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How to Make Sudoku Puzzles for Kids

Sudoku is a puzzle game in which each column, row and three-square by three-square grid must have the numbers one through nine without duplicates in order to be solved. Players use existing numbers to fill in the blanks until they have the solution. Each puzzle has only one solution. Making your own puzzle is not an easy task and requires a great deal of patience because to make a single solution game that can be played by others, in this case children, you'll have to undergo some intensive trial and error. Follow the steps below to get started on your own Sudoku puzzle for kids.

Things You'll Need

Paper
Pencil
Eraser
Computer
Printer

Instructions

- 1
  Download and print out a Sudoku game grid with possibilities or blank. You can do this at sites like Sudoku Essentials. These grids are blank templates that will allow you to write in numbers to create a new puzzle.
- 2
  Create your solution first by filling in the grid with numbers one through nine. Make sure there are no repeats in any row, column or grid. If you get a repeat, you will have to erase several or all of your numbers and start again.
- 3
  Begin removing mirrored pairs of numbers. These are the numbers in blocks that overlap when the grid is folded in half. The fewer pairs you take out the easier the puzzle is to solve. Too many blanks and a child will not be able to play.
- 4
  Test the puzzle each time you remove a mirrored pair. If at any time the puzzle can e solved more than one way, reinsert the numbered pairs until it has only one solution. Extremely difficult puzzles remove pairs until a single solution puzzle is no longer possible. Keep yours simpler with fewer removed pairs to ensure that kids can complete it.

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