LinkedIn and Nikoli bring a twist to Sudoku with bite-sized daily puzzles

LinkedIn teams up with the creator of Sudoku, Nikoli, to introduce short-form daily Sudoku challenges, blending classic puzzle-solving with a quick, accessible format

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. 

 

LinkedIn 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.