Have you ever played the Japanese number game 「数独」 (Sudoku)? Ironically, the game is known by the Japanese name “Sudoku” (which means “single number”) outside of Japan…but in Japan, it’s usually called 「ナンプレ」, short for 「ナンバープレイス」 (“Number Place”) in English.
Do you know how to play “Sudoku“? It’s good mental exercise.
Do you want to play online? I found a Japanese game site with “Sudoku”…there are probably sites in English with Sudoku games too, but if you want to try the Japanese one I found, click here. This game is a bit different in that the goal is to win five games and get “Bingo“.
I’ll explain how to play.
First you'll see the "teacher" announcing the game "Number Place" (Sudoku)
I put a red arrow showing the 「スタート」 (“Start”) button. Click there.
This is the “Bingo card”, click a square on the grid. The arrow on the left points at possible points for each square (100 – 500). The arrow at the stove shows how many points you have.
The “100 point” games are the easiest and the “500 point” ones are the most difficult.
You can choose any five-in-a-row to try to get “Bingo”. Choosing the five “100 point” games is fine…but that “Bingo” is only worth a total of five hundred points. If you play the five difficult ones (“500 points” each) you can get a total of 2,500 points for “Bingo”. Diagonal or horizontal are OK, too.
To play "Sudoku", you have to fill in the missing numbers (1-9). But you can't repeat a number in a horizontal row...
...you can't repeat a number in a vertical column either...
...nor can you repeat a number in any of the block groups of nine squares.
Each horizontal row, vertical column, and block of nine squares must each have the numbers one through nine without repeating any.
Click on any of the empty boxes in the puzzle and a choice of the nine numbers appears. Hovering over a digit (in this case, "1") makes all of the other places in the puzzle with that number become highlighted...to help you not repeat a number in a row, column or group.
Click an empty box and then choose the number to want in that box from the pop-up. (To help you, if you make a wrong choice, it shows up red. The correct choice will show in blue.)
When you successfully complete the game, the screen goes back to your Bingo card and puts a circle in the space. And your total points increases. Choose another space on the "Bingo card" for the next round.
I played one round of each level for a diagonal Bingo worth 1500 points.
Click here to play the game.
If you try this game, tell me what you thought of it (and how many points you got) in the comments’ section of this post.
Tokyo Five 
I used to pass my time on trains playing this game. I kind of miss it.
LikeLike
Well, did you try this online one?
LikeLike
That was a lot of fun, I did the same configuration as you and I got through it with 1500 points. At first it was hard to get started because of the Japanese instructions but I finally clicked on the right place and got going.
LikeLike
>That was a lot of fun,
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
>I did the same configuration as you and I got through it with 1500 points.
Great! So, next try for 2500 points!
> At first it was hard to get started because of the Japanese instructions
I hope the instructions that I wrote on this post helped.
LikeLike
This game looks like it would fun but I can’t concentrate on it right now. it’s too late and I am tired so I will try tomorrow. it seems like it will be tricky but I want to give it a try. Dad is doing it now on his computer and he is good with games like this. I bet you are too. it reminds me of that rubicks cube (is that the right name?) and is this game anything like that? I remember how you and Dad always like to play that game and whenever we ate at that restaurant that had the game on their table the two of you would play it. I never could understand why you liked it so much. it must be a man’s thing-you know how they.say mens brains are so different from womens?
anyway, did you hear about the earthquake that we had today in Virginia? it was a 5.9 and it was scarey!! my first experience with an earthquake and I hope my last. I was in our apt alone and our apt is on the 4th floor and everything started shaking and swaying!! I had no idea what it was, all I could think was we were being attacked. I picked up my dog and ran dowqn 4 flights of stairs and when I got down to the ground there were many people there and that is when I learned that it was an earthquake. it was very scarey and all I could think of was how awful it must have been for everyone in Japan. I hope we never have to live through another one. they are very uncommon on the east coast but this one was felt from Virginia to DC to NYC to Martha’s Vineyard-where Pres. Obama was on vacation playing golf when he felt it!!
LikeLike
>This game looks like it would fun but I can’t concentrate on it right now.
Try it when you can. It’s not so difficult once you get the hang of it.
>it reminds me of that rubicks cube…is this game anything like that?
Well, I wouldn’t say that. But in the sense that they’re both “logic” puzzles, I guess they’re similar.
>did you hear about the earthquake that we had today in Virginia?
Yes. I was surprised that an earthquake hit the east coast of the U.S.!
I’ve never experienced an earthquake in America. Only in Japan.
>it was a 5.9 and it was scary!!
I now. Earthquakes are the worst natural disaster of all, I think. They strike anytime without warning.
LikeLike
LikeLike
>Word-doku sometimes
Is that Sudoku with words? How do you play it? Is it like a cross-word puzzle?
LikeLike
Yes, but with only one hint, the rest you figure out yourself.
LikeLike
Sounds difficult.
LikeLike
Sudoku can be pretty fun, but also really frustrating. I’ve had games where I got to the end and realized I made a mistake somewhere and had no idea where, so I had to start over…
LikeLike
>I made a mistake somewhere and had no idea where, so I had to start over…
I find that the fact that you can’t repeat numbers rows, columns or blocks forces me to triple-check and therefore reduces the chances of error.
But then again, the really huge Sudoku puzzles are over-whelming and begin to irritate me.
LikeLike
Could you please transcribe 「ナンプレ」and 「ナンバープレイス」for us “uneddicated”?
LikeLike
>transcribe 「ナンプレ」and 「ナンバープレイス」
「ナンバープレイス」 says “Number Place” in English using the Japanese katakana writing system, as I noted in the post above.
「ナンプレ」 is a Japanese abbreviation for 「ナンバープレイス」. I considered attempting to explain it in the post, but decided it was too off the subject. It’s close to “Num. Pla.”
Or do you mean you would like to know how to pronounce those words using romaji?
If that’s the case…
「ナンバープレイス」 is “Nanbaa Pureisu” (Number Place).
「ナンプレ」 is “Nan Pure”.
LikeLike
The last bit is what I meant, thanks a lot!
LikeLike
>thanks a lot!
No problemo.
Did you try the Sudoku game?
LikeLike
I know some people who are really addicted to the game. I’ll bet it’s great for keeping senility at bay. I’m sorry to say I haven’t quite gotten the hang of it.
LikeLike
>I haven’t quite gotten the hang of it.
It’s not so difficult once you get it.
LikeLike