Hi Harvey,

My daughter, who is currently in the third grade, has been bringing home Sodoku math sheets as extra credit most of the year now. In the beginning when I looked at them, I thought "Oh no, not THESE again, as my older son had the same type of "Superstars math" during his elementary experience as well, and it proved very frustrating. When she first brought them home, they weren't TOO bad, as they were beginners, but as the year progressed, they too became frustrating and very time consuming.

I wondered to myself, "There HAS to be a logical way to attack these", and I went on the internet and googled ‘Sudoku’ and found your site. The e mails we have received have been so helpful to us that for Christmas both my kids got a hand-held electronic Sudoku game, because they ASKED for them! It has gone from a source of frustration to a source of fun in this household! The hardest part we thought was just deciding how to begin. With your tips on approaching the game, we were able to progress into the puzzle and really piece it all together in relatively short time.

Now, when they come home in the backpack we look forward to them and my daughter’s friends at school ask her strategies because she has gotten pretty good at them! Thank you for the e- mails and please keep them coming so we can keep advancing. It's much better than trying to read and decipher manufacturer’s instructions and it has become so popular now that our local paper started printing Sudoku puzzles weekly. So, now we have even more puzzles to work with.

Mrs. E. M. Rogers
Osterville, Massachusetts

Hi Harvey,

I have been playing sudoku for about 7 months. The most difficult thing about this puzzle for me would be when I am down to the last few squares and it comes down to guessing, when there is no definite answer. These letters have helped my sudoku playing. I have always realized that there must be
some formula to it and have tried to figure it out. Reading your letters has made me really excited and much more determined to learn the secrets that unlock everything. That alone has improved the way I play.

Thank you for keeping in touch.

Emma May Delbridge
Perth

I have benefited greatly from you lessons. Doing Sudoku is a very good way to spend time while waiting at doctor offices or the hospital, which I do a lot of. I can very much recommend it to anyone who likes to tease their brain.
Keep up your lessons. I know it must help a lot of folks!

Earl Wells 
Winchester, Ky.

Dear Harvey,

I only discovered Sudoku two weeks ago. I thought they would be easy for me because I pride myself on logic and puzzle-solving. I've even been a test writer for major testing companies, writing questions in the areas of informal logic and number puzzles. Yet, Sudoku had me stumped and pulling my hair out. Now I know why--I was trying to jump in too deep and too quickly. Your letters helped me in two ways. First they kept me from quitting after a few failed attempts. Second, they showed me how to go slowly, learning the principles first, before trying to solve a complete puzzle. Thank you for the skills and the inspiration!

Elizabeth Redekop
Amherst, MA

Hi Harvey,

I have been playing Sudoku for about six weeks and am enjoying it immensely.

When I first saw the game I was totally confused and did not know where to begin. I checked out several how-to books and still was unable to get started. Then I came across your website and received several of your letters. The approach to the puzzle finally became clearer. I have since moved from easy, to medium, to hard puzzles, and look forward to trying the hardest puzzles.
Thanks for the help.

Carol Lubomski
Bayside, NY

I have been playing sudoku for less than a month. A fellow worker makes copies from the newspaper, and distributes them around. Over half our work force is now doing them. I needed your web site to get me started on the basics. I have since bought a series of puzzles that go from easy to hard. I am trying to build up a little speed. I am getting the hard puzzles but it takes work on my part which I could still use tips for. The most difficult thing for me is when you have a number that is not in the puzzle at all to begin with.

Barb Winch,
Scottsdale, AZ.

Dear Harvey,

I've only been playing Sudoku for about three months. The single most difficult thing for me BEFORE I started reading the letters was playing in an organized manner. I used logic, but haphazardly. The letters helped me to discover patterns and how to use them in solving. I found if I followed the suggestions, I was able to get on a role and solve several in a relatively short time (so I could go on to the next one!)

Barbara Lynch, Branford, CT

Hi Harvey,

One of the most frustrating parts of trying to solve the puzzles was when I had two numbers in two cells and had to guess which one was correct. In addition, I found that at times there was an additional cell that had the same 2 numbers as well as a third. It was brought to my attention that the third number had to be the correct one for the three number cells as the other two cells had only two possible solutions. This really helps resolve many number issues. Thanks for the tips.

Fred Balmages
Baltimore, Maryland

Hi Harvey,

I have been doing Sudoku for roughly 2 years now. I was shown the possibility matrix method of solving sudoku by a friend, but I did not really understand it so I did not use it very much at first. However, by a combination of rereading what he showed me and reading some of your newsletters, I have learned just how wonderfully useful the possibility matrix really is. It is a very useful way to solve just about any sudoku and I have taught all of my school friends how to use it and they thanked me because until I could work out how to explain it I just did it for them while they sat and watched and grew very confused!! Now many of my friends do sudoku, but I don't think any of them do them as much as me - I really am totally addicted to them!!

Jenny Schwarz,
Marlborough, England

Hi Harvey,

I just started looking at the Sudoku puzzles recently when my daughter started bringing them home from school. I began working the ones in the newspaper every day and found them to be a lot of fun.

Your newsletters gave me the confidence to know that I could complete any of the puzzles, even the black belt ones! I am actually having a bit of fun doing them to pass the time while I wait for my daughter to finish eating her meals.
Thanks for your help!

Julia Miller
Taylorsville, NC

Dear Harvey,

I've been playing Sudoku since it first appeared in our local newspaper, March 2005. Since then, I've purchased two books containing over 300 puzzles. Talk about addiction!

The single most thing that was difficult for me was trying to determine the logic in solving the puzzles. Once, I started to receive your newsletter, I realized how the three quadrants were interactive.

Mary Diaz,
Lancaster, NY

Hi Harvey,

I've enjoyed and valued all your emails. I found the one about Kids Sudoku very helpful as I am a teacher and for my students recognizing patterns is very helpful. In math and other academic subjects, I build logic skills and help make them fun to my students by using the puzzles. Keep up the great work.

Amy Hellesen

Hi Mr. Intelm,

Thanks for your e-mail. I’ve been doing sudoku for about 6 months and I enjoy doing them very much.
I also enjoy doing the daily sudoku which they send to me every day. I enjoyed reading the news letter as well but am still a bit confused when having done most of the puzzle there is more than one option to put a number. Mind you it could be that I'm a bit thick. The letters you sent me helped, but not to solve some of the more difficult puzzles.

Mr. Mick Paul
Northamptonshire

Hi Harvey,

This is the least I can do. This game has filled 2 to 3 hours of my week. It's got my mind working and it keeps me motivated. I'm the type of person that hates to loose, and when I can't solve one, it drives me nuts. We've also made this a family game as well, and we really have a good time together trying to solve the puzzles I've been playing SUDOKU for 3 mths now and I luv it.

I'm not sure what your letters have done for me, but I do know that they have kept me involved with the game since I started. I'm learning all the time.

Mickey Poulin
Kitchener Ontario, Canada
Thanks for getting me started!

Hi Harvey,

I'm a sudoku 'newbie' (less than a month). Since I'm so new I guess the most difficult thing for me BEFORE the newsletter was having a technique to solve puzzles (rather than hit & miss/ guess till I got it right). I've only gotten a couple of letters so far but they already help in that I now feel a 'connection' to someone else who really enjoys playing. The positive reinforcement is a real plus for someone like me who is just getting started. But, thanks to you and your newsletter I think I'm hooked. Like you say, sudoku is about having fun and keeping your mind active. Since I'm retired that's a real plus and I can have fun while keeping my mind active.

Thanks and keep the letters coming.

Mike Ward
Baytown, Texas

Hi Mr. Intelm,

I have just started to do Sudoku puzzle now for about a week. I too get so frustrated because I can do one puzzle (easy) and then I would do a Medium and it takes me so long to complete it. I want to get better so I decided to go on line and that is when I found your website. Your letters gave me incentive to continue and if your daughter can do it I am sure I can too with a little help. I am hooked on the puzzle and I would like to get better. I am doing this because I would like to help my mind to be stronger and to be able to think. Your letters are wonderful and very helpful. So with this in mind I am awaiting for a return mail from you. I am very excited about getting your books so I can better myself and to understand truly what sukoku is all about. Thank you for your return email.

Faye Sally Brewster
California

Again, many thanks for your help.

Sally

Hello!

I am a Sudoku addict, like many. Also, before I started reading Harvey's letters and guidelines my game has surely stepped up. I have been playing Sudoku for just a couple of months and I always had difficulty with my number placement and finding doubles in every line! However, after reading these informational newsletters, my skills greatly improved, now it is taking me about half the time to solve these puzzles! They really do help to make you a better player!

Sara Hobbi
Fairless Hills

Hi,

The letters are entertaining and informative.
My solving has improved a bit by reading.
I have been doing the "sudoku" for about four months.
I just found a web site to do online.
I like the fast pace and they are easy to carry.
Thanks again,

Linda Pendergast
Covina, CA

I have found your messages helpful, but I am still at a loss on the 9 square puzzles as to which number to put first. I am recent player and have only started to play since receiving your lessons
I found the 4 square puzzles very simple, but I am at a complete loss with the 9 squares.

Patricia Grundy
Melbourne, Australia

Hi Harvey,

I have been doing Sudoku puzzles for a long, long time - before they were popularized by the Japanese reselling of them in fact. They started in the U.S., spread to Japan, and NOW they're a hot topic. But I loved them before that.

In what way do your letters help? They are targeted at a variety of puzzle lovers. And as any sudoku puzzle lover knows, any sudoku puzzle cries out to be solved, so the fact it makes them so readily available is a really nice thing.

In addition, it provides a productive use for email. So often we get spam or other undesirable letters in the mail. These letters are of a completely different nature - they're desirable! The result is that the letters are a kind of package deal of goodness - they provide a positive outlet for a sudoku addict AND increase the productivity of whatever email provider you have. A win-win situation!

As for what was the hardest thing I experienced BEFORE I started reading the letters - that would have to be distraction! The letters allow me to focus on solving those very puzzles I so adore!
Thank you for your time

Jason Loiselle
Hampton Roads, VA