PUZZLING NUMBERS.
Archana Kurup Sudheer.
“Where’s the paper?” yelled my 13-year old brother
as he stormed into the living room. He looked really irritated and frustrated. My mom and I ran to see what the matter was. He’s never like this; I wondered aloud .He was frantically searching for the newspaper as though his existence depended on it.
“What’s the matter, dear?” asked my mother sweetly. He ignored her and continued his rampage of the pile of papers in the room. My mother’s patience was wearing down. I was also getting very puzzled with his behavior.
“This is just another of his adolescent tantrums.,” I said. “What’s with the paper then?” replied my mother. I rolled my eyes backward in ignorance.
My mother had enough. She went to my brother who was still running around in circles and shook him like a rag doll as if to wake him from his weird stupor. “What’s wrong with you? You are not the only person in this house, remember!”, she said in typical mother lingo.
My brother cooled down a bit. “My friends say I can’t solve the Sudoku”, he retorted. “Are they the only ones who can do it? Who do they think they are? I’m going to do it and show them”
The expression on my mother’s face said it all. She stood with her mouth open; a look of utter disbelief written across her face. Without saying a word she walked away, too stumped to say anything.
I couldn’t believe it! My little brother who earlier knew no other world other than his play stations and soccer was now a new victim of this ridiculous latest addiction called SUDOKU!!
“So what’s the big deal”, you might think. “It’s just like any other puzzle game”. Aha!! There’s the difference! Sudoke is not the stereotype puzzle game that one finds on the puzzle page of the newspaper. It’s something that seems to have some sort of unknown powers. Since it was largely introduced some months back, it has become the number one addiction for a lot many people. It came with a bang and is here to stay.
This is only the tip of the iceberg. Playing Sudoku has also become some sort of fashion statement. “You don’t play the Sudoku? How funny!,”I overheard one woman saying to another.Her eyes stood out like huge saucers ; her face full of disaproval for the other. That’s how the puzzle has penetrated our lives. Its become fashionable to say that you play the Sudoku everyday . It doesn’t matter if you have no brains at all. Atleast that is not visible, you know! But if you play the Sudoku, you are in the gang!
I was introduced to the game by an uncle who had just learnt it and felt it was his birthright to make it known to the world. Initially, I felt like a total fool. But soon I realized it was indeed fun. The newspaper boy near my college made sure he gave me the paper that had the puzzle in it. I had passed my craze to him as well! This craze lasted for quite a while .I was totally into it that it even became the content of my dreams at night! It was only with deliberate action on my part that I could overcome this addiction.
To top it all, the latest craze to hit people in this regard is the various Sudoku Championships being held in different places. Yes!You have heard right: a SUDOKU CHAMPIONSHIP! In my neighbourhood , a Sudoku championship was held recenty at the Siri Fort Auditorium,which was attended by a large number of people, including some eminent personalities. It was a much talked about event , with the winners being awarded for their achievement. Wow! That’s amazing!
Thus, it has been proven that humans after all need just about anything to prop them up in such a busy,and hectic life where stress is increasing and relationships are on the downward spiral. It is a good experience for those who are virgins to it. Do try it and check for yourself what this new craze is all about. Trust me, it will be an experience you will never forget!