THE Sudoku spread in popularity in the mid-1980s and still gets the brain cells buzzing decades on. Now, tributes are being paid to the creator of the global phenomenon following his death at the age of 69.

 

The Sudoku was one man’s creation?

Maki Kaji - known as ‘the godfather of Sudoku’ - created the puzzle as we know it now, basing it on an existing number puzzle, around 1986. The Japanese puzzle enthusiast, born in 1951, was a university drop out, leaving his literature course in his first year, before undertaking a variety of jobs - from waiting tables to construction - and then launching his own publishing firm.

 

And focusing on puzzles?

In 1980, he launched a quarterly puzzle magazine, Nikoli - named after a race horse that won the 1980 2000 Guineas Stakes race in Ireland - and saw it grow to have around 50,000 quarterly readers.

 

The Sudoku was part of its success?

It featured in early editions and saw Kaji credited with transforming the grid-based maths problem into a worldwide phenomenon.

 

His legacy is the complex little puzzle?

Sudoku - a contraction of the Japanese for "every number must be single” - challenges puzzle enthusiasts to complete a 9X9 grid of blocks, with nine boxes in each block so that every column, vertical and horizontal, contain the numbers 1 to 9 without any repetition. The number of already filled-in figures for a Sudoku at the start of the puzzle signifies how challenging it will be to complete.

 

There are even tournaments?

More than 100 million people worldwide are thought to try their hand at Sudokus regularly, while Sudoku championships have drawn an estimated 200 million people in 100 countries over the years, according to Tokyo-based Nikoli, with the firm saying Sudoku was never trademarked except within Japan, encouraging its overseas craze. A world championship has been held annually since 2006 as well.

 

The puzzle has some famous fans?

Among those who challenge themselves to get their numbers in line are the Duchess of Cornwall and Boris Johnson, with the latter said to have used the puzzle to pass the time as he recovered from Covid in hospital last year.

 

Tributes have been paid to the creator?

On the Nikoli website, a statement read: “Maki Kaji, who spread the love of puzzles in the world as ‘Godfather of Sudoku,’ passed away at 10:54pm on August 10, 2021 at home in Tokyo. The cause of death was bile duct cancer. He was 69 years old.” Kaji-san came up with the name Sudoku and was loved by puzzle fans from all over the world. We are grateful from the bottom of our hearts for the patronage you have shown throughout his life."

 

So, the Sudoku endures…

…Yoshinao Anpuku, who succeeded Kaji as Nikoli’s chief executive, said Kaji made friends easily and had a “unique and playful approach toward life”, adding: “Our mission is to pursue Maki’s vision and possibilities.”