Sudoku - Sudoku Addictiveness And Old Memories

The Sudoku enigma has hit wests media and newsprints with such a enormous impact, that it has to be the brainteaser game introduction of the century. But what is it that bring about writing numbers into tiny squares so exceedingly addictive?

One part of the mix has definitely to be outright simplicity of the riddle. The rules of Sudoku are so easy to understand that anybody can start solving almost almost instantly.Yet mastering the game demand enormous extent of playing and patience. A Sudoku puzzle can also be made so complex that even a sudoku master would have a hard time finishing it.

Contrary to what many will suppose when they first see a Sudoku mystery, this brain-teasing exercise doesn't require outstandingly high understanding of math. It is more a matter of judgment and the numeral characters could, in fact, be changed with any other symbol.

The dart throwing link

Since Sudoku is a game of reasoning and dart throwing is a game of precision and hand-eye coordination, you'd maybe think they have absolutely nothing in common. However, I have a story that could argue differently.

I recall when I was a kid and we spent the summer at our cottage in the country. One day my sibling and I found an old darts game - not like the posh ones they use in indoors dart competitions, but more of a robust "outdoors" (or whatever the term is) type of dartboard with digits from one on the outside to ten in the bulls eye, and somewhat weighty and rugged darts.

Neither of us where very good at tossing darts, so it was a good plan we hung the dart target on the outside wall of an old shed. After a while though, I happened to get quite a good score - 42 with five darts.

Luck had much to do with it of course, but now something very interesting happened. My sister would probably not quit before she had gotten at least the same score as me!

I think she chopped away at that dart board for a pair of hours without stopping, and had she been a person in a comic she could without doubt have been portrayed with a dark cloud over her head, so to say. It was beginning to get dark before she finally had crushed my record and could allow herself to quit.

It is actually mind-blowing to witness such determination.

Although having very little to do with Sudoku puzzles per se, I think the same kind of driving influence is also one factor "at fault" for the addictiveness of the Sudoku enigma.

Most people love a competitive encounter, on condition that that there is in reality a fairly genuine opportunity to crop up "winning" in the end. When tackling a appropriately tricky Sudoku riddle a participant can sometimes pass into almost a meditative like state where he or she frankly can't put down the pen before they have beaten the Sudoku demanding task. Much in the same way as it occurred in that dart game many years ago.

So as you see, the simple goal of breaking a record or solving a puzzle - although very basic things - can have a profound effect on a persons reactions.

This is all good, as Sudoku is a very cheap hobby that definitely grants a good work out for the brain.However, would something catch fire in the vincinity or if a person is drowning - by all means put that Sudoku brainteaser aside for just a few seconds.