“I’ve
come to accept the fact that I am addicted to Sudoku puzzles. I do them every
single day, sometimes three or four of them at a single sitting. Other, less
compelling things like dinner or errands just have to wait sometimes. Robert has
known me for 15 years and has never known me to be a game or puzzle type of
person, so he is quite frankly surprised by my preoccupation with these new
number puzzles.
Truth is, I’ve never been interested in crossword puzzles, and those scrambled
word puzzles just offend my sense of order. I like things to be where they
should be, in a logical, organized sequence, so there’s something very soothing
about a Sudoku puzzle: rows and columns of numbers all lining up in a very
specific order and pattern.
But for me, actually solving a Sudoku puzzle isn’t quite as satisfying as
knowing I’m about to solve it. There’s a point about three-quarters of the way
through, that point when everything is falling into place and you know you’ve
got it beat, that is euphoric, “the high” if you will.
But ask any Sudoku addict what’s the first thing they do when they’ve solved the
puzzle, and most will answer, “Reach for another!”
Those of my friends and family who are fellow
Sudoku-ers understand completely.
Like my sister Jane and future niece-in-law Lauren, who were doing Sudokus
during a recent family get-together, while the rest of us talked around them.
Or my friend Cathy, who has been know to do them during traffic jams instead of
making conversation. In fact, Cathy was going on vacation recently and mentioned
she needed reading material for the plane. When I asked if she wasn’t going to
be doing Sudokus during the flight she looked at me like I had two heads.
“That’s a given,” she stated.
I must say I’m not resentful of these behaviours in any way because I understand
their compulsions completely.
Anyway, I was thinking we could start a twelve-step recovery program for us
Sudoku addicts. The first step would be to admit we were powerless over the lure
of Sudoku.
Trouble is, I’m not sure I’m ready to give up my Sudoku fixation. Those of you
who have never tried them, will be wondering, “What’s she on about?” But I
suspect a good number of you will be agreeing with me.”
* Post Note from Marlene Goodman:
“Start
a twelve-step recovery program for us Sudoku addicts? Nah, you'll never get on
the wagon - you'll just start trying to solve the 12 steps!”
Become a Sudoku-er!
Free Hand-Crafted Sudoku Puzzles
|  Camouflage Practice
|  African Lunch
|  Work Uniforms
|  Drive-Thru Pharmacy
|  Childproof House
|  Mexico Gravestones
|  Chia Car
|  Drop Ceiling
|  Wheelbarrow Parking
|  Royal Isolation
|  Transformer Fire - 'Spreading' The Risk
|  Someone Who Cares
|  Skateboard Stairs
|  Pickup For Sale - Come Get It Quick (All Sales Final)
|  Safe Working Practices?
|  Foot Swim
|  Devil Sky
|  A Man Named Fred
|  Texas Wheel Mags
|  Redneck Combo Plumbing
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