A Puzzling Game entitled Roodoku

Do you enjoy puzzles involving numbers? If so, are you tired of playing Maths Nightmare over and over, and are looking for another game to entice your brain? Then Roodoku may just be the game you are looking for. It contains everything you might be looking for in a game: easy, medium, and hard difficulty levels; logic skills; and bonuses.

Basics

No matter what difficulty level you play on, the basics of the game remain the same. You have a large square which has been divided up into nine smaller squares. In each smaller square, then are nine more squares. This setup will cause you to have nine rows and nine columns. Each of the smallest squares is for a single number. In each of the middle size squares the numbers one through nine have to appear, no repeats. This mean if you look at the top square you can have something like this:

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

You cannot have something like the diagram below:

1 2 3

3 1 9

4 5 1

You MUST have each number represented. So far, it sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it? If only filling in each square was the objective of the game, but alas, it is not. Along with each square containing the numbers one through nine, each column and each row must meet these requirements as well. Now you see where logic comes into play. When the puzzle is complete, you will have nine ones, nine twos, nine threes, nine fours, nine fives, nine sixes, nine sevens, nine eights, and yes, nine nines. Can you tell the number nine is extremely important in this game?

So you understand the basics and what your objective of the game is, but how do you enter the correct number into each square? First off, you need to make sure the square you are trying to change is not a black number. Black numbers are the numbers which originally appeared in the puzzle and are there to give you hints about how to solve the puzzle. Choose any square besides these and a nice 3x3 grid will show up, once again nine is important because you have nine choices. Select the number which you think should be in the square. Do not worry; should you discover later that you need to change the number, you will be able to do so. Once the numbers are in the correct positions for every square, the game will be complete and your points awarded to you.

Logic

If you have read this far, you might be able to figure out how logic is involved. Stated above, you must have the numbers one through nine in each medium square, row, and column. I am going to describe an example in words and hopefully you can follow along. For example, you are given the number three in row one column three and row two column eight. By deduction, I know the third number three has to be located somewhere on the third row between columns four and six. Figuring out the number three has to be on the third row was the simple part, but how did I determine it also had to be between columns four and six? Well, I know the first three was located in column three, which falls into the first square, so the first three columns are out. I also know the second three given appeared in column eight, which is the square farthest to the right, which contains columns seven, eight, and nine. Therefore my three has to be in the second square, third row, in column four, five, or six. To determine the column you will have to use the same logic, but look at the numbers below you now. If a three appears in columns four and six, then my three that I want to place must be located in column five. This kind of logic is needed for the entire game. The more numbers you are able to fill in, the easier the game becomes, and you will have it solved in no time at all.

Difficulty

There are three different difficulty modes in the game: easy, medium, and hard. Each mode also provides bonus points, and should you complete the mode before the bonus runs out, you will be awarded will additional points.

Easy Mode: The simplest mode of them all. You are given many numbers to start off with, which makes the puzzle fairly simple to solve. A great mode to practice your logic skills on; as well as understanding the game better. Once completed, this mode will award you with 200 points. The bonus for this starts out at 200 points.

Medium Mode: A nice comprise between easy and hard. If the easy mode has become a little too easy for you, then please take a gander on this mode. Fewer numbers will be given to you to start the game. If you are able to complete this mode, you will be awarded 400 points; meanwhile the bonus for this mode starts off at 400 points.

Hard Mode: Alright, so you have mastered the easy and medium modes and you want to challenge yourself, then you have found the mode for you. The hardest mode of them all, and the easiest mode to make mistakes in. You are given very few numbers to begin with, and why I am glad I can change my choices for each square. You are chugging along thinking you are doing great, then you get to the last few numbers and realize you made a mistake somewhere. Most of the time it is usually one or two numbers are off, so before you give up double check your logic. If you are smart enough to finish you will receive 600 points; meanwhile the bonus will be winding down from 700 points.

*Note: If the bonus runs out, your game will not be over; however, you will not receive any bonus points for the game.

Overall, do not be in a rush to solve the puzzle, because if you do, you will be far more likely to make a mistake. Take your time, use your logic, and remember to have fun.