Customer Reviews

The Book of Sudoku: The Hot New Puzzle Craze

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

*****
I bought this book strictly from Amazon reviews, knowing nothing about puzzles, having done a few crossword puzzles when I was a child, but nothing in the many years since. There is enough information in the book to get started with Sudoku, even if you are a complete novice to puzzles, like me.

There are ten pages of instructions and strategy. They are pretty easy, enough to get started with no background at all. After I read it I wondered if I'd actually have fun doing Sudoku, so I did the first puzzle. It took me about 90 minutes, and it was REALLY fun. Sudoku is based upon logic. If you enjoy thinking and figuring things out, and enjoy numbers, you'll love it!

Sudoku is hard to describe in a few sentences, but basically a puzzle consists of a 3X3 square with a 3X3 square inside each of the 9 squares---81 little "cells" in all, 9 down and 9 across. Imagine a large grid---that's what the puzzle looks like. The object is to place the digits 1 through 9 only once in each of the small 3X3 squares (of which there are 9). At the same time you must have unique digits going across all of the "cells" and unique digits going down all of the "cells".

I think that now that I've gotten the hang of things (I had to go back and reread parts of the instructions,too), I could do a puzzle in 30-60 minutes as a novice. I expect to get better each time and have a short learning curve.

There are 32 gentle puzzles, 66 moderate puzzles, and 34 tough puzzles, more than enough to make the book a great value.

I am going to have to pace myself so that I don't get addicted and ignore my responsibilities :)
*****

I discovered the Sudoku Puzzle in my local paper a few months ago, and quickly became hooked on this puzzle. (The Sudoku puzzle, in its typical form, consists of a large grid of 81 squares, subdivided into nine boxes of nine squares each. The solver must arrange the numbers 1 through 9 so that there are no repeated numbers within each small box, in addition to no repetitions in a horizontal or vertical row of the large puzzle grid. Several numbers are printed in the puzzle as a starting point.) Solving these puzzles is an exercise in pure logic; no wide vocabulary is needed like when solving a crossword puzzle. So when I saw this book containing over one hundred Sudoku puzzles, I just had to have it!

The best part of the book is the strategy guide at the front, which takes the Sudoko solver from the extreme basics all the way through tips for solving the most diabolical Sudoku puzzles. I'm enjoying working my way through the book, towards solving the most difficult puzzles in the book.

Try these puzzles, and I guarantee you'll be hooked too!

I have to agree with some of the other reviewers--the paper quality makes it difficult to use an eraser. Also the grids are very small, so putting in trial numbers is very difficult.

Sudoku-book publishers of the world, here's my recommendations:
1) Use decent paper, stuff that doesn't wear away with erasing or has ink seeping thru.
2) Make the grids big (6 inch by 6 inch, for example).
3) Make the book such that each page lays flat, perhaps by using a spiral binder.
4) Reinforce the back cover of the book, so that one can do their sudoku while wedged into a tiny seat on public transportation.

Meanwhile, do what I do: go to Michael Mepham's website: [...] and print out big blank sudoku grids. Fill them in with the starting numbers from the book and start solving!

I have been keen on all types of puzzles for about 60 years;and I really believe this puzzle is going to spread all over the world like nothing we have ever seen before.It first appeared to me only a little more than a month ago;and only in one "freebe" newspaper in the Toronto area,and in Canada,as far as I know.In that short time, it is appearing everywhere and getting the attention of virtually everyone.It can be done by people of all ages and regardless of language.I predict there are going to be speed competitions and TV shows very shortly.I was in my big bookstore a couple of weeks ago and no sign of any SUDOKU books in the Games section.Tonight, there were 6 different ones.
They are all somewhat alike with a couple of hundred puzzles;with 3 or 4 levels of difficulty , and a section that gives hints on solving the puzzles.Learning how to do them comes very quickly.
Of the several I looked at,I thought this one had a slight edge on instructions.This publisher ,"Penguin"has already put out its second book,which is a little better than the first on instructions.It also has a contents page where their first did not.Also different than any of the others, it explains a hint for those real difficult ones where you feel you're stuck and can't go any further.It is called the "Ariadnes Thread".It has a cool explanation of this term and should be helpful.This book,like all others gives solutions at the back.I am not sure they are necessary,as it is obvious when you get the solution and a completed puzzle doesn't tell you how it was arrived at. Anyway,I still reserve the right to change my mind about that.
What more is there to say;give SUDOKUS a try;if you like puzzles,you'll probably love them as I do;and this is a great book to get you started.
Oh Yeah,go look on the Net.A search under SUKODU will turn up lots of good stuff.
In addition, I have written reviews on other Sudoku books on Aug 3,Aug 6,Aug 10 and Sept 30.

I had recently read about Sudoku and thought it would be good as a travel diversion for our vacation. On our 4 and a half hour flight to and from Aruba and frequently on the beach, I was addicted to it. It has a stimulating feeling especially when you complete a moderate or tough puzzle. I also found that it pays to put it aside if you have been at it for awhile. When you come back to it you can frequently spot things you hadn't noticed before. My wife and grown children also got into it. Really a lot of fun!

I got addicted to sudoku through the newspaper, and knew I had to have the book. This book has a great introduction that breaks down sudoku in a really accessible way. I learned from it and I was already a convert! Highly recommended!

I'm hooked on this game. It is quick to learn, and easy to play. I'd compare it to a crossword puzzle, but it's a little less frustrating. This book is great, and it's the only one that's out. I love it. I can't wait for book two.

No math necessary. It's great fun if you enjoy logic problems. Even the "gentle" ones can get your synapses snapping. The puzzles aren't small, but they aren't generously sized either, and the paper stock is limited in the amount of erasures it can handle. Suggestion: make a grid with your word processor (36 pt works well). Save this grid and just type in the given letters and print it out. Or change the font color and try to solve it on the computer. Not only does it make for more comfortable writing, it means you can start all over again since I'm sure you'll have forgotten the solution to the first problems by the time you reach the last. A cheapskate's dream.

This puzzle was introduced in Dell Magazines as Number Place and I fell in love with it there. If you like numbers and don't want to calculate them, this can be the puzzle for you. Beginners can learn how to get started with the great intro in the book. With 130 puzzles, I am sure that the more experiences solver will find some to their liking as well. Book is soft-cover and puzzles are displayed 1 to a page, with the solutions having 4 to a page.
Grab a pencil and join the fun!

I found this book on Amazon while looking for a new puzzle/game book. I had never heard of "sudoku" before, but decided to go ahead and give it a try - and now I'm hooked, I literally can't put this book down!

Sudoku is a number "puzzle" where you need to determine the appropriate number to go in each box within a 9x9 grid - you do this by utilizing the few numbers that are already filled in, and logically deducing until you find the right number. If you've completed the puzzle correctly, you will have one of each of the numbers 1 through 9 within each 3x3 square, and then again in each row & column of the full 9x9 grid.

This particular book starts off with an explanation of the puzzle, as well as instructions & examples (a great help for those of us who are trying it out for the first time).

There are 3 levels of puzzles included in "The Book of Sudoku" - "gentle", "tough" & "diabolical" - so as you grow in learning how the puzzles work, you'll be able to challenge yourself with increasingly difficult ones. However I must say that most of the puzzles in this book are of the "gentle" type, with a few "tough" & "diabolical" ones at the end - again, this is great for anyone who is new to this, as well as those who want to enjoy the puzzles without too much frustration...

I would highly recommend "The Book of Sudoku" to anyone who enjoys logic puzzles/games - you just might become hooked as well!