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The Winner
Given 2,000 well-written essays, picking just one to be the winner was a task we wouldn't wish on anyone. In winnowing the selections down, we relied on the criteria stated in the rules, a precise blend of creativity, practicality, and best use of language.At the end, we chose the entry from Sharon Stoliaroff in Maryland. Her submission was creative -- no other entry was remotely like it in form or style. It was wise, capturing the best collective secrets of Sudoku with wonderful simplicity and clarity.
And the writing was economical and compelling. As veteran professional writers and editors, we judges felt this was one essay we could not improve on. So our congratulations -- and a $10,000 check! -- to Sharon, for the following submission:
Dear Sensei,
What is the secret of Sudoku?
-- Humble Beginner
Dear Humble,
There are many answers for the beginner:
Use a sharp pencil with a clean eraser.
Respect the rules of logic.
Scan nearby values for patterns.
Start in the regions, rows, and columns with the most numbers.
Re-count after completing each set to check for errors.
With practice, your eyes and your mind will see the answers.
Dear Sensei,
I have solved many puzzles with nearby values, counting, marking, elimination, logic, and guessing, but some I cannot solve. What is the secret of Sudoku?
-- Skilled Solver
Dear Skilled,
There is one answer for the skilled:
The secret of Sudoku lies within yourself.
Practice patience, focus, flexibility, daring, perseverance, respect, and the willingness to erase and begin again.
Then will the beauty of each pattern emerge and all the Sudokus be solved.
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