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Hand-held sudoku does not come up to consumer expectationsHand-held electronic sudoku games are disappointing purchasers who write to sudoku.org.uk. While this website is not a consumer organisation, the number of emails we receive warning or complaining about these electronic devices has reached disturbing levels.What are the facts about these hand-held devices? Sodoku.org.uk has been asked to endorse a number of electronic sudoku games in the past year, and not one has come up to the standards that we feel should be expected of a sudoku game. It may help to know some history about many of these devices. The sudoku puzzle was based on a puzzle called Number Place that has been around since the mid-1980s. Number Place was an inferior version of sudoku, with no symmetry and randomly placed clues that would often exceed the limits imposed on sudoku puzzles. At that time Hong Kong and Taiwanese manufacturers began making handheld versions of Number Place. Some of these products - which didn't sell well 20 years ago - have been hanging around since that time and many have been put on the market re-branded as sudoku. So-called sudoku generators in these devices are in fact Number Place generators. Some may also offer millions of puzzles, but they will not be of the same standard as the puzzles published in reputable newspapers and websites. Without exception, the handheld devices seen so far have small screens that are of poor definition. Often it is not possible to distinguish between a 1 and a 7, for example. We have yet to see a device that allows for candidate numbers to be entered. Serious sudoku players will find that they will still need paper and pencil to solve the puzzles presented on these sudoku devices. However, most of the electronic sudoku versions we have seen are inexpensive and it has to be said - you get what you pay for. If you are spending no more that £10 or $17, don't expect anything that comes up to the standards of PC software available for the same money. Mike Mepham, November 12, 2005  |
Total Sudoku The sudoku book that solvers have been asking for is now available across the USA. Total sudoku  from Time Inc Home Entertainment is packed with 200 Michael Mepham sudoku puzzles with big grids and quality paper. Total Sudoku has your 9x9 favourites and bonus circular sudoku and 16x16 puzzles. At bookstores and newstands throughout the USA for $10.99 or less. |
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