Whether you are ready to learn how to play Sudoku or consider yourself a puzzle master, here are Sudoku tips, techniques, and strategies for getting your mind right and your pencil ready. Below are some tips for Sudoku players. Look for the easy play first: When you first start to play a Sudoku puzzle, look for where you have the easiest opportunities to add a number. Usually this is where there is a crowded square or a row that is almost full of numbers.
Look for which numbers are missing: Sudoku is about placing numbers where they don’t already exist – it’s a logical process of elimination. If a number already exists in a row or square, then that number cannot be placed again. Your challenge is to keep thinking and looking and spotting opportunities to add numbers where they haven’t already been placed.
Don’t guess: Sudoku does not require guesswork. If you aren’t sure if a number belongs in a certain spot, you’re better off not guessing. Keep moving: Sudoku rewards the “roving eye” – if you feel stuck, don’t concentrate too hard on one part of the puzzle grid. Instead, let your eye and your mind wander to a different place on the grid where you haven’t placed any numbers yet, and see which new possibilities become apparent to you. Constantly re-evaluate: Every time you place a new number on the Sudoku grid, you should ask yourself, “What changed? What do I know now, as a result of having placed that number? This is one of the most satisfying aspects of playing Sudoku – every step in solving the puzzle leads you closer to the conclusion. Sudoku is a fun and intellectually stimulating game. Even if you’re a Sudoku beginner, we’re sure that you’ll find a lot to love about this game. Happy number hunting!