Sudoku is a phenomenon all over the world. The addictive logic game, originated in the U.K. and popularized in Japan, has spread across the globe. The puzzles are now syndicated daily in newspapers in Australia, Germany, Scandinavia, Italy, and Spain, and the mania for Sudoku has just reached us. Sudoku may, like the crossword puzzle, stay a lifetime or it may just be the meteor-like craze of 2005, but one thing is clear: The Penguin Book of Sudoku 1 and The Penguin Book of Sudoku 2 are the most accessible introduction to the puzzle.

The rules to the puzzle, as with all great puzzles, are deceptively simple and easy to understand. It's a puzzle of reasoning and logic—no math is involved—but that's not to say that Sudoku won't stretch your brain a bit. Depending on one's skill and experience, a Sudoku puzzle can be solved in anywhere from ten minutes to a half hour. Compiler Michael Mephem provides not only the game's background, but also an easy tutorial that will turn the novice into a Sudoku expert within minutes.

Sudoku is the one puzzle you won't be able to put down—it's fun, challenging, and absolutely addictive!

The Only Rule:

Place a number from 1 to 9 in each empty cell so every row, every column, and every 3 x 3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9. Remember, the numbers 1-9 must appear only once in each row, column, and 3 x 3 block.

That's all there is to it. There is no math involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Solving time is typically from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience.