The History of Sudoku You May Not Know
Modern generations marvel at the intelligence and creativity displayed by ancient civilizations. The great pyramids of ancient Egypt are the perfect example of incredible design and unmitigated human accomplishment. In ancient times, people were dependant on their minds to create, solve, and entertain. Today, most people turn their minds off and turn on the TV or radio when it’s time to be entertained.
From time to time, when we find the regular media is rather dull, or we feel that our minds need a bit of a workout, we will turn to brain twisters and riddles, or crossword puzzles. It is one of the ways that we explore our thought processes, and how we encourage our own creative side. Without riddles and puzzles, our brains become rather dull themselves. All people have a deep need for activities that shape the mind and help us develop new ideas and concepts.
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.
Howard Garns was a retired architect who loved creating puzzles as a freelance effort, and it appears he contributed the first-known version of Sudoku to a puzzle magazine in 1979. It is similar to the Latin Square, which has been much analyzed by Euler, and is an ancient game. Garns added a third dimension, improving on the design, and he offered his version with some of the fields already filled in. It is immediately popular with puzzle players worldwide once they try it for the first time.
The history of Sudoku took another twist in Japan. After Howard Garns introduced the first Sudoku puzzle in a U. S. magazine, a person named Nikoli in Japan picked it up. While Mr. Garns had his own English name for the puzzle, Nikoli gave it the Japanese name Sudoku.
Originally, Sudoku was played manually in Japanese and American publications. In 1989, Loadstar Publishing introduced a computerized version, followed by another version by Apple. Sudoku has also been fashioned into a version of another popular 1980′s puzzle, the Rubik’s Cube.
In the year 1997, the popularity of Sudoku in the media had reached overwhelming heights. A Hong Kong judge named Wayne Gould became so engulfed by the game, he developed his own computerized version of a Sudoku creator.
Nationwide, newspapers would print the puzzles and sell out quickly. World media acknowledged Sudoku as the “fastest growing puzzle in the world”. By 2005, Sudoku was at the peak of its popularity.
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.
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