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The First Time I Met Sudoku

It was a lazy weekday evening when I first discovered Sudoku. I had grabbed a newspaper while waiting for my train, and in the corner of the puzzle section was a strange grid filled with numbers. I had no idea what it was, but it looked… organized. Rows, columns, little 3x3 boxes—it all seemed neat and satisfying.

Curious, I decided to give it a try. The rules were simple enough: fill every row, column, and box with numbers 1 to 9, without repeating any. “How hard can it be?” I thought. Famous last words. I quickly learned that Sudoku is deceptively easy. The first few numbers I placed made me feel clever, but soon I was stuck, staring at empty squares and second-guessing myself.

Why Sudoku Is So Addictive

What makes Sudoku so addictive isn’t just the challenge—it’s the balance between frustration and satisfaction. Unlike games that rely on luck, Sudoku depends purely on logic. Every number you place matters, and one mistake can unravel hours of work. That tension is part of the thrill.

I remember tackling a medium-level puzzle one Sunday morning. I expected a relaxed hour of entertainment. Three hours later, my coffee had gone cold, my cat had stolen my pencil, and I was still circling possibilities in pencil marks. Yet, I couldn’t stop. That’s the magic of Sudoku: it pulls you in and keeps you thinking, even when your brain is begging for mercy.