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It was his collaboration with
Times that brought
game to
UK in November 2004, and given that his first aim was to "spread
word" about Su Doku, he's tickled but not hugely surprised at how it has engaged
population.
Mr Gould is particularly pleased that
government-produced Teachers magazine recommended last month that Su Doku be used as brain exercises in classrooms.
"It's good for getting
children to explain and discuss
logic," says consultant editor, and part time secondary teacher, Steve McCormack, "for dealing with numbers and for organisational skills."
But it's
spin-offs, like computer program sales, books and soon-to-be-launched downloadable Su Doku for phones, that have taken Mr Gould aback.
After
newspaper brought it to
UK,
obsession with
game reached such a level over winter that by
time
Telegraph launched its own "sudoku" - different spellings in different newspapers - its provider was swamped with e-mails.
Michael Mepham, a veteran puzzle producer, dusted off programs he had for similar brainteasers to come up with a Su Doku one. Since
Telegraph published
first puzzle on 24 February - a Sunday sudoku launches this weekend - he has received 60,000 emails.
He admits an early glitch created a puzzle that had more than one solution and "by golly did I get some mail" about it, he says.
But generally
feedback has been positive, curious and overwhelming, he says.
"I've never seen anything in
puzzle industry that's caused such a fuss. It's just one of those things that catches on."
Rayzee is the Founder of Rayzee International and has been an Internet Entrepreneur since 1996.
He lives with his wife Lynn in Chippenham UK.