Free Sudoku online is a must for puzzle lovers everywhere. The first Sudoku-style puzzle appeared in 1979, but it became popular in Japan in 1986. The game took its name from a longer Japanese phrase describing the way the game is played. Two decades later, the Sudoku craze has spread to the rest of the world, especially the UK and the US.
Free Sudoku Online
What is Sudoku?
A Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid of squares, which is further divided into nine 3x3 areas. You play Sudoku by filling in the blanks with the numbers 1-9. Every row, column and 3x3 area must contain each of the nine numbers only once. A few squares are already filled out for you on any puzzle, giving you a starting point. How many squares are filled out and how helpful they are varies depending on the level of play. You can find easy, medium, hard and very hard levels of free Sudoku online, although "very hard" levels are sometimes given a clever name like "evil."
Play Sudoku Online
If you've been playing Sudoku with pen and paper, the biggest advantage of playing online is that many games offer you a chance to check your answers. It's also much easier to change a number with a few keystrokes than it is to constantly write and erase potential answers. There's so much free Sudoku online that you'll never be without your puzzle fix.
- Web Sudoku offers easy, medium, hard or "evil" puzzles. If you click on the "How am I doing?" button, lines and squares that contain errors are highlighted. A print button allows for easy offline play.
- Sudoku.com.au provides a new puzzle each day. A commenting feature allows players to share their scores and build a community around their shared interest in Sudoku.
- Fingertime Free Games offers their own unique interface. If you select an incorrect number, the square is outlined in red and the number disappears. This takes away most of the challenge of the puzzle, but it makes an ideal game for beginners. A timer lets you know exactly how long you've been slaving away at Sudoku.
Printable Sudoku Online
While you can always print out any puzzle that appears on your screen, some sites feature Sudoku puzzles that are meant to be printed out and completed the old-fashioned way - with pen and paper.
- All Info About Sudoku features a new puzzle every day, with all past puzzles archived. Available levels include: very easy, easy, medium, difficult and "My Brain Hurts!"
- Puzzle Choice offers a limited number of Sudoku puzzles in medium and harder levels. Each printable puzzle also provides a link to the solution.
Be Safe
Most free versions of Sudoku online is played directly in your web browser, but some do offer downloadable playing options. If the download is free, make sure you keep your computer safe by being aware of exactly what you're downloading and what site you're downloading it from. Some sites offer free downloads as advertising for their paid products, but there is always the potential that a site is using a free download as a chance to install malicious software on your computer. Even if it's just a document file, never open a file you've downloaded without first scanning it for viruses.
