/ 18 August 2021

Vale Mr Sudoku

One of the most rewarding (pride-wise) and frustrating (pride-wise) puzzles has to be Sudoku. The numbers game has been adored by puzzle lovers worldwide since it was taken to another level by Japanese publisher Maki Kaji in the early 2000s. There were versions of Sudoku around as early as the 18th century, but Kaji perfected it and sold it to newspaper publishers around the world. A uni-dropout, Kaji founded world-leading puzzle publisher Nikoli Co with 2 childhood friends. Yesterday, his company said the ‘godfather’ of Sudoku had died from cancer at 69yo. Kaji had taken a step back from the company in July because of his health but he continued to create and refine puzzles. “I get really moved when I see a new idea for a puzzle,” he told the BBC in 2007. “It is like finding treasure.”

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