Problem of the Week

Spring 2006: Special All-Sudoku Semester

James Madison University
Department of Mathematics and Statistics


RULES: (Special All-Sudoku Semester rules are indicated in green)

  • Each Tuesday a Sudoku-related puzzle will be released.

  • The puzzles will be available on this website and on the Problem of the Week Bulletin Board in the first-floor hall of Burruss near room 101. It may also be distributed by various faculty members in their classes.

  • Each puzzle will be due by noon on the Tuesday one week after the puzzle was released. Puzzle solutions must be submitted ON PAPER and must include the solver's name and email address. Solutions can be dropped off at Burruss 127 or sent by campus mail to Laura Taalman at MSC 7803.

  • Every week one solution will be selected at random from the set of correct submitted solutions. The author of that solution will win a $5.00 gift certificate to the Daily Grind coffeeshop (with locations downtown, in the Valley Mall, and on Market Street). The name of the weekly winner, a list of all people who submitted correct solutions, and the solution to the puzzle will be posted on this website each week.

  • At the end of the semester there will be a drawing from the set of people who submitted correct solutions for every week of the semester. These people could win valuable puzzle books and other fun prizes! The end-of-semester drawing will take place at the POW/Sudoku Party to be held at a time to be determined during the last week of the semester.

  • Students AND faculty are encouraged to submit solutions. Only students will be eligible for the weekly drawings, but students and faculty will be eligible for the end-of-the-semester drawings.

    Problems for Spring 2006:

    • POW #1: Basic Sudoku
      • Posted 1/10/06, due 1/17/06 (special extension to 1/19/06)
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Benjamin Leard
      • Also submitted correct entries: Ghaith Alzirikly, Beth Arnold, Jennifer Boyle, Tanya Blackburn, Laurie Cavy, Chuck Cunningham, Matthew DiGiosaffatte, Natasha Druetto, Shirley Druetto, Shri Eagala, Mike Fletcher, Paul Golden, Callie Johnson, Peter Kohn, Cameron Kolleda, Joshua Krause, Kristin McNamara, Matthew Musgrave, Renzo Olguin, Greg Palmer, Scott Pober, Jessica Rohrer, Courtney Schultz, Olga Slashcheva, Adam Spalleta, Brandon Strawn, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Danielle Vacca, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Michael Walton, Tyler Whitney, Kayla Williams, and Scott Young.

    • POW #2: Hexadecimal
      • Posted 1/17/06, due 1/24/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Colleen Storey
      • Also submitted correct entries: Tanya Blackburn, Adina Bush, Kent Givens, Paul Golden, Peter Kohn, Matthew Musgrave, Judy Phillippi, Olga Slashcheva, Adam Spalletta, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Tyler Whitney, and Scott Young.

    • POW #3: Twodoku
      • Posted 1/24/06, due 1/31/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Tyler Whitney
      • Also submitted correct entries: Tanya Blackburn, Adina Bush, Charlie Cuccherini, Morgan Ferguson, Mike Fletcher, Paul Golden, Peter Kohn, Kristin McNamara, Shannon Mercadante, Matthew Musgrave, Judy Phillipi, Jennifer Schwartz, Olga Slashcheva, Adam Spalletta, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Sandi Van Dolson, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Wesley Wright, and Scott Young.

    • POW #4: Four Pyramids
      • Posted 1/31/06, due 2/7/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Wesley Wright
      • Also submitted correct entries: Tanya Blackburn, Adina Bush, Peter Kohn, Matthew Musgrave, Olga Slashcheva, Adam Spalletta, Anthony Tongen, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Tyler Whitney, and Scott Young.

    • POW #5: Three Stars
      • Posted 2/7/06, due 2/14/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Jennifer Everdale
      • Also submitted correct entries: Peter Augusterfer, Anna Baumgartner, Tanya Blackburn, Rachel Sara Blanton, Morgan Ferguson, Mike Fletcher, Paul Golden, Peter Kohn, Kristen McNamara, Shannon Mercadante, Carrie Miller, Bobby Mountcastle, Matthew Musgrave, Tim Rose, Jennifer Schwartz, Olga Slashcheva, Adam Spalletta, Brandon Strawn, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Sandi Van Dolson, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Tyler Whitney, Wesley Wright, and Scott Young.

    • POW #6: Magic Sudoku
      • Posted 2/14/06, due 2/21/06
      • The problem
      • The answer
      • The winner: John Szarka
      • Also submitted correct entries: Tanya Blackburn, Adina Bush, Meredith Crook, Mike Fletcher, Paul Golden, Peter Kohn, Kristin McNamara, Matthew Musgrave, Kunal Patel, Jessica Rohrer, Olga Slashcheva, Adam Spalletta, Anthony Tongen, Sandi Van Dolson, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Tyler Whitney, Wesley Wright, and Scott Young.

    • POW #7: Twenty-One
      • Posted 2/21/06, due 2/28/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Kent Givens
      • Also submitted correct entries: Peter Augusterfer, Tanya Blackburn, Rachel Sarah Blanton, Brian Clark, Matthew Digiosaffatte, Natasha Druetto, Shirley Druetto, Jennifer Everdale, Mike Fletcher, Paul Golden, Casey Gundersen, Valerie Hargis, Benjamin Hess, Peter Kohn, Kristen McNamara, Shannon Mercadante, Jackie Milam, Carrie Miller, Bobby Mountcastle, Matthew Musgrave, Nhat Nguyen, Renzo Olguin, Kunal Patel, Jessica Rohrer, Tim Rose, Kate Ruck, Jennifer Schwartz, Olga Slashcheva, Anne Stillwell, Brandon Strawn, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Sandi Van Dolson, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Michael Walton, Tyler Whitney, Wesley Wright, and Scott Young.

    • POW #8: Parity Symmetry
      • Posted 2/28/06, due 3/14/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Casey Gundersen
      • Also submitted correct entries: Peter Augusterfer, Tanya Blackburn, Peter Kohn, Kristen McNamara, Shannon Mercadante, Jackie Milam, Bobby Mountcastle, Matthew Musgrave, Renzo Olguin, Kunal Patel, Tim Rose, Jennifer Schwartz, Anna Skipper, Olga Slashcheva, Brandon Strawn, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Michael Walton, Wesley Wright, and Scott Young.

    • POW #9: Snowflake
      • Posted 3/14/06, due 3/21/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Natasha Druetto
      • Also submitted correct entries: Peter Augusterfer, Tanya Blackburn, Anna Dinh, Shirley Druetto, Paul Golden, Peter Kohn, Kristin McNamara, Bobby Mountcastle, Matthew Musgrave, Nhat Nguyen, Tim Rose, Jennifer Schwartz, Anna Skipper, Olga Slashcheva, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Sandi Van Dolson, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Michael Walton, Wesley Wright, and Scott Young.

    • POW #10: Worms
      • Posted 3/21/06, due 3/28/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Scott Young
      • Also submitted correct entries: Peter Augusterfer, Anna Baumgartner, Tanya Blackburn, Matt DiGiosaffatte, Anna Dinh, Peter Kohn, Kristin McNamara, Bobby Mountcastle, Matthew Musgrave, Nhat Nguyen, Tim Rose, Olga Slashcheva, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, and Wesley Wright.

    • POW #11: 4x4x4 Sudokube
      • Posted 3/28/06, due 4/4/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Shannon Mercadante
      • Also submitted correct entries: Tanya Blackburn, Laurel Booth, Peter Kohn, Matthew Musgrave, Olga Slashcheva, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, and Scott Young.

    • POW #12: Greater Than Sudoku
      • Posted 4/4/06, due 4/11/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Tanya Blackburn
      • Also submitted correct entries: Peter Augusterfer, Rachel Sarah Blanton, Laurel Booth, Anna Dinh, Shirley Druetto, Kent Givens, Sara Hoffmann, Jennifer Holden, Dana Jacobsen, Peter Kohn, Dan Mackey, Kristin McNamara, Shannon Mercadante, Carrie Miller, Bobby Mountcastle, Matthew Musgrave, Nhat Nguyen, Andrew Owen, Sarah Roberts, Jennifer Schwartz, Olga Slashcheva, Colleen Storey, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Sandi Van Dolson, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Lauren Watson, Wesley Wright, and Scott Young.

    • POW #13: Clock Sudoku
      • Posted 4/11/06, due 4/18/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Kristin McNamara
      • Also submitted correct entries: Tanya Blackburn, Olga Slashcheva, Brian Walton, Wesley Wright, and an anonymous entry that was taped to the bulletin board outside my office. Anyone want to claim that entry? You will have to take a short handwriting test.

    • POW #14: Hex Sudoku
      • Posted 4/18/06, due 4/25/06
      • The problem
      • The solution
      • The winner: Nhat Nguyen
      • Also submitted correct entries: Katelyn Belcher, Tanya Blackburn, Meredith Crook, Dana Jacobsen, Peter Kohn, Kristen McNamara, Shannon Mercadante, Jackie Milam, Jennifer Schwartz, Olga Slashcheva, Brandon Strawn, John Szarka, Anthony Tongen, Brian Walton, Heather Walton, Wesley Wright, and Scott Young.

      • People who have solved ALL puzzles so far: Tanya Blackburn, Olga Slashcheva, and Brian Walton.

      People who have solved ALL BUT ONE: Peter Kohn, Anthony Tongen, Heather Walton, and Scott Young.

    THE PROBLEM OF THE WEEK AND MATH CLUB PRESENT... A SUDOKU PARTY!

    Download the flier. The flier has a puzzle on it which you can hand in at the party to be eligible for a special prize.
  • Day: Thursday, April 27
  • Time: 7:00 pm
  • Room: Burrus 126
  • Students, faculty, friends, and family welcome!


    All Sudoku puzzles used for the Spring 2006 Special All-Sudoku Semester of the Problem of the Week are created by Brainfreeze Puzzles (Laura Taalman and Philip Riley). You may make copies of these puzzles for personal or classroom use provided that they are not modified, and that Brainfreeze Puzzles is credited.

    Problems of the Week for the current semester