Sudoku for the Blind

I received the following "Ask Fred" question:

Message: Dear Fred,

Have you any ideas about adapting Sudoku for blind puzzle people?
location: California

Yes, there are some accessible versions both for computer users and for those who like the more traditional game play. First, for those who don't know, let me say a little about the game.

Sudoku is a logic-based placement puzzle. The goal is to enter a numerical digit from 1 through 9 in each cel of a 9x9 grid starting with various digits in various cells. Each row, column, and region must contain only one instance of each numeral. Completing the puzzle requires patience and logical ability.

Sudoku attained a huge international popularity in 2005 and has already been called the "Rubik's cube of the 21st century". This may seem a bit late when you know that the foundation for the Sudoku was already established by an 18th century blind mathematician called Leonhard Euler, who lost his eyesight in early middle age. It was only after he lost his eyesight that he developed his famous latin squares (and latin square puzzles for that matter). You can read more about his story and Sudoku by clicking this link.

Sudo-San is the first online accessible Sudoku that features a graphical interface and an extensive auditory interface, enabling blind players as well as sighted players to play Sudoku. Click this link to play Sudo-San online.

Marburg Braille Sudoku is the Sudoku-game for both blind and seeing people with Braille on the chips and sheets. The board consists of an aluminum plate laminated with a magnetic foil. Metallic parts may be fixed easily to the board. You can put a sheet with the Sudoku task on it.. The sheet will be fixed with the chip box and it's cover. The chips are made of thin metal plates, 18 mm in square, embossed with the numbers 1 to 9. The chips can be placed on the empty fields of the Sudoku sheet. .

Click this link to learn more and to order Marburg Braille Sudoku from Brailletec.

Azabat Talking Games Volume 3 is a bundle of four games designed specifically for blind and visually impaired people, requiring greater memory skills than Volumes 1 and 2. The bundle includes:

• Sudoku
  
• Battleships
  
• UXB
  
• Memory

All four games run from one CD, no installation required. Click this link to purchase Azabat Talking Games Volume 3 from the Adapt-IT website.