Buy Now...

Still working with numbers but here you do not have lots of other references to find the answer. For an example you have four squares to fill and you are told the answer is 14, all you know is that no square can have the same number and no number can be zero or above nine. The answer I am looking at is 2 1 3 8. However there can be far longer examples and logically far higher totals to achieve in the same puzzle seven squares to equal 35, the actual solution is 5 8 9 2 1 6 4. Of course if there were no figures given every puzzle would be impossible to complete or probably so. So just like the Sudoku some numbers are given. Of course some of the shorter ones are normally easier for instance a two space one with the total of 3 can only be 1 and 2 or of course 2 and 1. Arranged in grids rather like crosswords some figures affect more than one answer.

See also: Software

more

If you thought Sudoku was addictive then Kakuro is probably more so. The simple reason is that not only do you need to get different numbers to make a total you need to be able to add or in case of a remaining number subtract.

I doubt many young children will become addicted unless they are very keen on numbers but it is passed as suitable for '3+' but I think that is simply to satisfy the censors.

This product can produce an unlimited number of grids in four degrees of difficulty, easy, medium, hard and devilish. However for people wishing to deceive others of their skill certain daily papers produce Kakuro puzzles and this package has a puzzle solver module and this lets you enter details from any puzzle - from any source - and it will solve it and display the solution for you.

You can print puzzles to take with you on a journey and this could make the transport delays bearable. Of course you could be the sort who likes to others suffer as well by emailing them puzzles, this package not only allows this but encourages it.

For me - a novice - I found the 'highlight error' feature more than useful I suppose when struggling you could call it a sort of cheat mode as one error made can cause hours of frustration further into the puzzle.

While there is more than one Sudoku puzzle grid the most popular is the 9x9. With Kakuro the grid sizes and styles are all but infinite. When playing on the computer you can have the possible numbers displayed as you can pencil marks, there is also a hint option to make the problem that little bit easier.

It is possible to save partially completed grids to try again another day. You can even compete against the clock and therefore create high scores.

Not sure if this product is pleasure or pain but it certainly makes the brain work and that is meant to be good for you. Available from dealers or direct from Focus at £9.99.

http://www.focusmm.co.uk/shop/Infinite-Kakuro-pr-508.html