Death by Kakkuro
20th February
My first entry. I’ve now decided to maintain this personal log. The net-savvy folk call it a blog in the online context. Being the old-timer that I am, I prefer the written word. A personal diary, if you will.
It’s been two weeks to the day since she went. Rahul left back to the U.S. after the last rites. It’s strange that she wanted the kid and all the relatives to be together at our place but it only happened when she was no longer there. I’ll miss her. Hopefully this diary will serve as a useful outlet in her absence.
4th March
Two more weeks have passed by. The house wears an empty and silent look when I wake up and when I come back from work. Her absence shows.
Work is good in terms of keeping the mind distracted, occupied and in some state that one can term intellectually stimulated. I’m close to retirement and things can only get worse as my responsibilities reduce.
It is the idle hours that kill. I tried the gym but found it too full of the ‘social elite’. Fast cars, new technology fads, the other man’s wife - I cannot relate to such people. I’d prefer a discussion on Keats or Sartre. Maybe I should try the public library or other social activity groups.
10th March
Things have got busier. In a sense.
That abominable newspaper, "The Times", publishes a daily mathematical puzzle. It’s called Kakkuro. I’ve taken to this new game over the past 2
days. It consumes the best part of my mornings, including breakfast hours. Considering I exhausted my passion for sudoku and crosswords long back, I hope Kakkuro will sustain my interest longer.
17th March
Another week has passed by. Rahul had called. His education seems to be coming along fine. I get the feeling he misses his mother a lot. We spoke about her for a while. Until it got a little too cloying for a discussion between two adult males. I’m glad he has his education and friends to keep him busy.
Above all, I’m glad the kid is not here to see me struggling through this phase.
20th March
More Kakkuro. I now solve Kakkuro during the mornings and after work before I sleep.
The game lines up interestingly in terms of number grids. It comes across as completely different to the sudoku style of number placement. In terms of possible solutions, the game is more open than sudoku as there are multiple solutions to the number grid. More variables, multiple solutions. However, the solutions seem intricately tied with placing specific numbers at specific locations on the grid, from where the solutions branch out. An interesting game. I think I’m getting addicted.
22nd March
It’s only been two days since the last entry. But I solved some interesting grids over the past few days. It takes much less time now since I seem to be getting the hang of the way these grids work.
The game still continues to hold its charm and I’m fascinated by the variety in the grids inspite of the multiple solutions per grid. Sooner or later, I expected to see patterns repeating but with this game, the possibilities seem endless.
I also get the feeling I'll be isolating myself from humanity a little more than usual as this game occupies my hours.
26th March
I think I finally met my match. No, I’m not getting married again.
"The Times" published a seemingly easy grid today. However, solving the grid started with breakfast and extended well into the late hours tonight. Save for a couple of fills, the grid looks tough. I plan to stay up and crack this before I sleep.
27th March
The grid hasn’t budged. This one is tough as steel. All my morning efforts yielded only 4 grid fills before I realized that the numbers did not line up with other numbers already on the grid.
I went to work and came back early hoping the evening would bring an alternative line of thought. It did not help. All this because I ignored the morning edition of "The Times" that brings the solution to the previous day’s grid. This grid will need some solving.
28th March
I skipped work today. It had to be done. Solving this grid has become a question of ego. I looked up a few books and websites on Kakkuro. Most of them suggest the same lines of reasoning as the one I follow to solve these grids. Nothing new.
Another day of efforts with little progress. I seem to be filling up numbers on the grid before hitting areas on the grid that do not go with the fundamental rules of the game. I must be going wrong somewhere.
29th March
I’m too weak today to write coherently. This grid has sapped my energies. I’m nowhere closer than what I was 3 days ago. Three days of negligible sleep and even less peace of mind.
I skipped work again. I restarted the grid from scratch, only to hit the same road blocks all over again. Giving up and looking up "The Times" solution would be an option. But I’ve never before considered looking up solutions. She always used to say that I had a mathematically improbable ego.
Doctor’s Post-mortem Report, April 2nd
Subject was found slumped on his work table when the body was found. Body bears no external signs of injury. Subject seems to have been under intense mental trauma and mental pressure over the past few days. This is evident from the strained muscles on face evident on dead body as well as the haphazard surroundings in the room. Subject also lost his wife a few weeks ago. This seems to have contributed to the state of mind as well.
Found a pen and an edition of "The Times" dated 26th March in the subject’s hand at the time of death.
Cause of death identified as a cardiovascular arrest resulting from intense hypertension and nervous breakdown.
"The Times", dated 27th March - Sports and Games section
Errata: We regret to inform you that our Kakkuro puzzle dated 26th March had grievous errors in its printing. Many of the numbers were misplaced due to print alignment mistakes by one of our junior staff. The puzzle will be republished at a later date. We apologize for any inconvenience caused to our Kakkuro patrons.
"The Times" dated April 4th - Obituary
Dear Amit,
We shall miss your obstinate and determined resistance to the toughest sudoku and crossword puzzles ever published. You were always our inspiration. We now plan to expand the club’s activities to include Kakkuro solving activities and wish you’d been here to see it happen. Rest in peace.
- The Crossword and Sudoku Club, Local Chapter
My first entry. I’ve now decided to maintain this personal log. The net-savvy folk call it a blog in the online context. Being the old-timer that I am, I prefer the written word. A personal diary, if you will.
It’s been two weeks to the day since she went. Rahul left back to the U.S. after the last rites. It’s strange that she wanted the kid and all the relatives to be together at our place but it only happened when she was no longer there. I’ll miss her. Hopefully this diary will serve as a useful outlet in her absence.
4th March
Two more weeks have passed by. The house wears an empty and silent look when I wake up and when I come back from work. Her absence shows.
Work is good in terms of keeping the mind distracted, occupied and in some state that one can term intellectually stimulated. I’m close to retirement and things can only get worse as my responsibilities reduce.
It is the idle hours that kill. I tried the gym but found it too full of the ‘social elite’. Fast cars, new technology fads, the other man’s wife - I cannot relate to such people. I’d prefer a discussion on Keats or Sartre. Maybe I should try the public library or other social activity groups.
10th March
Things have got busier. In a sense.
That abominable newspaper, "The Times", publishes a daily mathematical puzzle. It’s called Kakkuro. I’ve taken to this new game over the past 2
days. It consumes the best part of my mornings, including breakfast hours. Considering I exhausted my passion for sudoku and crosswords long back, I hope Kakkuro will sustain my interest longer.
17th March
Another week has passed by. Rahul had called. His education seems to be coming along fine. I get the feeling he misses his mother a lot. We spoke about her for a while. Until it got a little too cloying for a discussion between two adult males. I’m glad he has his education and friends to keep him busy.
Above all, I’m glad the kid is not here to see me struggling through this phase.
20th March
More Kakkuro. I now solve Kakkuro during the mornings and after work before I sleep.
The game lines up interestingly in terms of number grids. It comes across as completely different to the sudoku style of number placement. In terms of possible solutions, the game is more open than sudoku as there are multiple solutions to the number grid. More variables, multiple solutions. However, the solutions seem intricately tied with placing specific numbers at specific locations on the grid, from where the solutions branch out. An interesting game. I think I’m getting addicted.
22nd March
It’s only been two days since the last entry. But I solved some interesting grids over the past few days. It takes much less time now since I seem to be getting the hang of the way these grids work.
The game still continues to hold its charm and I’m fascinated by the variety in the grids inspite of the multiple solutions per grid. Sooner or later, I expected to see patterns repeating but with this game, the possibilities seem endless.
I also get the feeling I'll be isolating myself from humanity a little more than usual as this game occupies my hours.
26th March
I think I finally met my match. No, I’m not getting married again.
"The Times" published a seemingly easy grid today. However, solving the grid started with breakfast and extended well into the late hours tonight. Save for a couple of fills, the grid looks tough. I plan to stay up and crack this before I sleep.
27th March
The grid hasn’t budged. This one is tough as steel. All my morning efforts yielded only 4 grid fills before I realized that the numbers did not line up with other numbers already on the grid.
I went to work and came back early hoping the evening would bring an alternative line of thought. It did not help. All this because I ignored the morning edition of "The Times" that brings the solution to the previous day’s grid. This grid will need some solving.
28th March
I skipped work today. It had to be done. Solving this grid has become a question of ego. I looked up a few books and websites on Kakkuro. Most of them suggest the same lines of reasoning as the one I follow to solve these grids. Nothing new.
Another day of efforts with little progress. I seem to be filling up numbers on the grid before hitting areas on the grid that do not go with the fundamental rules of the game. I must be going wrong somewhere.
29th March
I’m too weak today to write coherently. This grid has sapped my energies. I’m nowhere closer than what I was 3 days ago. Three days of negligible sleep and even less peace of mind.
I skipped work again. I restarted the grid from scratch, only to hit the same road blocks all over again. Giving up and looking up "The Times" solution would be an option. But I’ve never before considered looking up solutions. She always used to say that I had a mathematically improbable ego.
Doctor’s Post-mortem Report, April 2nd
Subject was found slumped on his work table when the body was found. Body bears no external signs of injury. Subject seems to have been under intense mental trauma and mental pressure over the past few days. This is evident from the strained muscles on face evident on dead body as well as the haphazard surroundings in the room. Subject also lost his wife a few weeks ago. This seems to have contributed to the state of mind as well.
Found a pen and an edition of "The Times" dated 26th March in the subject’s hand at the time of death.
Cause of death identified as a cardiovascular arrest resulting from intense hypertension and nervous breakdown.
"The Times", dated 27th March - Sports and Games section
Errata: We regret to inform you that our Kakkuro puzzle dated 26th March had grievous errors in its printing. Many of the numbers were misplaced due to print alignment mistakes by one of our junior staff. The puzzle will be republished at a later date. We apologize for any inconvenience caused to our Kakkuro patrons.
"The Times" dated April 4th - Obituary
Dear Amit,
We shall miss your obstinate and determined resistance to the toughest sudoku and crossword puzzles ever published. You were always our inspiration. We now plan to expand the club’s activities to include Kakkuro solving activities and wish you’d been here to see it happen. Rest in peace.
- The Crossword and Sudoku Club, Local Chapter