![]() That’s just the start of math-based Sudoku variants that exist. These puzzles feature small arrows that indicate whether the number in a given square is larger or smaller than its neighbor. Some variations involve more deduction as well, like Neighbor Order Sudoku or Greater Than Sudoku. These puzzles can either have random shapes or shapes with the same diagonal symmetry that rules both crossword grids and the placement of set numbers in classic Sudoku grids. Each of these pieces contains each number 1 through 9, and the standard rule of no repeats within a row or a column remains. These puzzles abandon the standard 3×3 boxes, instead using various Tetris-like shapes within the 9×9 grid. This additional rule helps with solving, but Extreme Sudoku puzzles often have fewer set numbers in order to keep the difficulty level interesting.Īnother popular variation is known as Jigsaw Sudoku or Geometric Sudoku. Perhaps the most famous variant is known as Extreme Sudoku, Diagonal Sudoku, or X-Sudoku, and there’s one crucial difference: the numbers 1 through 9 also appear only once along each diagonal. There are numerous types of Sudoku that add new rules or curious wrinkles to the standard solve. Those are just the puzzles that use standard Sudoku rules. Often called Mini-Sudoku or Sub-Doku, these puzzles start at 4×4 grids (using only the numbers 1 through 4) and increase in size all the way up to the standard 9×9 grid. While Penny/Dell’s Mega Sudoku is a 16×16 grid using the numbers 1 through 16, other large-scale Sudoku puzzles use letters instead of numbers above 10, while others go so far as to remove the numbers altogether, giving you the option of puzzles that span nearly the entire alphabet!Īnd since we’re already discussing bigger Sudoku puzzles, it’s worth mentioning smaller Sudoku puzzles. Using letters instead of numbers often factors into larger Sudoku puzzles. I’ve seen Word Sudoku variations in all sorts of languages, which is neat, because you can still solve the puzzle even if you don’t know the language you’re simply choosing different symbols. Word Sudoku follows the same concept, replacing the numbers 1 through 9 with letters, allowing for the added bonus of a 9-letter word reading out along one of the rows. That gives us variations like Picture Sudoku or Color Sudoku, where the same deduction is involved, but the solution is a bit more vibrant. The classic form of Sudoku, originally known as Number Place or To the Nines, is instantly recognizable.īut virtually any set of nine different symbols, characters, numbers, or letters can be used as clues for a Sudoku-style solve. The simple concept behind Sudoku - a 9×9 grid arranged so that the numbers 1 through 9 only appear once in each row, column, and 3×3 square - is easily modified for any difficulty level, from beginners to topnotch solvers. For more than a century now, crosswords have been the premier pencil-and-paper (or pen-and-paper, if you’re confident) puzzle, but a close second would have to be Sudoku, which has exploded in popularity over the last decade or so.
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