By
eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Look for 9 by 9 grid puzzles with nine sectioned boxes of nine cells within the grid. Sudoku look similar to crossword puzzles, but you don't use any word clues to solve the puzzles.
Step2
See that numbers 1 through 9 fit into the puzzle in each row, column and box with no repetitions. Sudoku can also use letters, symbols, shapes or other numbers besides 1 through 9.
Step3
Check the difficulty level. Sudoku puzzles should have no more than 30 givens--numbers or symbols already built into the puzzle. The easiest level puzzles have 30; the fewer the givens the more difficult the game is to solve.
Step4
Identify non-traditional sudoku puzzles by using these standards but looking for a small twist. Puzzles may contain a larger grid, such as a 16 by 16, or smaller grid, such as 5 by 5, or even a circular game board. Some use colors instead of numbers or symbols. These other types are often found in sudoku puzzle books as a challenging or fun variation to traditional types.
Step5
Look for variations called nonomino sudoku, kakuro, killer sudoku, hypersudoku, sudokube or o'ekaki. These games have similar grid formations with unique rules and strategies.