Monday, June 27, 2005

I've been SUDOKED!

Yes ... it's happened ... after a couple of weeks' resistance, I finally succumbed to the SUDOKania reportedly sweeping the world. To mark the change in all our lives, I have compiled a short list of indispensible SUDOKISMS for the days to come (I am never the first to do anything, so I'm assuming there are already whole SUDOKUtionaries in existence. This list, however, represents my own modest little offering, compiled without reference to or knowledge of any other).

And also, just to be generous, I am going to post the template for a puzzle I found especially taxing ... (it should appear above or on the left of this text) I created a copy of it in clunky old MS.PAINT. If you copy the image to your computer (by right-clicking on the pic, then SAVING AS), you can fill in the blanks by dragging the blue numbers provided on the right-hand side into their (potential) locations in the grid. I am assuming you already know what to do? In case you don't, the idea is to fill in the grid so that every horizontal and vertical line has one and only one representative each of the first nine integers (excluding the zero). Additionally, there are no repetitions in each of the nine small 9x9 squares.

This particular puzzle appeared in the ASIAN AGE, on June 15th 2005. I hope I'm not violating any copyright laws by publishing it here ...

And here's my list:

SUVOCAB*
TO BE SUDOKED: seduction by numbers
SUDOKUDOS: the praise that comes from a completing a puzzle successfully
SUDOKIAN: one who solves/struggles to solve SU DO KU (variant: SUDOKUAN; SUDOKAN)
PSEUDOKAN: one who fakes success at SU DO KU
SUDOVOCE: the soft voice in which a SUDOKIAN speaks whilst in the midst.
SUDOCANCAN: in which pretty girls fling their legs up while solving SU DO KU (see also: SUDOCOULOTTE)
SUJUDOKU: in which serious-minded types practice martial arts while solving SU DO KU
SUDOJOJO: a very young kangaroo who solves SU DO KU in a martial arts club
PSEUDOJOJO: a toy version of the above
SUDOCOO: a SUDOKIAN's romantic wittering
SUDOKOOKY: a SUDOKIAN who has lost her/his wits to the puzzle
SUDOCAB: in which one sits while solving SU DO KU, while also, incidentally getting from point A to point B
SUDOKUDU: African antelope with a bent for numbers
PSEUDOKUDU: a goat pretending to be an African antelope
SUDOCTOR: one who specializes in ailments of the puzzling variety
SUDOKIDDING: silly puns involving SU DO KU
SUDOKAY: response to the question: HOW'S YOUR SU DO KU?
SUDOCOOK: one who finds it difficult to cook
SUDOCUCKOLD: one whose spouse prefers puzzles to spouses

*I prefer it this way to the way it was. I've been wanting to amend it ever since posting the list. It's like wanting to scratch an itch in the middle of one's back ... ahhh. All better now.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been hooked on to SUDOKU myself. Loved your SUDOKUVOCAB.

Manjula Padmanabhan said...

Thanx. Last night I visited a site -- sudoku.com, I believe -- which revealed a burgeoning fund of sudoku-related terms such "x-wing" and "swordfish" formations. What makes the game interesting is, I think, that it can be variably difficult. If it were ONLY easy or ONLY difficult, there would be a much smaller pool of players.

Unknown said...

The sudovocab was real fun. I've asked you this before but I guess wasn't clear enough ahem...Hah anyway we're setting up a writer oriented website called quadon.net. Something of a salon+wired+slate. Would be interested in contributing and article a week.
mithunk@gmail.com is my mail id and my cel no is...just a minute.... yes here it is..9867150898. It's not a job switch or anything that we're asking for, just plain good articles and features. Let me know if it is possible.

zigzackly said...

SUDOKAN'T: Someone who just doesn't understand what the hoohaa is all about. [SYN: Zigzackly]

Manjula Padmanabhan said...

Ha -- I was a SUDOKAN'T till just ten days ago. Since then I've been doing the puzzles retrospectively, because we're one of those households which (a) gets only one newspapers (b) that one happens to be the Asian Age and (c) we don't get around to clearing them away until someone sends the SPCA to save us from our own piles junk newspapers.

The main thing is that it represents the soul of puzzling -- it's just pure logic, nothing else, no boring maths, no smarty-pants wordiness, just plain logic. And doesn't require a huge outlay of time (except the tough ones, that crop up now and then -- ouch! Video-nasties) so you're in and out reasonably fast. I've not touched the crosswords since I began sudokuing ...

Anonymous said...

The crossword is now relegated to second place. I do one Sudoku puzzle (from THE HINDU) every night before the brain shuts down for the day.

I have started doing it with the timer on ! When I get to 4 min I'll let you all know. Until then, happy "19-21-4-15-9-21-ing".

Manjula Padmanabhan said...

A timer, huh? Wow. I'll look forward to hearing about it when you surpass your own speed! Cool. I find that some puzzles are highly solve-resistant (to me, any way) -- so far I've encountered two. I've kept these aside for struggling with after the day's puzzle is done -- it's kind of interesting -- I find that working out why I make mistakes, and figuring out what they are, is almost as interesting as arriving at the solution.

Minal said...

Nice post...
I had no idea the Sudoku phenomenon had spread so fast. It is a cool addiction.

Morning on my way to office: The one that comes in Mid-Day(Way too easy!)

Then in office(whenever I need a break from my work and rejuvnate my brain) hit all levels on sudoku.com

When back at home the one in TOI and Mumbai Mirror( slightly hard!)

It's become a habit with hubby and me on who gets it first and it's fun:-)

Manjula Padmanabhan said...

Wow -- a SUDOKUpple!! How cool. Thanx for visiting!

Minal said...

Hey, that's a nice " addition" to your "Sudoku" Vocab:-)
Will keep coming back:-)

sudoku master said...

SUDOKUHOLICS - The real sudoku addicts!

Visit also http://sudokuholics.blogspot.com

Manjula Padmanabhan said...

Goodness! A whole new dimension to addiction -- spirited, shall we say? Thanks for visiting.