Join in with the latest puzzle craze
Have you caught the bug for doing Su Doku (or Sudoku) puzzles like I have or have you never heard of them? Su Doku puzzles are the Japanese equivalent of crosswords. As the Japanese use characters rather than letters they cannot create crosswords, so the Su Doku logic puzzles came into being.
The challenge is to enter the missing numbers so that each row, each column and each mini-grid contains the numbers one to nine.
An http://www.tes.co.uk/2105912 in the Times Educational Supplement (TES) explores introducing Su Doku puzzles to children. How about using them as mental warm ups in numeracy lessons with adults?
The grids can be used with a wide range of learners, either individually, in pairs or a whole group. The only numeracy skill needed is N1/E1.2 – Read and write numbers up to 10, including zero. However, they will encourage discussion, the use of logic and the proof of how an answer has been obtained.
Several newspapers print Su Doku puzzles on a daily basis, with some more difficult than others. The website www.sudoku.com gives you tips on how to solve a typical puzzle if you are struggling.
The puzzles first appeared in this country in The Times newspaper. Click here to have a go at some of their Su Doku puzzles and find out more about the background to them.
If you need the help of a computer to solve a puzzle click here.
