Sudoku Challenge

I enjoy playing the game Sudoku. It stimulates my brain to improve observation and logic skills and helps me to feel smart when it seems hard to convince others that I am. (tongue in cheek)

The drawback of working Sudoku is that it can be a lonely pastime. Thinking along these lines I put my mind to work to come up with a way to share puzzles and turn them into games to be played with friends. Since my husband and I are only two people and he doesn’t do Sudoku, my Sudoku Challenge game has not been tested.

Sudoku Challenge

For two or more players (plus a “monitor”)

Players take turns adding numbers to the Sudoku puzzle as the monitor keeps time and checks every number played against the answer key for the Sudoku for errors.

To play you need a puzzle with an answer key and a one-minute timer.

Rules:

First player adds numbers until he/she makes a mistake or takes longer than a minute to add a new number. Monitor re-sets timer for one minute after every number is added.

Second player continues to add numbers in the same way as the first player. If there is a third player he/she takes the next turn.

If a player plays a wrong number he/she is out of the game unless all other players also play a wrong number. If all play a wrong number, all are re-admitted to the game.

If no player can add a number in turn within his/her one-minute time limit, then any player can add a number after saying “New Round.” The game picks up at that point with the person who adds the number continuing to add more numbers as in the beginning.

The winner is the person who completes the Sudoku.

An option for a Sudoku game that appears to stall out is for the monitor to add a number somewhere on the puzzle after the second consecutive minute if no one else is able to do so. This option should begin after all players have failed to take a turn in the one-minute option.

I hope you enjoy playing Sudoku Challenge. Please post below how the game works out for you and make suggestions on ways to improve it.

© 2010 by Janice D. Green