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Play Sudoku The Easy Way
People have always been fascinated with puzzles. Deciphering codes, solving clues and finding answers are some of our favorite pastimes. If you enjoy crosswords, jigsaws or tackling a Rubik’s Cube, you should try Sudoku.

Sudoku is the puzzle that’s taken the world by storm. It’s a relatively simple but extremely addictive mathematical puzzle that will test your patience and bend your brain. These days, Sudoku can be played on the Internet, and puzzles are easily found in magazines, newspapers and textbooks.

A Sudoku puzzle is based on a series of grids. There is generally one large 9×9 grid that holds nine smaller 3×3 grids. The main objective of Sudoku is to put the numbers 1 to 9 into each of the grid units. While it is a numerical puzzle, there are no equations involved. Nothing is added, subtracted, multiplied or divided.

Sound simple? Here are the basic rules:

However, there are three rules that must be strictly followed. And they are:

1. Every number from 1 through 9 will appear only once in each row.
2. Each of the numbers from 1 to 9 will appear only once in each column.
3. Each number from 1 through 9 must appear once in each small 3 x 3 grid.

These rules need to be followed exactly to make sure that each 3 x 3 grid has the numbers from 1 to 9 showing in the series only once. Being true to the rules increases the difficulty in completing the puzzle, and the challenge in solving it.

Sudoku game puzzles are available in different levels of complexity. The total of the numbers provided in the first level of the 9 x 9 matrix can differ. You might thing that the game would be easier to play if there were more numbers given at the first level. This is not necessarily true as it is the assignment of the numbers, rather than the quantity, that affects the level of difficulty.

If you’d like to play Sudoku, follow these steps to help you complete the puzzle:

1. This is not necessarily a guessing game. A Sudoku puzzle can be solved quite logically. Look carefully at the puzzle, think about it, and search for clues. Most Sudoku players begin by looking for the numbers that often appear in the first puzzle. For instance, you many you may have many 4s in the first puzzle. Look in the 3 x 3 box to see if the number 4 is also there. Now, look for other places where the number 4 can be found. Start looking up and down the rows and columns for 4s, as these will help you locate other 4s. Remember, the number 4 must appear just once in each of the rows, columns and in the 3 x 3 box. For example, if there is already a 4 in columns 1 and 3, then a 4 may not be placed in either of those columns. Thus, the missing 4 would logically be replaced in column 2. If you are able to successfully remove all the potentials in the box, you will have a better chance of solving the puzzle correctly.

2. When you have finished reviewing all of the 3 x 3 boxes, you need to fill in the numbers 1 to 9 in the rows and columns that hold most of the numbers. If only two numbers are missing from a row or column, you can use the elimination method to determine where to place the last two numbers. Check the rows and the columns to figure out which numbers are missing. Once you have eliminated the possibilities in each row or column, you will be able to fill the line you are playing.

3. Use Step 1 and Step 2 to help you play Sudoku in its simplest form. More difficult puzzles require advanced players who know how to look for the possibilities of the puzzle. Skilled players will solve and win the puzzle with all the given different choices in every square. There may be times when there is no way to remove a possibility. If this happens, the player will need to guess, and will have to remember where the chosen number was played, in case it was the wrong choice.

Sudoku is actually easier to play than the rules imply. Begin with a few simple puzzles, and gradually work your way up to more challenging games. It is definitely a game of wits, and may sometimes feel like it will never end. Be patient, follow the rules, keep practicing and you’ll learn the techniques to help you play Sudoku successfully.

Exercise Your Brain And Improve Your Memory
Everyone knows that the key to a healthy body is diet and exercise. Many people obsessively work out every day to keep in tip top shape. So, if we’re so concerned with exercising our bodies, why do we often neglect to exercise our minds? Our brains are just like our muscles: use it or lose it. If we don’t do daily activities to help keep our brain in top order, we lose important skills; particularly the skill of remembering. So if you want to remember your mother’s phone number, your grocery list, or where you left your keys; start exercising your brain.

So, how exactly do you exercise your brain? There’s no brain gym you can get a membership to with “memory classes”, but there are things you can do on your own. Here are some things you can try to keep your neurons limber.

* Open a newspaper.

Sure, reading the paper might expand your knowledge, but if you really want to get your brain in shape, turn to the crossword puzzle. You can also try solving other puzzles that require using your language skills. These help you remember things by making you regularly access simple memories (i.e. certain words)

* Try the latest puzzle craze.

Go to a book store, go online, or look in the paper; you’re likely to find Sudoku puzzles. These are number puzzles that are becoming increasingly popular. They help exercise your brain’s deductive reasoning skills. Plus, they’re fun and incredibly addictive.

* Learn something new.

You’ve probably heard people say that learning something new pushes old information out of your brain. This is not only wrong, it’s just plain silly. The capacity of your brain is only determined by how much you want to put in it. Try learning a new skill or how to play a musical instrument. Learning a skill and continue to use it will keep your memory accessing skills limber.

* Books, games and services.

While there aren’t actually gyms you can go to, there are ways to get exercises specifically designed to improve memory. You can find these in book stores, online, and even in video game stores.

While it’s great to exercise your brain cells, don’t skip out on your trips to the gym. Keeping your body in good physical shape will help keep your brain healthy too. While cardio is the best work out to keep you healthy, you can still keep your memory if you can’t perform a strenuous workout. Even a simple walk for an hour a day can help prevent or slow memory loss. So get up and go as much as you can to keep your brain going.

Most people don’t worry about memory loss until they start to notice it slipping away, but the best time to start is while your mind is still sharp. You may not be able to bring your memory back, but you can keep it from fading. Regularly working your mind has even been shown to ward off Alzheimer’s. So if you want to keep your mind sharp, be sure to eat right, get enough rest, and exercise regularly.