles.
- Introduce this game to someone and teach them the basics.
- Buy a Sudoku puzzle book for someone.
Today's Quote
“Every day is sort of a jigsaw puzzle. You have to make sure that you’re putting the most important things first.” – – Julia Hartz
Related Holidays
History and Origin of International Sudoku Day
This fun holiday was created in 2013 by the World Puzzle Federation. The holiday promotes the enjoyment of Sudoku puzzles as well as other types of puzzles. Without a doubt, this holiday benefits the members of the World Puzzle Federation.
The date of September 9, or 9/9, was selected as the Sudoku grid is a 9 X 9 puzzle.
More September 9 Holidays
Here is another September 9 holiday for you to enjoy:
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