Discussions

Some hobbies come and go. You try them for a few weeks, enjoy them for a while, and then slowly lose interest. But every now and then, you find something simple that somehow stays with you for years.

For me, that thing turned out to be Sudoku.

It’s funny because when I first saw those number grids in newspapers, I never imagined they would become one of my favorite little daily activities. But after solving hundreds of puzzles, I still get the same small thrill every time a grid finally comes together.

And honestly, that feeling never gets old.

The First Puzzle That Changed My Opinion

Like many people, my first impression of Sudoku wasn’t very exciting. A grid full of numbers didn’t look particularly fun. It seemed more like homework than entertainment.

But one afternoon, while waiting at an airport, I decided to give it a try just to pass the time.

The rules were simple enough: every row, column, and 3×3 box must contain the numbers 1 to 9 without repeating.

At first, I solved the obvious squares quickly. Some numbers practically filled themselves in.