HomeEverything ElseWhite Belt Kakuro: 150 Puzzles (Martial Arts Kakuro) |
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5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
This and Green are BEST Intros to Kakuro Apr 23, 2010
By Library Picks Reviews
"Library Picks Staff"
If you've tried Sudoku, you'll love Kakuro as an even greater challenge! We reviewed over a dozen Sudoku books for the Sudoku Mall series, and are now reviewing the first 7 Kakuro books they are covering. This white belt book, and especially the Green Belt Kakuro?: 150 Puzzles (Martial Arts Kakuro), are far and away the best way to get started with Kakuro, in addition to the many online versions. If you've got a Sudoku friend or relative, this makes a great gift which will actually help their Sudoku when they go back and forth, as it exercises "out of the box brain muscles" so to speak, pun intended. What some other reviews have skipped is the fact that this book gives a great general instructional intro to solving Kakuro, in addition to the puzzles. Don't mistakenly think that because this is the white belt level, that the puzzles are too easy or that the instructions are too simple. The solving techniques covered include both the wonderful "unique sums" tear out sheet at the back (have it laminated and use it with every puzzle!), and advanced solving techniques. For example, 16 as a 1-9 summation can ONLY be 1+2+3+4+6 and HAS to be one of those numbers (in a certain order) if it is in 5 squares. Even this white belt book gives very advanced tips (such as the fact that the highest possible three square total is 7+8+9=24, and if a square candidate makes 3 squares add up to more than that, the candidate has to be the lesser of the two number choices). Going between the "belt" series is not as clear cut as it may seem. There are black belt puzzles that are easier to solve than some of the whites in this book (especially puzzle 93, page 96, with many 5, 6 and even 7 box runs), and there are a few VERY easy puzzles (lots of unique sums and many black squares) in the green book. You really do need the whole series eventually, and Amazon has some special deals for series groups (such as: Kakuro Set: Green Belt / Brown Belt / White Belt (Three Volumns)). If you've getting this as a gift for a beginner, either this or the green will work equally well. Like Sudoku, ALL the advanced techniques are helpful even for the easier puzzles, and conversely, even an easy puzzle can teach you many of the more advanced techniques, as there are often several ways to get to a sum, candidate, unique or only choice. In Sudoku, this might involve many trials and scanning at a beginner level and pattern recognition and candidate pairs for more advanced solvers. In Kakuro, the initial "musts" also give way to candidate exclusion with more advanced logic as you learn to see more subtle patterns, and "remember" that the whole 9 series can only add up to 45, etc. Highly recommend the whole series, but especially this and the green for beginners. For Sudoku beginners, we recommend the Mensa book (Mensa Guide to Solving Sudoku: Hundreds of Puzzles Plus Techniques to Help You Crack Them All) as a great start.
One warning: If you've NEVER tried Kakuro, even beginning books can be frustrating, because even white belt "assumes" a little basic knowledge on how to get started. Don't give up! The main rule to find the "first" series of numbers is, like Sudoku, to find the only "possible" numbers for the given squares. This involves the simple logic of narrowing down your candidates to only a couple of "musts" to start. For example, the "unique number" page will tell you that a sum of 6 HAS to be 1+2+3, but doesn't say which order. When you then look at the other "array" of row and column totals, it can become overwhelming, unlike Sudoku, where you know at least one number. The trick is to start with three steps: 1. Find a total where there is "only one way" (unique number) or "only two ways" to reach that total. 2. Which of the two ways is right, and which order? 3. The other cross totals give you the answer. For example, if you have a 10 total in a three square, it can't contain a 9, because 9+1+2 is the minimum total for a 3 square row, or 12 total. That excludes the 9 from the other cross column, which will likely tell you which of the two choices is the right one in a simple puzzle. These very basic beginning steps are not given even in the white belt book, but once you get a few going, it "clicks in" -- so don't give up too early!
Note that "Killer Sudoku" is a combination of Kakuro and Sudoku-- with colored Sudoku cells adding up to sums, Kakuro style. These, and Kakuro puzzles, are often solved at more advanced levels by looking at "number pyramids" of all possible sums vs. the number of cells. For example, glancing at all pyramids for 3 cells for the sum of 18, it is immediately seen that 7 combinations can add up to 18 (981,972,963,954,873,864 and 765). Advanced solvers also use small "candidate" marks similar to Sudoku, as well as separate graph paper.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 If you like Sudoku, you will be challenged with Kakuro Dec 04, 2007
By Karen C
I like to consider myself a puzzle lover, and even though I haven't mastered Sudoku (I'm a second-degree brown belt), I switched over to Kakuro in the hopes of improving my problem-solving "a-ha" abilities.
Kakuro is similar to sudoku but incorporates more of a numerical crossword puzzle framework. At times I feel like I'm relearning arithmetic; even though the equations are the sum of single digits, there are numerous combinations which make you feel like you're a first grader (aka "how could I have added 1+2+3 and get 7?").
The great thing about this series is that on the last page of the book, there is a list of unique combinations, which are key to solving the puzzles (e.g. a three-digit combination for 24 can only consist of 7+8+9). You will find yourself relying heavily on this sheet because, after all, the numbers will soon start to blend together, but in a good way.
Another side effect from kakuro is that when I returned to my sudoku puzzles, I found that I was challenged again, and that is just as good of a feeling as solving the puzzle itself.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
good but tougher than indicated Jan 23, 2009
By William O. Schwennicke
The exercises are well constructed, but tougher than you might think from the "White Belt" title. This surprised me because the "Green Belt" sudoku book is very easy. The squares on the right edge of the later left pages are cramped by the stiffness of the binding.
kakuro games from amazon Dec 19, 2011
By Annieknits
I love the White Belt Kakuro books. I try to keep my brain active in old age. I am not good at the puzzles, so I repeat the same book, over and over. Each time it's new. I have one puzzle book in the bathroom. The book is perfect to take to dr's offices when I know there will be waiting. It is small enough to fit in my purse, the print is large enough for my eyes to read easily.
Best Kakuro Book Yet Oct 24, 2009
By Bookkeeper
This is the third time I've gotten this book because the first time was slightly too difficult, the second time a little easier--meaning you can improve. The layout and size are perfect and there are lots of puzzles. It was difficult to find the exact level that is not too easy or too hard for me but this is perfect.
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