Sudoku is one of the best puzzle games you will ever come across. This interesting game has been available for decades. It is a global game played by millions of people. The reason why many people love Sudoku is that it is very easy to learn, easy to play, and very addictive.

Sudoku is a brain-teaser number game that requires the player to place numbers between 1 to 9 in a 9X9 grid. The player should not repeat any number within the rows and columns. Sudoku puzzle games come in different themes and sizes.

Even though Sudoku is a popular game, there are plenty of curious facts that many people don’t know about this game. In this article, we are going to explore some of the curious facts we bet you didn’t know about Sudoku. Let’s delve into them.

There are many variations that have been released since its release

If you didn’t know, the modern Sudoku we are playing was first released in 1979. The game was designed by Howard Garns, a retired architect from Indiana. Sudoku was first published by Dell Magazines as Number Place. Since that time, many Sudoku variations have been created. However, the original concept remains the same. Some of the most popular versions of Sudoku include Samurai Sudoku, which takes a bit longer to complete than regular Sudoku. Other versions include Mini Sudoku, Jigsaw Sudoku, Logic 5, and many others.

Sudoku became popular only after 2004

While Sudoku was developed in 1979, it only became popular in 2004. Howard Garns developed the game by its original name “Number Place.” Howard died in 1989 before the game became what it is today. Nikoli, a Japanese publisher later changed the name to Sudoku. Sudoku is a Japanese term. “Su” means a number, while “Doku” means single. So Sudoku basically means “only single digits.”

It was until 2004 when Sudoku became popular globally. Sudoku broke all the records to be one of the best PC puzzle games. It has also proven to be one of the best puzzle games for mobile platforms. Today, you can easily find someone playing Sudoku, whether it is on paper, on a tablet, or on their smartphones.

The number of Sudoku players across the globe is unknown

Being that Sudoku is one of the best puzzle games available on the planet, it has attracted a massive number of players worldwide. However, the exact number of Sudoku players in the entire world is unknown because it is played on several platforms by different players. This is why estimating the exact number of Sudoku players is not possible as some people play it on paper, while others play it on the web, and another group of people plays it on downloadable versions.

Sudoku is an American game, and not a Japanese game

Most people believe that Sudoku is a Japanese game. This is not the case. Sudoku was originally developed by Howard Garn, an American retired architect in 1979. It was originally called “Number Place.” The game was then popularized as “Sudoku” by Japanese publisher Nikoli in 1984. So Sudoku originated from the U.S.

Sudoku is a logic game and not a mathematical game

Of course, this is a curious fact we bet you didn’t know. A lot of people usually think that Sudoku is a mathematical game, which is not true. Sudoku is in the real sense a logic game. It can be played with symbols, numbers, pictures, or symbols that don’t really require mathematical skills to solve. This makes Sudoku one of the best logic games available on both Android and iOS devices.

You can never complete all of the possible Sudoku puzzles in your entire lifetime

Of course, there are too many puzzles to play with. Studies show that there are about 5, 472,730, 538 valid puzzles to play. This means that you can never solve all of them in your entire life. In addition to that, there are many levels of difficulty, and there are also plenty of challenges depending on the players’ level of skills. So if you thought that you could solve all the puzzles in the world, then that is impossible.

Playing Sudoku offers plenty of benefits other than just entertainment

There are plenty of reasons you should play Sudoku other than just for entertainment. If you didn’t know, playing Sudoku offers the following health benefits:

  • Improve memory
  • Improved thinking skills
  • Improved concentration
  • It relieves stress
  • Improved logical thinking

So start playing Sudoku more often to enjoy these incredible health benefits.

Sudoku is solvable

Of course, Sudoku can be solved if you use the right solving techniques. So if you have never solved it, it could be because you are not using the right technique or you aren’t keen enough. If you want to complete your Sudoku puzzle, you need to understand the rules of the game. The best thing is that there are plenty of resources you can gather information from. For instance, you can read articles on the internet or books that can help you become a pro Sudoku player.

The size of a Sudoku puzzle that can be created is unlimited

The 9X9 puzzle grid is the beginning of Sudoku’s complexity. If you choose to adjust the size of the grid, you can influence how hard or easy the puzzle will be.

Final thoughts

Sudoku is not only an interesting game but it is also a brain teaser game that can help you keep your mind in good shape. There are plenty of curious facts you will come across as you continue to learn and play Sudoku. However, it is worth mentioning that these facts have nothing to do with Sudoku gameplay. You will still get hooked on the game and your gaming experience won’t be affected in any way just because of these facts. So if you have not yet started playing Sudoku, this is the time to do so and join the worldwide community of Sudoku players.