Sudoku rides crest of a wave to you

The latest British invasion is a puzzle. No, really.

It’s called Sudoku, a Japanese-inspired, nine-square by nine-square grid in which players figure out what numbers (only 1 through 9) are missing to complete the rows and boxes.

Math skills aren’t necessary, although thinking inside the box is.

Sudoku is a placement puzzle. Enter a number from 1 to 9 in each cell of a 9-by-9 grid made up of 3-by-3 subgrids, starting with various numerals given in some cells. It was created by David J. Bodycombe, a British puzzle and game master.

Each row, column and region must contain only one instance of each numeral. Completing the puzzle requires patience and modest ability for logical thought, according to Wikipedia.com.

Yeah, we thought you’d like it. Apparently, Sudoku is as big in London as, say, Texas Hold ‘Em is here, but without the betting or the celebrities. One London newspaper called Sudoku “the thinking man’s crack.” And thus, it was sent across the pond to us.

Be warned: Sudoku addicts have their own Web sites, although there doesn’t seem to be any kind of self-help group just yet.

At least one source claims that Sudoku initially became popular in Japan in 1986. A New Zealander living in Hong Kong is credited for popularizing the game. He spent six years developing a computer program to replicate the puzzle. But it wasn’t until London newspapers began publishing the puzzle daily that Sudoku became a phenomenon.

In case a daily dose of Sudoku (sometimes spelled Su Doku) isn’t enough, try “The Book of Sudoku: The Hot New Puzzle Craze” (Overlook Press, $9.95) or “The Essential Book of Su Doku” (Atria Books, $9.95).