Latest news with #Nikoli
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
LinkedIn and Nikoli bring a twist to Sudoku with bite-sized daily puzzles
LinkedIn has released its sixth thinking-oriented game, Mini Sudoku. The platform has collaborated with the original creators of Sudoku, a small Japanese puzzle magazine named Nikoli, who handcrafted Sudoku around 41 years ago. Mini Sudoku essentially is a daily, bite-sized version of the classic game, designed to be solved in just a few minutes. As per the Senior Director of Product at LinkedIn, Lakshman Somasundaram, the creation of Mini Sudoku was driven by a desire to respect the puzzle's rich history while adapting it for modern lifestyles. LinkedIn now has a total of six games for users to play – Zip, Mini Sudoku, Tango, Queens, Pinpoint, and Crossclimb. Mini Sudoku: What is it Traditional Sudoku often takes 10 to 20 minutes to complete, time that many professionals cannot spare. Somasundaram said that Mini Sudoku condenses the challenge into a format that can be completed in under three minutes, making it ideal for a quick mental reset, a burst of focus between meetings, or a friendly competition. The rules remain familiar: every row, column, and region must contain all numbers exactly once. The only difference is the reduced grid, using just six numbers, resulting in faster gameplay without sacrificing the satisfying moments of logical deduction. Difficulty levels will progress through the week, starting easier on Mondays and becoming more challenging by Sunday. Players can expect familiar tools from larger Sudoku formats, including note-taking, hints, auto-error checking, and row and column highlighting. These features aim to make each day's puzzle solvable in under three minutes, blending accessibility with a satisfying mental challenge. To accompany the launch, daily solve-through videos will be created by Thomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Champion. Each walkthrough will break down his approach to solving that day's puzzle, offering practical tips, tactical insights, and strategic guidance designed to help players sharpen their skills over time. How did Sudoku come into existence As per Somasundaram, Sudoku originated from a puzzle called 'Number Place,' but it was the Japanese publisher Nikoli that refined its rules, gave it the name 'Sudoku,' and presented it to Japan in 1984. The game soon became a global sensation, appearing in newspapers and magazines worldwide. Yet, many outlets overlooked Nikoli's role, and the company gradually slipped out of the spotlight—well-respected among puzzle enthusiasts, but unfamiliar to most of the general public.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
LinkedIn rolls out ‘Mini Sudoku' puzzle game created with world champion Thomas Snyder
LinkedIn has introduced a new puzzle game for the 1.2 billion users of its professional social networking app. The game is a miniature version of Sudoku. Instead of the traditional 9-by-9 grid, Mini Sudoku by LinkedIn is scaled down to a 6-by-6 grid puzzle that is supposed to be completed in two or three minutes. Mini Sudoku becomes harder to solve with every passing day of the week, similar to other puzzle-based games on LinkedIn. With Mini Sudoku, LinkedIn might be looking to play to the nostalgia of users. It could also lead to healthy competition between colleagues, friends and family members in terms of who can solve the puzzle first. Besides giving users something new to talk about, LinkedIn is likely introducing games on its platforms to boost engagement and user retention times. 'We don't want to have a puzzle on LinkedIn that takes 20 minutes to solve, right? We're not games for games' sake,' Lakshman Somasundaram, a senior director of product at LinkedIn, was quoted as saying by CNBC. Mini Sudoku was reportedly conceived based on an encounter between LinkedIn executives and Japanese publisher Nikoli, which popularised Sudoku, in Tokyo, Japan last year. Thomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Championship winner, was also involved in helping LinkedIn design its gaming strategy for Mini Sudoku. Seeking to make the ancient game more accessible, the Microsoft-backed company reportedly designed several prototypes before finalising the version with six rows and six columns of squares. Mini Sudoku is the sixth game rolled out by LinkedIn so far. Millions of people play games on LinkedIn with 7am ET (4:30 pm IST) being the most popular time among users to play the game and Gen Z users on LinkedIn being the top demographic, a company spokesperson was quoted as saying. Over 86 per cent of the users who play regularly will return tomorrow, and 82 per cent of them will be playing next week, the spokesperson added.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
LinkedIn adds Mini Sudoku to keep users engaged beyond professional networking
LinkedIn has found a unique way to boost daily engagement and strengthen user retention by adding a quick, brain-teasing puzzle to its platform. The professional networking site has introduced Mini Sudoku, its sixth in-app game, to keep users coming back to the app. The introduction of Mini Sudoku is a testament to LinkedIn's innovative approach to user engagement.(REUTERS) The new puzzle is a scaled-down version of the classic Sudoku, developed in collaboration with Japanese puzzle publisher Nikoli and three-time World Sudoku Champion Thomas Snyder. Instead of the standard 9x9 grid, Mini Sudoku uses a 6x6 format that can be completed in just two to three minutes. This shorter format is aimed at busy professionals looking for a brief mental break without getting distracted from work. Lakshman Somasundaram, Senior Director of Product at LinkedIn, emphasised the strategic intent behind the game's design, stating, "We don't want to have a puzzle on LinkedIn that takes 20 minutes to solve. We're not games for games' sake." The introduction of Mini Sudoku is part of LinkedIn's broader strategy to foster user engagement and interaction through casual gaming, providing a balance between productivity and recreation. Mini Sudoku puzzles get progressively harder through the week, and each day comes with a short video from Snyder himself, sharing tips and demonstrating how to solve them. Known as 'Dr. Sudoku' and founder of Grandmaster Puzzles, Snyder has also contributed to LinkedIn's hint feature, making the game accessible for both beginners and experienced players. User engagement and retention Since the introduction of in-app games, LinkedIn has observed significant user engagement. A spokesperson reported that millions of users play LinkedIn games daily, with peak activity at 7 a.m. ET. Notably, 86% of users return the following day, and 82% continue playing a week later. The games have become a tool for sparking conversations and fostering connections among users, particularly within professional networks. A growing part of LinkedIn's strategy Launched in 2003 and acquired by Microsoft in 2016, LinkedIn continues to expand its offerings beyond job listings and recruitment tools. Alongside a personalised video feed and other social features, the gaming initiative reflects a shift toward keeping users active on the platform for more reasons than just work. The launch of Mini Sudoku reinforces LinkedIn's approach of blending professional networking with moments of light entertainment, keeping users engaged, connected, and coming back for more.
Time of India
12-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
LinkedIn launches new casual game for its users; company executive says: ‘We don't want to have…'
LinkedIn has launched a new, casual game, Mini Sudoku, for its 1.2 billion users. The Microsoft-owned professional networking site's latest addition is a scaled-down version of the classic puzzle, designed to be completed in just two or three minutes. This is the sixth game to be introduced on the platform. The new Mini Sudoku aims to spark friendly competition among colleagues and friends, with puzzles getting progressively more difficult throughout the week. What the company said about the new Mini Sudoku game In an interview with CNBC, Lakshman Somasundaram , a senior director of product at the company said: 'We don't want to have a puzzle on LinkedIn that takes 20 minutes to solve, right? We're not games for games' sake.' LinkedIn's creation of the game stemmed from a meeting with Japanese publisher Nikoli , known for popularising Sudoku. Last year, Somasundaram and a group of LinkedIn associate product managers visited Nikoli's Tokyo headquarters, where they discussed puzzles with the publisher's employees through a translator. This meeting led to weeks of collaboration between LinkedIn, Nikoli, and Thomas Snyder , a three-time World Sudoku Championship winner who has been advising LinkedIn on its gaming strategy. The team aimed to make Sudoku more approachable, experimenting with several prototypes before deciding on a board featuring six rows and six columns. 'It's very easy to just make a Sudoku grid. It's very hard to make art in the form of Sudoku. And that's what both Nikoli and we do. I think it's got the potential to be the largest of the games, just because it's going to have a lot of brand awareness from moment one,' Snyder noted. Snyder, who is the founder and CEO of Grandmaster Puzzles, a publisher of Sudoku books, holds a PhD in chemistry and is known as Dr Sudoku. He has worked on the hint feature for LinkedIn's Mini Sudoku and created some of the puzzles. Each day's puzzle will be accompanied by a video of Snyder demonstrating his solving process. However, this is not the first game LinkedIn has introduced. The platform added games last year to bring a sense of fun and offer users fresh ways to engage with each other. According to a company spokesperson, millions of people play LinkedIn's games daily, with peak activity at 7 AM ET (4.30 PM IST) and Gen Z make up the largest share of players. Among the ones who play on a given day, 86% return the next day, and 82% are still playing a week later. UBON SP-85: Portable Party Speaker On A Budget AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
CNBC
12-08-2025
- Business
- CNBC
LinkedIn launches Mini Sudoku, pushing deeper into casual games that keep users coming back
LinkedIn on Tuesday released a new game for the professional social networking app's 1.2 billion users. It's a miniature version of Sudoku, an old game with a rich history. The new Mini Sudoku is LinkedIn's sixth game. It's scaled down from the traditional 9-by-9 grid and meant to be completed in two or three minutes. "We don't want to have a puzzle on LinkedIn that takes 20 minutes to solve, right?" said Lakshman Somasundaram, a senior director of product at the Microsoft subsidiary, in an interview with CNBC. "We're not games for games' sake." The introduction has the potential to strike a nostalgic chord and spark competition with colleagues, friends and family members for how fast the puzzle can be solved. As with other puzzles in the app, Mini Sudoku gets harder as the days progress through the week. LinkedIn added games last year to increase the fun and give users something new to talk about with one another. Millions of people play LinkedIn's games every day, a spokesperson said. The most popular time is 7 a.m. ET, and Gen Z is the top demographic. Of those who play today, 86% will return tomorrow, and 82% will be playing next week, the spokesperson said. Launched in 2003 and acquired by Microsoft for $27 billion in 2016, LinkedIn remains in growth mode. Revenue increased about 9% to $4.6 billion in the latest quarter and membership reached 1.2 billion. Meta's social networks are more popular, with a combined 3.5 billion daily users and 22% revenue growth. Unlike Meta, LinkedIn gives recruiters tools for finding candidates, and job seekers can apply for openings listed on the site. LinkedIn also now promotes a personalized feed of videos, similar to Google's YouTube, TikTok and Meta's own Facebook and Instagram. LinkedIn's development of the game resulted from an encounter with Japanese publisher Nikoli, which popularized Sudoku. Somasundaram and a band of LinkedIn associate product managers visited Nikoli's Tokyo headquarters late last year and spoke through a translator about puzzles with the publisher's employees. That led to weeks of meetings involving LinkedIn, Nikoli and Thomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Championship winner who has helped LinkedIn with its gaming strategy. The group hoped to make Sudoku more accessible, building several prototypes before landing on the board with six rows and six columns of squares. "It's very easy to just make a Sudoku grid," Snyder said. "It's very hard to make art in the form of Sudoku. And that's what both Nikoli and we do." Snyder is founder and CEO of Grandmaster Puzzles, a publisher of Sudoku books. With a Ph.D. in chemistry, he goes by the nickname Dr. Sudoku and has contributed to the hint feature in LinkedIn's Mini Sudoku and constructed some of the puzzles. With each day's puzzle, there will be a video showing how Snyder solves it. "I think it's got the potential to be the largest of the games, just because it's going to have a lot of brand awareness from moment one," he said. Howard Garns, an architect from Indiana, came up with a game called "Number Place" that required people to fill in a grid with numbers from one to nine. No number can be repeated in a row or column, and all nine numbers must appear just once in each of the nine 3-by-3 grids that make up the puzzle. Number Place debuted in the magazine Dell Pencil Puzzles & Word Games in 1979. It only took off after Nikoli included a spin on the puzzle in the October 1984 issue of Puzzle Communication Nikoli under the name "Suji wa dokushin ni kagiru," which means "The numbers must be single," a Nikoli spokesperson told CNBC in an email. Readers abbreviated the puzzle's name, calling it Sudoku. At first, the publisher employed both the long name and the shorter Sudoku title in Puzzle Communication Nikoli. In 1992 Nikoli started using only the Sudoku name, the spokesperson said. U.S. and European newspapers began publishing Sudoku puzzles in the mid-2000s. Sudoku joined The New York Times' NYT Games app, which boasts 10 million daily users, in 2023. More than 100 media companies have licensed Nikoli's Sudoku puzzles, the spokesperson said. "The daily puzzles will only be available on LinkedIn each day, but we are looking forward to republishing selected puzzles from those in our magazine," the spokesperson wrote.
