Are you a
Sudoku dabbler? Well, I'm not. I've never even done one before this weekend. And as a public service, I made that puzzle to the left so small you couldn't possibly attempt to solve it, but offer it as a souped-up version of a Sudoku puzzle its creator dubbed "killer". I just thought that the pastel mosaic would dress up this diary a bit. perty, huh? Drapes are next.
For those of you who do dabble, or have been wondering what the rage is all about, and what the heck this has to do with progressive politics, I've got a real find to share with you after the flip.
For inquiring minds:
Math nerds could argue that Sudoku is based on the
neo-Fregean theory of order featuring the logical and metaphysical foundations of Classical Mathematics. And credit appears to be due to the great Swiss mathematician
Leonhard Euler, who repopularized similarly themed Latin squares. Well, that's all fine, but I've got a different theory. I call it
Anti-Mishegaas Theory. It goes something like this: In a world increasingly lurching in the direction of chaos and war, confusion and peril, there is solace and satisfaction to be found in filling up little squares with numbers chosen from a finite universe in such a way that there is only one answer and that answer is within your reach. Got it? Ah, order. We do crave it, don't we? Math is so
genius that way. Needlepoint is too, as is banging your head on the wall to a metronome, but I'll save that for another exciting diary. And while we're on a related subject, why is it that the simplest card game on the face of the earth is called "War"?
Sudoku in a nutshell
The name "Sudoku" is the Japanese abbreviation of a longer phrase, "Suuji wa dokushin ni kagiru", meaning "the digits must remain single". You don't need much instruction beyond that. No repeated digits in each row, column and grid of nine. I've included a more typical Sudoku puzzle to the right. That's it. Simple. Just be sure to set aside some time and mental space to give it a try but not before reading on.
Amaze your friends or toy with a snotty little puzzle wizard:
The website I'm about to direct you to isn't something for which I need to provide a spoiler warning necessarily because you're still going to have to work these puzzles. Consider it instead to be along the lines of the missing instructions to a game you've never played. The process laid out there will, however, allow you to experience that elusive feeling of satisfaction and closure that mathematicians and accountants quietly keep to themselves. Why should they (we) have all the fun? drum roll...I give you puzzle happiness. Give it a try!
The Big Mattress
Hat tip to my Hawaiian friend Charles and his decidedly unnerdy and left-leaning Big Mattress. (Boston Baby-Boomers will recall his radio show on WBCN quite fondly.) That I would choose to highlight this particular entry from his blog, leaving racey Estrogen Wednesday and Testosterone Tuesday behind, is definitely a worrisome sign about yours truly. Late credit as well, to Charles for the inspiration for Anti-Mishegaas theory, found lurking somewhere deep in my gray matter. Duane Glasscock for President!
Humor works well too!
In order to redeem myself, here in the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts where everything is free of Mass Sales Tax this weekend, I offer you this bit of fun poking fun at the state's few pet Republicans:
Tea Partay!
It's all Crossposted at Truth & Progress where we're having a bit of fun.