Sudoku is a game of logic and elimination. Some people shy away from doing them because they think it requires math skills, but the puzzle does not use math at all. Though most Sudoku puzzles use numbers, the problem-solving process has nothing to do with mathematical concepts. Once you master the basic step-by-step techniques, you will realize how relatively easy it is. Solving Sudoku puzzles will help you develop some basic logic and analytical skills. It is more of a process of elimination than anything else. If solving this type of puzzle appeals to you, you may want to go further and try other, more complex brain teasers, such as Kakuro and KenKen.
Solving puzzles of any kind is a good exercise for the brain. It can help develop reasoning skills in young people, using deduction and inference. It may be beneficial for people as they age — a method of preventing memory loss and dementia.
The video tutorials below are designed to help you learn how to solve a Sudoku puzzle in a very slow step-by-step manner. Perhaps the instructions will seem too simplistic for some people, but for others, it might be exactly what they need to get started. Using very simple instructions is a good way to teach young children or seniors.
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First, print a copy of Sudoku Puzzle #1. Then click on the videos below and follow along.
After completing Puzzle #1 with help from the videos, you can try #2 and #3 below, two easy puzzles to help you practice. Most Sudoku puzzles are more challenging than these with fewer numbers given to you, but these easier ones will give you a good start.
Become a Sudoku master! Go online and find lots of other Sudokus. Or buy a book — almost every bookstore has Sudoku puzzles. They will keep your mind occupied and challenged and can help you pass the time when sitting in waiting rooms, on the bus or subway, or on your patio.
Good luck! Have fun.
Note regarding the videos: When you press play, the first title screen will stay on for about 8 seconds, so be patient. Each slide is timed for 8 seconds. If you require more time to read a slide, just press the pause button.
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Solving puzzles such as Sudoku and cryptic crosswords can improve your reasoning ability and, according to recent research, it can also add to your emotional intelligence:
“Doing crosswords or puzzles such as Sudoku can help people make up quickly after arguments with their partners, research has found,” The Daily Telegraph reports. “Psychologists from Harvard University discovered that emotions are better controlled among people who have more activity in the part of the brain known as the lateral prefrontal cortex.”