Which are the group games that are sure to make everyone laugh?

The celebration game

Would you like to make someone's year end special by gifting them something? And in return get gifts? Then this game is for you. In the process, you can have some fun too.

Prep work

Gather your friends and family together virtually for this game that requires pretty much nothing but paper and pen to start with. Before you start the game, make a list of the names of participants and assign numbers to each one of them, say between one and ten based on the number of participants. Tell them that this is a week-long game, and collect their home address.

Rules of the game

Keep the list of friends ready with you. If you are the person in charge of the names and addresses, you have to sit out of the game and be the referee. Now, each person takes their turn and calls out a number between one and ten. The referee secretly tells them the name of the person they have picked as well as their address. Once everyone has called out their numbers, explain the rules to them. The person each one has picked is the one they will have to gift something to. This is their child, and they are the 'Mother. Each day, the mother will secretly assign a fun task such as crying like a baby or snorting like a pig, or dancing like a robot, to the child through the referee. And the child has to perform the task, record the same and send it back to the referee, who will then play it for the group at a particular time each day. The tasks are sure to bring tears of laughter to the participants. Mothers have to ensure their gifts reach their respective children by the end of the week. At the end of the week, everyone gathers together virtually and each child takes a guess as to who their mother is based on the tasks they were assigned and the gift they were sent. The referee can get gifts too for his or her efforts.

Let's share stories

Use your imagination and bring out the storyteller in you with this fun game that can be played by two people, but the more the merrier. A little prep work is required before starting the game.

Prep work

Write down random words in chits of paper. Try and make as many chits as you can to make the game interesting. You could also repeat some of the words if you like.

Rules of the game

If there are more than two players, divide yourselves into as many teams as you like. Next, shuffle the chits and put them on the floor. Each team has to pick up ten chits (change the number based on the number of players and teams). Once everyone has picked the chits, set the timer to five minutes. In these five minutes, each team will have to come up with a story that uses all the words in the chits they have picked up. Sit back and enjoy listening to some funny stories.

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Which are the two simple fun games you can play using minimal things?

Balloons Away

As the title suggests, all you will need for this game is a balloon, or two, just in case. Other materials you would require are a paper and a pen. You can play the game with as many or as little people as you like.

Prep work:

Inflate two or more balloons before you start the game and keep the pen and paper handy. Clear out the living room or the room you are going to play the game in so that the balloon doesn't burst. Finally, draw a line or keep an object at one end of the room. This will be the start line.

Game rules:

Draw the lots and decide on the player order. Assign one player as referee. Player one takes the balloon and stands behind the start line. When the referee signals, player one throws the balloon as far as possible with one hand. The place where the balloon first touches the ground is marked and made a note of by the referee and other players. Let the remaining players take turns to do the same. Finally, the player whose balloon travelled the farthest wins a point.

You can play as many rounds as you like. As a thumb rule, ensure that everyone uses the same balloon and the same hand in a round. You can alternate hands for different rounds. You can also modify the game to count the last bounce of the balloon as the final spot instead of the first bounce.

What I feel about you

This game brings you closer to your friends and family. It is best played with as many people as possible. All you would require for the game is a book or two, and plenty of tissues or handkerchiefs to wipe away those tears of happiness and joy.

Prep work

Call up your friends or family members and meet up at a place or set up a video call for a particular date and time. If you are meeting up, one book is enough. If it is a video call, each person must have a book with him or her. Next, write down the names of the participants in chits and keep them with you.

Game rules:

The rules are simple. Sit together forming a circle, or gather up at the online call Decide on who goes first.

If it is a physical meet-up, player one picks up a chit if online, the host can pick a chit for the player and announce it to the group. Player one then opens any page on the book and makes a note of the last word on the page. Player one has to either use this word to describe the player mentioned in the chit or use it in his speech about the player. Players can say something funny, share a memory or just mention their feelings. There's no bar on who says what as long as it is positive.

Similarly, all the players take their turns, opening different pages. If you have time, you could ensure that each person has something to say about all the others in the group.

Picture Credit : Google

When did video games become violent?

There was once a time when computer and video games were synonymous with Super Mario, Claw, Dangerous Dave, and Pinball. Today, they are synonymous with Grand Theft Auto, PubG and Fortnite. As technology has evolved, games too have evolved. They are more life-like now, with brilliant graphics and virtual or augmented reality to enhance the experience. But with this evolution, there has also been a change in the content of the games. They are far more violent, and the ability to communicate with other players in real-time only makes it more dangerous.

Over the years, violence in video games has been called out by activists and parents. Many claim it has an impact on the behaviour of teens, making them violent. However, the American Psychological Association states that there is little to no evidence connecting violence in children to video games, though there is definitely an increase in aggression due to playing violent video games.

The same is the case with movies as well. From homicides to bloodshed to graphic scenes, many films today are filled with violence and are passed with a PG certificate. However, with OTT platforms, children in their pre teens and early teens also have access to such movies.

Multiple studies over the years have shown that there is a link to exposure to violence in movies and violent behaviour among youngsters. In American youth aged 15 to 34 years, two of the top three causes of death are homicide and suicide, and many of these deaths involve firearms. It is said gun violence will lead to more deaths than cancer, pneumonia, influenza, asthma, HIV/AIDS combined.

Thus, if you have access to OTT, check the censor rating and adhere to it before you decide watch a movie.

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What is Karate?

The word karate means 'empty hands', fighting without weapons. Karate is a fast dangerous fighting sport using punches, kicks and throws. Originally from China, karate has been developed in Japan where the first school (dojo) was set up in 1924. Karate can be used for self-defence or attack.

In sporting karate and sparring (kumite) in training, blows and kicks are stopped short, preferably within an inch of contact. Sporting matches commonly last about three minutes, to a decision, if neither contestant has scored a clean “killing” point in the estimation of the judges. Contests of form (kata) are also held, in which single competitors perform predetermined series of movements simulating defense and counterattack against several opponents. Performances are scored by a panel of judges, as in gymnastics.

Karate evolved in East Asia over a period of centuries, becoming systematized in Okinawa in the 17th century, probably by people forbidden to carry weapons. It was imported into Japan in the 1920s. Several schools and systems developed, each favouring somewhat different techniques and training methods. Karate, like other Asian martial-arts disciplines, stresses mental attitude, rituals of courtesy, costumes, and a complex ranking system (by colour of belt). There is some overlapping of technique with other fighting styles.

Credit : Britannica 

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What is Judo?

Judo was probably developed by Chinese Buddhist monks to defend themselves without hurting their attacker. By using holds, throws and falls the attacker's size can be used against them.

There are no punches or kicks used in judo, it is mainly used for self defence.

Men’s judo competitions were first included at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964 and were held regularly from 1972. World judo championships for women began in 1980, and women’s Olympic competition began in 1992. Japan, Korea, France, Germany, and Great Britain have consistently fielded the strongest teams in the Olympics, as did the Soviet Union during its existence.

Judo’s direction has changed since its inception. Kan? designed judo to be a safe, cooperative method of physical education. J?d?ka spend a great amount of time learning to fall safely. Even in randori, the person performing the throw (the tori) helps the person receiving (the uke) to the ground by holding onto his arm and guiding him to a safe fall. By contrast, in Western wrestling one does not help an opponent to fall, and coaches spend little if any time teaching their wrestlers how to fall safely. As judo competitions became more popular, however, j?d?ka began to exhibit the competitive spirit more usually found in Western wrestlers; they began concentrating on judo as a sport rather than as a drill or a way of life. The inclusion of judo in the Olympic Games marked the turning point in this transformation.

This competitive spirit can be seen in the change in the attitude of many j?d?ka in regard to scoring. Only clean throws demonstrating superior timing and a knowledge of body mechanics were rewarded with a score in the pre-Olympic period. Currently in judo, the scoring system awards an ippon (“one point”) for a conclusive technique that wins a match by its successful execution, a waza-ari (half point), and minor points (called yuko). In a major shift from traditional judo, in a modern match a j?d?ka will often play conservatively and work for a win based only on partial scores from minor points, rather than risking all in the attempt for an ippon. This shift to competitive judo has been aided by the success of European and Russian j?d?ka, influenced by their strong wrestling traditions and in particular the Russian development of sambo (which was itself based upon judo).

Credit : Britannica 

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Mobile Premier League is India's second gaming 'unicorn'

Mobile Premier League (MPL) has become India's second gaming unicorn after Dream11 in 2019, raising funds at a $2.3 billion valuation (the term 'unicorn' refers to any startup that reaches the valuation of $1 billion, laying emphasis on the rarity of such start ups). The Bangalore-based start-up connects game publishers with players on its app. Users in India, Indonesia and the U.S. can access dozens of free titles - ranging from sudoku, speed chess and puzzles to shooting, fantasy and strategy games and participate in gaming contests and prize money tournaments. India is one the world's largest markets for game downloads with 840 million installs in June 2021, and the country has 400 million gamers. "Gaming is the only entertainment content where language is no barrier," says MPL founder Sai Srinivas Kiran. "Young India will make gaming so mainstream that one day soon gaming could become more popular than watching movies," he adds.

Picture Credit  Google

What is the E game and why is it used?

This one is for all the gamers. I love playing FIFA in my free time. I have mini tournaments at my home with my friends regularly. While observing my friends compete against each other, it strikes me, wouldn't it be cool to do this as your career? As it gets paid to play games or to make them! And guess what? IT IS A CAREER!

The past year has seen a boom in the gaming scene. PUBG, Fortnite, FIFA, Online chess, Counter strike, Fortnite, etc., have all seen a tremendous increase in the number of players. Yes, we can get the cause down to the lockdown but the e-gaming scene has been developing all around the world for many years now.

There are 5 major gaming networks in India now as well:

1. ESL India Premiership: For games such as Brawl Stars, Counter Strike, Dota-2, FIFA, League of Legends, Mortal Kombat, etc.

2. NGS Championships: NGS organizes tournaments and is a one-stop platform for all gamers to practise, compete, and win attractive cash prizes. Some of the top games for tournaments are: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Need for Speed, PUBG, FIFA, and many more.

3. PUBG Mobile India: PUBG Mobile India organizes events and tournaments in India for extremely competitive and pro-PUBG players. The winning teams get massive cash prizes up to 50,00,000.

4. U Cypher: U Cypher is an ESports franchise which has multiple platforms for multi-gaming eSports championships. It organizes tournaments and championship battles for games such as Counter Strike GO, Tekken 7, DOTA 2, etc. with prize money ranging from anywhere between 15 lakh to 251 lakh.

5. Ultimate Battle: It organizes multiplayer mobile, console, and PC video game tournaments online. It also offers amazing cash prizes for games such as PUBG, Call of Duty, FIFA, DOTA 2, CS: GO, and many others.

Apart from this, you could also be a gaming influencer by showcasing your gaming skills in any game you like on the platform Twitch. So as you can see there is a big scope for gamers in India. Looking at the success of the above-mentioned platforms, many new platforms could come up in the near future. Thus the gaming scene isn't going anywhere.

Let's go deeper. What about those who don't just want to play the games but also make them? Well, good question. The idea of a game brings together multiple individuals who help in the development of the game. There are so many elements involved in making a gaming experience meaningful and exciting. Here are a few of the careers involved in the making of the complete game.

1. Video Game Artist: A video gamer artist designer creates the whole outlook of the game right from the beginning to the end. They design the gameplay, the elements of the game like the look of the screen and the characters in the game, and most importantly decide the format of the game; i.e., whether it's a story or a competitive game. To be a video game artist you could go for a B. Tech. in Software Engineering or Bachelor's in Computer Applications. You also need a Bachelor's degree in Animation or a simple diploma in Animation..

2. Animation: The animation professional helps the designer in bringing the initial elements of the game together. You will have to take course on animation from any computer agency near you, or you could take up a proper Bachelor's in Animation from any university that offers it.

3. Video Game Programmer: After the idea and the design of the game is ready, the programmer develops the game as a whole using coding. The programmer has one of the most important roles in the development of the game. You may have noticed certain glitches while playing a game. These issues normally come down to the programmer. The better the programmer the lower the number of glitches. To be a game programmer you could go for B.Tech. in Software Engineering or a Bachelor's in Computer Applications.

4. Sound Engineer: Once the video elements are set, the audio elements need to be taken care of. That's where the sound engineer comes in. The sound engineer is the one who records the voices for the characters in the game and also the sounds for all the actions in the game. Think about it, if you mute the games you play, would you enjoy it? I don't think I would. All you need to have a career in this field is a Bachelor's in Sound Engineering and Sound Editing. There are diploma courses in the same as well.

Gaming ranks right up there amongst the new and upcoming careers not only in India but also all over the world. While the career of the gamer might not be that different from that of a sportsman, Le, it may depend on the capability of the gamer, the career of a game creator comes down to your interest in software development, engineering and animation. While choosing either of these options, please understand where your interest areas and your capabilities lie. So what are you waiting for? Get gaming!

Credit : Darryl D’Souza (The Teenager Today)

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Which famous landmark was built for an expo celebrating the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution?

When Gustave Eiffel’s company built Paris’ most recognizable monument for the 1889 World’s Fair, many regarded the massive iron structure with skepticism. Today, the Eiffel Tower, which continues to serve an important role in television and radio broadcasts, is considered an architectural wonder and attracts more visitors than any other paid tourist attraction in the world.

In 1889, Paris hosted an Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) to mark the 100-year anniversary of the French Revolution. More than 100 artists submitted competing plans for a monument to be built on the Champ-de-Mars, located in central Paris, and serve as the exposition’s entrance. The commission was granted to Eiffel et Compagnie, a consulting and construction firm owned by the acclaimed bridge builder, architect and metals expert Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel. While Eiffel himself often receives full credit for the monument that bears his name, it was one of his employees—a structural engineer named Maurice Koechlin—who came up with and fine-tuned the concept. Several years earlier, the pair had collaborated on the Statue of Liberty’s metal armature.

Eiffel reportedly rejected Koechlin’s original plan for the tower, instructing him to add more ornate flourishes. The final design called for more than 18,000 pieces of puddle iron, a type of wrought iron used in construction, and 2.5 million rivets. Several hundred workers spent two years assembling the framework of the iconic lattice tower, which at its inauguration in March 1889 stood nearly 1,000 feet high and was the tallest structure in the world—a distinction it held until the completion of New York City’s Chrysler Building in 1930. (In 1957, an antenna was added that increased the structure’s height by 65 feet, making it taller than the Chrysler Building but not the Empire State Building, which had surpassed its neighbor in 1931.) Initially, only the Eiffel Tower’s second-floor platform was open to the public; later, all three levels, two of which now feature restaurants, would be reachable by stairway or one of eight elevators.

Millions of visitors during and after the World’s Fair marveled at Paris’ newly erected architectural wonder. Not all of the city’s inhabitants were as enthusiastic, however: Many Parisians either feared it was structurally unsound or considered it an eyesore. The novelist Guy de Maupassant, for example, allegedly hated the tower so much that he often ate lunch in the restaurant at its base, the only vantage point from which he could completely avoid glimpsing its looming silhouette.

Credit : History 

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Which tasty treat was used as money by U.S. soldiers during World War II?

The bar was hardly the only sweet in the D-Day rations. Sugar was an easy way to pep up the troops, and the quick burst of energy it provided made a welcome addition to kit bags. Along with the D rations, troops received three days worth of K ration packs. These were devised more as meal replacements and not sustenance snacks like the D rations, and came complete with coffee, canned meats, processed cheese and tons of sugar. At various points during the war, men could find powdered orange or lemon drink, caramels, chewing gum and—of course—more chocolate. 

In addition to chocolate, Hershey also produced parts for naval anti-aircraft guns. And the company wasn't the only food titan of the era that joined the nationwide effort to support American troops. Heinz created self-heating cans that could be lit with a cigarette, Kellogg’s supplied K-Rations for soldiers' breakfasts.

Credit :  History 

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Is Pennsylvania spelled correctly on the Liberty Bell?

Tradition tells of a chime that changed the world on July 8, 1776, with the Liberty Bell ringing out from the tower of Independence Hall summoning the citizens of Philadelphia to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.

The Pennsylvania Assembly ordered the Bell in 1751 to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges, Pennsylvania's original Constitution. It speaks of the rights and freedoms valued by people the world over. Particularly forward thinking were Penn's ideas on religious freedom, his liberal stance on Native American rights, and his inclusion of citizens in enacting laws.

The Liberty Bell gained iconic importance when abolitionists in their efforts to put an end to slavery throughout America adopted it as a symbol.

As the Bell was created to commemorate the golden anniversary of Penn's Charter, the quotation "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," from Leviticus 25:10, was particularly apt. For the line in the Bible immediately preceding "proclaim liberty" is, "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year." What better way to pay homage to Penn and hallow the 50th year than with a bell proclaiming liberty?

Also inscribed on the Bell is the quotation, "By Order of the Assembly of the Province of Pensylvania for the State House in Philada." Note that the spelling of "Pennsylvania" was not at that time universally adopted. In fact, in the original Constitution, the name of the state is also spelled "Pensylvania." If you get a chance to visit the second floor of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, take a moment to look at the original maps on the wall. They, too, have the state name spelled "Pensylvania" (and the Atlantic Ocean called by the name of that day, "The Western Ocean"). The choice of the quotation was made by Quaker Isaac Norris, speaker of the Assembly.

Credit : US History 

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Which race car driver became the first woman to win the IndyCar series?

On April 20, 2008, 26-year-old Danica Patrick wins the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan, making her the first female winner in IndyCar racing history.

Danica Patrick was born on March 25, 1982, in Beloit, Wisconsin. She became involved in racing as a young girl and as a teenager moved to England in pursuit of better training opportunities. In 2002, after returning to the United States, she began driving for the Rahal Letterman Racing team, owned by 1986 Indianapolis 500 champ Bobby Rahal and late-night talk-show host David Letterman. In 2005, Patrick started competing in IndyCar events, which include the famed Indianapolis 500 race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana.

On May 29, 2005, Patrick made her Indy 500 debut, becoming just the fourth female driver ever to compete in the celebrated 500-mile race, which was first held in 1911 and today is considered one of auto racing’s premier events. (Driver Janet Guthrie first broke the gender barrier at the Indy 500 in 1977.) During Patrick’s inaugural Indy 500, she led the race for 19 laps, marking the first time a woman ever led a lap in the competition. In the end, the diminutive driver, who stands 5’2? and tips the scales at 100 pounds, finished the race in fourth place. She later earned Rookie of the Year honors for the Indy Racing League’s 2005 season and finished 12th in the overall standings.

During the 2006 season, Patrick finished in ninth place in the overall IndyCar standings, but didn’t win any major races. In 2007, she moved to the Andretti Green Racing team and finished the season seventh in the standings. On April 20, 2008, Patrick won the Indy Japan 300–her 50th IndyCar Series race–at Twin Ring Montegi, a 1.5-mile oval track, making her the first female winner of a major U.S.-sanctioned open-wheel race. She finished the 200-lap race 5.8594 seconds ahead of Helio Castroneves, then a two-time Indy 500 champ. At the 2009 Indy 500, Patrick came in third behind winner Castroneves and second-place finisher Dan Wheldon.

Credit : History

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Sweat, Duet and Simon says are all modes of which video game?

Just Dance 3 is a music video game released on the Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 with Kinect and Move support respectively for the latter two. It is part of the Just Dance video game series published by Ubisoft originally on the Wii and the third main installment of the series. Just Dance 3 was announced shortly after the release of Just Dance 2 and was released on October 7, 2011 in North America and October 11, 2011 in Australia and Europe. Emiliana Torrini's song "Jungle Drum" was going to appear in the game, but it was later taken out for unknown reasons. Ubisoft released Just Dance 4 in October 2012.

Just Dance 3 received positive reviews from critics and is the best-selling third-party Wii game of all-time, with sales of 9.92 million.

Like its predecessors, up to four players can play to mirror on-screen dance choreography from over 40 songs, as they are judged on their ability to follow a dance routine to a chosen song. Along with solo and duet modes, Just Dance 3 features a Dance Crew mode which allows 4 players to dance together, each with their own unique choreography, as well as playlists that group songs into different categories. Players can unlock gifts such as new songs, game modes, as well as Dance Mashups which combines different dance routines in this game and the second Just Dance game into one song. Returning features in the game include Non-Stop Shuffle, Speed Shuffle, and Just Sweat Mode.

The Wii and PlayStation 3 versions have a Hold My Hand dance mode, where up to 8 players can share 4 Wii Remotes or PlayStation Move controllers to dance. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions also have a karaoke feature that uses the PlayStation Eye's microphone and the Kinect's voice recognition function, respectively, to sing along to the lyrics on-screen. The 360 version also has a Just Create mode in which players can create their own routines with the Kinect. They can be saved, shared with their friends online and be played just like any other Just Dance routine.

The Xbox 360 version ran at 30fps and the Wii and PS3 versions ran at 60fps.

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Why are the Angry Birds so angry?

In the story of Angry Birds, the pigs are stuck on a small island, and they are hungry and in need of something to eat. So – like many of us would! – they decided to eat some eggs that they found. This made the birds angry. 

With over 50 million downloads and 200 million minutes of game play each day, Angry Birds and its sequel Angry Birds 2 by Rovio have become two of the most addictive and popular mobile games of their time. While most other games struggle to maintain their place in the increasing app market competition, the two games are still top grossing.

With Angry Birds, Rovio has produced some of the most impressive mobile growth statistics in the industry – $12 billion in revenue in 2012 and an estimated $50 billion in 2017. According to Rovio, their titles received over 3.7 billion downloads!

But it wasn’t just the launch of Angry Birds that made them successful. Since 79% of their revenue is tied to the Angry Birds brand, the company had to work on diversifying its titles to fuel their growth consistently in the market.

When the competitors started releasing freemium games that made money through in game purchases, Rovio experienced an operating loss and had to downsize in 2015. But the growth started with the release of the Angry birds movie and some other games that were launched with the freemium model.

The mobile app growth of Angry Birds didn’t stop with gaming revenues. The brand became so popular that Rovio was able to expand it into merchandising and even launch the Angry Birds movie in theatres.

Credit : Get Social

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In which video game would you find athlete Kobe Bryant?

Bryant, a five-time NBA champion for the Lakers, was previously the cover athlete for NBA 2K10 and NBA 2K17. He will have his career and legacy celebrated in the Mamba Forever Edition of NBA 2K21 that will feature two custom covers and will be available on both current-generation and next-gen consoles.

The covers will honor the span of Bryant’s career, from his days wearing the No. 8 Lakers jersey to the night of his final NBA game at the Staples Center in 2016.

“NBA 2K21 is a monumental leap forward for the franchise,” stated Greg Thomas, president of visual concepts at 2K. “We’re combining all of our experience and development expertise to craft the best game possible and for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. We are building the game from the ground up to take full advantage of next-gen power and technology.”

There will be more announcements regarding 2K21 in the coming months, including first looks at new gameplay.

NBA 2K21 drops Sept. 4 on PS4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One and will become available on PS5 and Xbox Series X upon their holiday season launch.

Credit : The Hollywood Reporter

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What is the origin of Sudoku?

Sipping on a morning up of tea with a pencil in hand trying to solve the latest Sudoku published in the paper has become a routine for many. But do you know who invented this game or how it has evolved over the years?

Dubbed divided into Rubik’s cube of the 21st century, Sudoku consists of a grid of 81 squares, divided into nine blocks of nine squares each. Some of the squares already contain figures. The goal is to fill in the empty squares with numbers one to nine without any repetition.

Sudoku is a contraction of a Japanese phrase for “every number must be single”. However, contrary to popular beliefs, the game did not originate in the land of the rising sun.

How it originated

Experts are divided on the origin of Sudoku. An 18th Century Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler is usually credited with devising a game from which the modern-day Sudoku has evolved. Euler’s game called Latin Squares was made up of a grid in which a number or symbol appears only once in each row or column. However, many believe that the game might have come from China and India All that we know is that early versions of this game began to be published in newspapers in France in 1895. In the 1970s, Howard Games, a freelance puzzle inventor, published it in Dell Pencil Puzzles and Wont Games magazine in New York in the US under the name Number Place. It became a regular feature, but its enthusiasts remained niche.

The Godfather of Sudoku

A few years later, in 1984, the grid-based game became a sensation in Japan thanks to Maki Kaji, the publisher of Nikoli magazine, who reinvented the game and gave it a new name Sudoku quickly caught on in Japan as an alternative to crosswords. The letters of the Japanese alphabet or kanji are not suited for crosswords.

The empty squares caught the attention of Wayne Gould on his visit to Tokyo in 1997. He published the puzzles in The Times of London and they spread like wildfire. Sudoku struck a chord with people around the world as it does not require extensive knowledge of English. Soon, the game began to appear in newspapers and magazines around the world.

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