Free Sudoku Puzzles - Helping Your Memory Improvement

These free sudoku puzzles are terrific brain games to help your brain fitness program and memory improvement.

The puzzles are updated regularly so go ahead and bookmark this page and come back every few days to be challenged by a new game.

If you have never played Sudoku below are some tips on how to play the game. As well one you have finished your Sudoku puzzle you may want to do an online crossword puzzle - it's another great memory improvement tool.

Numbers have fascinated people for centuries. They are essential for basic mathematical calculations, but also enable us to create complex, three-dimensional, geometric shapes. We are fascinated by the consistent and logical nature of numbers.

Because of that, games and puzzles that use numbers have always been popular. The oriental puzzle known as Sudoku has taken the western world by storm in the last decade. While the concept of filling nine cells with their own number is fairly simple, learning the techniques of solving Sudoku puzzles can elude some people. The good news is that there are certain tricks and tips that you can learn to make it easier to accomplish even the hardest Sudoku puzzles. Follow along as we unlock these secrets, so you can have fun solving the free sudoku puzzles on this page.

The beauty is that even though it is a numbers game it is more to do with logic, concentration and your power of elimination ... beware these free Sudoku puzzles can become addictive!

How To Play

There are 9 rows and 9 columns in a Sudoku puzzle. Every row, every column and every cell must contain the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 once only.

Every puzzle begins with some numbers pre-registered with numbers the givens for that particular row, column and cell. The remaining blank cells are where you will, through the power of your deduction, place the other numbers that are missing. It's that easy!

Block the Cells

When it comes to Sudoku, one of the easiest ways to get momentum going is to use a technique such as blocking. Unlike other ways of solving Sudoku puzzles, this enables you to see each cell in relation to every other part of the process. You will assess the possibilities in the immediate block, as well as each row that pertains to the cell.

Blocking is easy to accomplish and very quick. Using your pencil, select a specific number to work on; for a systemic approach, begin with 1. Using the numbers that you already have, block each row, determining which cells can not contain a 1. Depending on how many of the particular number are already available, this may eliminate all but one cell. However, it could leave you with several options that are still uncertain. Block each cell and row several times before you move onto other solving techniques, as more options may reveal more certain solutions.

Pencil In Possibilities

Once you have used blocking to find the only available solution to some of the cells, you should have vastly reduced the tedious part of solving Sudoku puzzles. Now it's time to pencil in the possibilities for each cell. If you have done the preliminary work, most cells will have between 2 and 5 options- the higher numbers come into play for more difficult puzzles.

For each cell that is open, assess the available options and pencil in what numbers are still in play. Look at the block and at the rows going in each direction to eliminate possibilities. This process often reveals hidden solutions that you didn't pick up when blocking.

Find the Patterns

The more you play these free Sudoku puzzles, the more you will be come familiar with the patterns that you see and what they mean to solving the puzzles. For example, if you have two cells that contain the same numbers, and neither of those are present in any other cell, you know that those two cells can only be one of those two possibilities.

This is also the case if a series of three numbers is spread into three cells. Many times the double pattern will be repeated with two sets of numbers. These patterns are crucial to unlocking the secret of Sudoku and becoming skilled at quickly finding the solution.

Finally, look for the hidden clues that indicate that a specific cell either has to hold a certain number, or can not hold that number.

Solving Sudoku puzzles is fun. New players can quickly become skilled by using these techniques on easier puzzles. With practice, you will quickly learn the tricks and tips that make even harder puzzles possible. As you progress, you may find specific tactics that work best for you, so don't be afraid to experiment with different solving techniques.

I sincerely hope that you keep coming back and enjoying these free sudoku puzzles.

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