Life, the Universe, and Mensa
So life for me is pretty normal right now. I work 40-45 hours a week. I come home. Fencing practice is over for the semester, so I'll have to stay in shape during the break enough to keep up with those 18 year olds in the club. Stupid youths...
However, one thing I've been doing lots of lately is logic puzzles. Sudoku was my favorite pasttime for several weeks running. Now it still amuses me, but I can usually slam out normal sudokus in 10 minutes flat. Even the "hardest" ones. So the time came to move on.
Note: Sudoku = a number puzzle with a 9x9 grid. Each row and column has to contain the numbers 1-9, and each 3x3 square (referred to sometimes as "nonets") also much contain 1-9. No math is required. Any 9 symbols will do, but numbers became the norm.
I've been seeking out various logic puzzles. I found a site that had tons of sudoku variants. www.djape.net if anyone is interested. One of the coolest ones I've seen is called Killer Sudoku, which has all the same rules as sudoku, except they give you no starting numbers. Instead, they have "gates" of numbers, and they give you the sum of each gate. Gates typically span columns, rows, and nonets, and you have to deduce individual square values, and then eventually you can use sudoku rules to fill in the rest. Fun! There are also some overlapping sudokus, and some that also require 1-9 to exist on each diagonal as well.
I suppose what I'm looking for is that intuitive leap. The first time I've done one of these is always the best. When I have to figure out which deductions are necessary for solving this particular puzzle. Each time I come up with a new solving technique, I get that warm fuzzy glow. Yes, I continue to play them and get better and faster. But I'm also looking for new puzzles.
I admit it. I'm a huge nerd.
And as a random note: (cmat), I love that Casey & Andy strip. The Quantum Cop rocks, and that was an excellent rebuttal to my post on the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle for avoiding traffic tickets.
However, one thing I've been doing lots of lately is logic puzzles. Sudoku was my favorite pasttime for several weeks running. Now it still amuses me, but I can usually slam out normal sudokus in 10 minutes flat. Even the "hardest" ones. So the time came to move on.
Note: Sudoku = a number puzzle with a 9x9 grid. Each row and column has to contain the numbers 1-9, and each 3x3 square (referred to sometimes as "nonets") also much contain 1-9. No math is required. Any 9 symbols will do, but numbers became the norm.
I've been seeking out various logic puzzles. I found a site that had tons of sudoku variants. www.djape.net if anyone is interested. One of the coolest ones I've seen is called Killer Sudoku, which has all the same rules as sudoku, except they give you no starting numbers. Instead, they have "gates" of numbers, and they give you the sum of each gate. Gates typically span columns, rows, and nonets, and you have to deduce individual square values, and then eventually you can use sudoku rules to fill in the rest. Fun! There are also some overlapping sudokus, and some that also require 1-9 to exist on each diagonal as well.
I suppose what I'm looking for is that intuitive leap. The first time I've done one of these is always the best. When I have to figure out which deductions are necessary for solving this particular puzzle. Each time I come up with a new solving technique, I get that warm fuzzy glow. Yes, I continue to play them and get better and faster. But I'm also looking for new puzzles.
I admit it. I'm a huge nerd.
And as a random note: (cmat), I love that Casey & Andy strip. The Quantum Cop rocks, and that was an excellent rebuttal to my post on the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle for avoiding traffic tickets.