topic Re: Sudoku in Community Chat

Sudoku

Kalli — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 05:38:01 GMT

Anyone do these often? Anything having to do with numbers has never been my strength. The language side of my brain is much more developed! But I've been trying to get better at Sudoku. Mid Feb I decided to do the puzzle every day in my local newspaper. Have done just about every one since around the 15th of last month. I finally can do almost all Level 4s that I come up against, but have only completed 1 Level 5 out of 3 so far. Level 5 is only on Sundays. Right now I have one Level 4 and one Level 5 still to do. Full disclosure: I had to erase and start these again! Ugh.

I do find these to be fun. But the Level 5 I find challenging.

Re: Sudoku

appm — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 07:33:18 GMT

I'm a fan of sudoku. I do them everyday in the local newspapers along with the NY Times crossword. They are super easy on Monday and Tuesday but then after that they are really challenging. I usually don't finish Friday's - not enough numbers to start with and I don't like to peek at the solutions. Same with the NYTimes crossword - easy at the beginning of the week - hard after that.

Re: Sudoku

sarahpanda — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:56:57 GMT

I do Sudoku puzzles most every day - in fact, one of my books is right beside my laptap, even as I type. I mostly do them in the evening, during my 'winding down time'.

Re: Sudoku

4kitties — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 10:42:42 GMT

I enjoy crosswords, word searches and the word scramble Jumble.

I thought I should change it up a bit and try Sudoku. Just to challenge my brain a bit. I bought an easy Sudoku book to get started several months ago. I have not started it yet.

The last time I looked at it I was just not sure how to get started with it. Did it take anyone a while to get going with it? I think I am an intelligent person, but it seems a bit hard for me to learn.

Re: Sudoku

Latonya — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 12:49:11 GMT

I only do them when I am captive on an airplane. I date them and log where I'm flying to. It helps pass the time. I don't do them any other time. I save them for the plane and it gives me something to look forward to. I've been working on the same sudoku puzzle book for 5 years.

Re: Sudoku

shaggygirl — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 12:48:04 GMT

@4kitties wrote:
I enjoy crosswords, word searches and the word scramble Jumble.

I thought I should change it up a bit and try Sudoku. Just to challenge my brain a bit. I bought an easy Sudoku book to get started several months ago. I have not started it yet.

The last time I looked at it I was just not sure how to get started with it. Did it take anyone a while to get going with it? I think I am an intelligent person, but it seems a bit hard for me to learn.

@4kitties

I haven't done any Soduko in quite a long time but I do remember giving up several times over a period of months. I just could not get the hang of it. Then one day I picked the book up again to give it another go and suddenly a light went on. I was off and running. I became obsessed. I even gave up my beloved crossword books there for awhile and focused on Soduko. Then about 5 or 6 years ago my kids gave me my first Ipad for Christmas. That was the end of Soduko. I still have both crossword & Soduko books that haven't been touched since.

Re: Sudoku

FranandZoe — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 13:12:03 GMT

Sudoku has nothing to do with numbers. Substitute letters - a thru i and you'll have the same puzzle and not be intimidated.

I love them - I do the ones in the NY Times along with the crossword.

Re: Sudoku

Puppy Lips — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 14:17:49 GMT

I do them as well. I especially love to do them on an airplane, remember those, LOL, as it is a good way for me to pass the time on overseas flights when I can never sleep. I always have to finish ones that I start, no matter how many HOURS it takes! But if I get close to the end and I messed up, which happens occasionally, I pitch it and let it go.

Re: Sudoku

Cakers3 — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 14:20:08 GMT

Yes. I have a new book on the end table next to my sofa. I try to do one each day.

I enjoy them very much.

Re: Sudoku

CherryHugs — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 14:24:26 GMT

Tried once and never could figure out how to do that lol

Re: Sudoku

Puppy Lips — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 20:02:02 GMT

@CherryHugs wrote:
Tried once and never could figure out how to do that lol

@CherryHugs Anyone who wants to do it for the first time should start with one that is rated as "easy," to get the hang of it. They are not hard, until you get to the "hard" ones, which require more layers of reasoning. It is a lot of repetitive looking and thinking, getting one number, then starting over to get another number, and so on.

Re: Sudoku

KaySD — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 20:08:55 GMT

Hmm. I do them irregularly. The problem I have is that if the ones I can do, I get bored because they are too easy, but if they are a only a little harder, I can never do them, so I get bored never finishing. I know, that sounds perfectly ridiculous even to me, but there it is!

Re: Sudoku

Cakers3 — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 20:16:58 GMT

The new book I have has puzzles in the back that are "super challenges". Each diagonal has number 1-16. No number can appear more than once in any row or column, in either diagonal. or within any small 16 box square.

Yeah, my eyes glazed over, too. LOL

Here is an example of what it looks like:

Re: Sudoku

Kalli — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 20:18:48 GMT

@Cakers3 , no thanks! Too chicken to even try!

Re: Sudoku

Free2be — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 20:27:15 GMT

I've enjoyed sudoku puzzles and am a puzzle addict, more given to words and picture games.

That one you posted, Cakers, makes my head hurt.

My eldest son loves number puzzles and I've tried to do some difficult ones that he likes but I just get irritated after I bomb too many times.

For awhile I was addicted to story puzzles "Mysteries of the _____" where you search for clues in scene after scene. I still like them, just got out of the habit.

Re: Sudoku

LoganPup — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 21:00:39 GMT

@Latonya wrote:
I only do them when I am captive on an airplane. I date them and log where I'm flying to. It helps pass the time. I don't do them any other time. I save them for the plane and it gives me something to look forward to. I've been working on the same sudoku puzzle book for 5 years.

@Latonya

So funny I thought I was the only one who did this.

I have a book of crossword puzzles that helps pass the time

in flight.

I also date it and mark the trip destination. It has come in handy a few

times when I forget when and where we took a trip. It lives in my

nightstand draw and only comes out to go into my carry on.

I should mention the first entry goes back to 2011.

I think I need to switch to Sudoku.

Re: Sudoku

Latonya — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 21:13:13 GMT

@LoganPup wrote:
@Latonya wrote:
I only do them when I am captive on an airplane. I date them and log where I'm flying to. It helps pass the time. I don't do them any other time. I save them for the plane and it gives me something to look forward to. I've been working on the same sudoku puzzle book for 5 years.
@Latonya

So funny I thought I was the only one who did this.
I have a book of crossword puzzles that helps pass the time
in flight.

I also date it and mark the trip destination. It has come in handy a few
times when I forget when and where we took a trip. It lives in my
nightstand draw and only comes out to go into my carry on.

I should mention the first entry goes back to 2011.
I think I need to switch to Sudoku.

@LoganPup I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this! I'm thinking mine goes back a lot earlier than 5 years. Mine stays in my carry on! They really help pass the time in flight.

Re: Sudoku

grandma r — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 21:34:59 GMT

@Kalli. I always do the puzzles in the daily paper, but, skipped the sudoku. That is, until last March when quarantine started. Now I love doing them!!!

Take your time and you'll be finishing levels 4 and 5 too. Just my tip....I start right to left, then up and down, then look at each box individually. If you get stuck, walk away for a bit and then come back to it. Good luck!!

Re: Sudoku

Kalli — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 21:50:25 GMT

@grandma r wrote:
@Kalli. I always do the puzzles in the daily paper, but, skipped the sudoku. That is, until last March when quarantine started. Now I love doing them!!!

Take your time and you'll be finishing levels 4 and 5 too. Just my tip....I start right to left, then up and down, then look at each box individually. If you get stuck, walk away for a bit and then come back to it. Good luck!!

@grandma r Thanks for the pep talk! You're right, sometimes it's best to take a break and then come back to it. There are times I look and look and can't figure out the next step. Then when I see that one thing I missed, I can't believe it was right there staring me in the face!

Re: Sudoku

qvcaddition — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 23:15:01 GMT

@sarahpanda

@sarahpanda wrote:
I do Sudoku puzzles most every day - in fact, one of my books is right beside my laptap, even as I type. I mostly do them in the evening, during my 'winding down time'.

I do them whatever chance I get. Only up to medium cha!lenge. Love doing, very relaxing.