sudoku

noun

su·​do·​ku sü-ˈdō-kü 

: a puzzle in which missing numbers are to be filled into a 9 by 9 grid of squares which are subdivided into 3 by 3 boxes so that every row, every column, and every box contains the numbers 1 through 9

Examples of sudoku in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Note that approximating a solution or solving a small instance (most of us can solve a 9 × 9 sudoku) doesn't suffice. —Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 22 Dec. 2023

Tyson, Dom, and Justine officially quit the final as Cayla arrives to start on the sudoku. —Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 15 Sep. 2022

Bitcoin mining remains a lightning rod of controversy in crypto—a physical manifestation of the otherwise digital sector that guzzles energy at the magnitude of medium-size countries in order to, as detractors love to say, solve a glorified sudoku. —Byleo Schwartz, Fortune Crypto, 31 May 2023

Tyson's fingers are shaking from the cold, and he's shocked when Danny finishes the sudoku first and moves on. —Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 15 Sep. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Japanese sūdoku, short for sūji wa dokushin ni kagiru "the numerals must remain single" (i.e., the digits can occur only once)

First Known Use

2000, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sudoku

noun

su·​do·​ku

sü-ˈdō-kü

: a puzzle in which several numbers are to be filled into a 9x9 grid of squares so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9

Etymology

from Japanese sūdoku, short for sūji wa dokushin ni kagiru "the numbers must remain single" (i.e., the digits can occur only once)