Thursday, September 10, 2009

Sudoku vs. Crossword

I was recently bitten by the Sudoku dragon, so in my guilt over not having any books to blog about for a while, I thought I'd cheat and blog about Sudoku books. There are a couple out there, The Mensa Guide to Solving Sudoku and Mastering Sudoku Week by Week, but they didn't seem as compelling to write about as these crossword puzzle books that BHPL owns. My theory is that the Sudoku people aren't as obsessed with words as crossword puzzlers, so they don't write as much. From what I've read online, there are plenty of stories, like this one about the Australian numbats, so I wish a sudoku champion would hurry up and write their memoirs.

Crossworld: One Man's Journey into America's Crossword Obsession by Marc Romano

" . . writer, translator, and lifelong puzzler Marc Romano goes where no Number 2 pencil has gone before as he delves into the minds of the world's cleverest crossword creators and puzzlers, and sets out on his quest to join their ranks." (from the book's annotation)

Cruciverbalism: a Crossword Fanatic's Guide to Life in the Grid by Stanley Newman with Mark Lasswell

"Offering an inside look at the world of crosswords, this guide to life on the grid pulls back the curtain on puzzle-making itself, outlining the history of crosswords and showing how rules and mindsets of puzzle editors have changed over time." (from the book's annotation)

Pretty Girl in Crimson Rose (8) : a Memoir of Love, Exile, and Crosswords by Sandy Balfour.

"Think Word Freak with international flair. A nonfiction "Ella Minnow Pea" with a built-in book-length puzzle. Pretty Girl in Crimson Rose (8) will enthrall--or obsess--anyone interested in words." (from the book's annotation)

Four-letter Words : and Other Secrets of a Crossword Insider by Michelle Arnot

"Crossword puzzle expert and champion Arnot has complied this irresistibly fun and entertaining manual filled with fascinating facts, puzzle miscellany, and surefire tips for puzzle solving." (from the book's annotation)

Are you a Sudoku person, or a crossword puzzle person? Can you be both?

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