I have nothing in mind to write. So I'll just take it from there and trust my fingers which translates the signal coming from my brain on what to write here. Obviously, I want to jot down something which as of this moment I don't know what.
Anyway, I came across this crossword-like puzzle but made up of numbers, it's called sudoku. I don't really know what that word means and I don't intend to know, that is, as of the moment. I found this game out only last June in an Inquirer copy and got hooked since then.
A simple sudoku has 81 squares, built in a 9 X 9 matrix. You will then have 9 horizontal lines each having 9 squares, 9 vertical lines having each having 9 squares and 9 groups made up of 3 X 3 matrix (again that's 9 squares). If you cannot get what I mean, just surf it in the web. I'm bad at giving descriptions.
The object of the game is to have all nine numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) in the horizontal squares, vertical squares, and the 3 X 3 matrix with no repeated numbers in each of the group. These squares are initially filled with numbers but not all of them. There can be as many as 45 numbers given and player only fill the remaining 31 squares. An evil soduku has at most 15 numbers given and it's up to the player to fill in the 66 squares.
At first, I find it difficult to comprehend. I was used to the tic-tac-toe type ofnumbers game and it makes me think for a long while on how to get the job done. After solving my first easy soduku in a record 1 hour, 34minutes! (That's a very loooong time.) I scanned the web for any hints on how to solve it. There are many hints on how to get it right but still you have to practice these skills in order to spot the unique square where to put a number.
The game gave me back my sharpness in numbers and logic. It somehow soothes me from the troubles in the office. I play soduku at least 20 times a day. It just feels good when you solve things out. I find it frustrating, though, when I can't manipulate myself enough to thinking and I end up having two 2's in one line. Arrgghh!!!
You can try it at http://www.websudoku.com and enjoy or get frustrated!
posted by The STRUGGLE between REALITY and what is SEEN. @ 7:58 AM
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