Free Kakuro Game
Learn How to Play Kakuro
Kakuro is a game of numbers and logic that is steadily growing in popularity around the world. Similar to the famous game Sudoku, Kakuro is just about the numbers and requires the player to have some skills in mathematical reasoning. On the other hand, if you are capable of adding up small numbers, then you have what it takes to play Kakuro.
What is Kakuro?
A Kakuro board looks a little like a grid for a crossword puzzle the first time you see it. The major difference, however, is that on the Kakuro grid, the numbers represent the total sum of all of the individual cells in that particular column or row.
It is believed that Kakuro originated in the sixties and began showing up in game magazines at that time. The word Kakuro is derived from the Japanese phrase 'Kasan Kuroso', which is a combination of the words 'across' and 'addition'. It is believed that it was the creation of a Japanese businessman by the name of McKee Kaji.
How to Play Kakuro
Now that you know what the game is and where it came from, you are probably curious as to how to play the game. No problem, the rules are easy to understand.
Every one of the grids features a starting point just like you might see on a crossword puzzle, with white squares and black squares. The idea is to fill in the white squares with a number that ranges from one to nine. However, the trick is that in every set of numbers, the answer will only contain each number a single time.
Every puzzle has both vertical and horizontal lines. These lines contain a specific amount of white, or blank, squares. The number of blank squares depends on the size and the layout of the Kakuro grid that you have chosen to play.
The point of the game is to enter the numbers in each section that will equal the total sum that is indicated as the answer for the grid. A number in the lower half of the box indicates a downwards sum. A number in the top half of the box indicates a horizontal sum. Players of Arrowwords puzzles will be familiar with the concept.
The strategy for playing Kakuro is simple
First of all, begin by looking for the lines that have the least amount of squares. You should try to find the answer to the lines with the fewest squares before moving on to tackle the larger runs. There will be fewer combinations and more certainty if you complete the small runs first.
Learning how to solve a Kakuro puzzle faster than all of your friends means that you have to learn about number patterns. If you know all of the valid number combinations that can add up to a specific number in a certain number of blank squares, then you will be able to solve puzzles rather quickly.
There is not a whole lot of certainty in the game of Kakuro. However, when you do find a little certainty, it is important to know all about it. Kakuro is a fun game that can be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere at any time. You can take a few with you on an airplane ride or give a couple to the kids for long road trips. Everyone will enjoy Kakuro.
