Since our monthly math club is unable to meet, I’m issuing a math challenge you can do at home. How fast can you complete a Sudoku puzzle and a Kakuro puzzle?
Most people have heard of Sudoku puzzles — the goal is to place the numbers 1 through 9 in the squares such that no number is repeated within any row, any column, nor any outlined block of nine squares. Kakuro puzzles are less common, and incorporate ideas from crossword puzzles. The goal is to fill in the squares with numbers 1 through 9 such that each horizontal “word” adds up to the number on its left, each vertical “word” adds up to the number above it, and no digit is repeated within any “word”. They combine spatial reasoning, logic, and mental arithmetic.
I finished a Hard-level Sudoku in 6 minutes and 53 seconds, and an Expert-level 9×17 Kakuro in 5 minutes and 21 seconds. (Yes, I do math puzzles to relax.) How did you do? Leave a comment!