Nikoli (ニコリ) is a Japanese publisher that specializes in games and, especially, logic puzzles. It is also the nickname of a quarterly magazine issued by the company (whose full name is Puzzle Communication Nikoli). Nikoli became prominent worldwide with the popularity of Sudoku. GAMES Magazine is a United States based magazine devoted to games published by GAMES Publications, a division of Kappa Publishing Group. ... A logic puzzle is a puzzle deriving from the mathematics field of deduction. ... A Sudoku puzzle (image hyperlinked to solution) Sudoku (Japanese: 数独, sÅ«doku), also known as Number Place, is a logic-based placement puzzle. ...

The name 'Nikoli' comes from the racehorse who won the Irish Two Thousand Guineas Stakes in 1980. Horse-racing is an equestrian sporting activity which has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times were an early example, as was the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

Nikoli's claim to fame is its vast library of "culture independent" puzzles. In general, there has been a trend toward "world audience" marketing of games and puzzles; that is, they should function independent of language and culture. (An example of a language/culture-dependent genre of puzzle would be the crossword, which relies on a specific language and alphabet.) For this reason, German-style board games are often spare in words and heavily illustrated, and Japanese puzzles are often purely logical, and often numerical. There is much diversity among modern societies when it comes to alphabet and grammar, but all use the same numerical system. The word culture, from the Latin colo, -ere, with its root meaning to cultivate, generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... The crossword is the most common variety of word puzzle in the world. ... {otheruses}} An alphabet is a complete standardiaed set of letters — basic written symbols — each of which roughly represents a phoneme of a spoken language, either as it exists now or as it may have been in the past. ... German-style board games, also known as Euro board games, designer board games, family strategy games or hobby board games, are family games designed to appeal simultaneously to older children and adults. ...

Nikoli's second most-popular puzzle, Sudoku, was popularized in the English-speaking world circa 2005; its most popular puzzle is the crossword. The magazine has invented several new genres of puzzles, and introduced several new games to Japan. A Sudoku puzzle (image hyperlinked to solution) Sudoku (Japanese: 数独, sūdoku), also known as Number Place, is a logic-based placement puzzle. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The crossword is the most common variety of word puzzle in the world. ...

Nikoli puzzles

A Sudoku puzzle (image hyperlinked to solution)

These are just some of the most popular Nikoli puzzles, along with their Japanese names; terms in parentheses are published English titles for the same puzzles. Image File history File links Sudoku-by-L2G-20050714. ... Image File history File links Sudoku-by-L2G-20050714. ...

• Crossword クロスワードパズル
• Edel エデル (Paint by Numbers, Nonogram, Griddler)
• Fillomino フィルオミノ (Allied Occupation)
• Hashiwokakero 橋をかけろ (Bridges)
• Heyawake へやわけ
• Hitori ひとりにしてくれ
• Kakro カックロ (Cross Sums)
• Masyu ましゅ
• Number Link ナンバーリンク
• Nurikabe ぬりかべ (Cell Structure)
• Slither Link スリザーリンク (Fences)
• Sudoku 数独 (Number Place, Nine Numbers)
• Yajilin ヤジリン (Arrow Ring)

For a more complete list, see the List of Nikoli puzzle types. The crossword is the most common variety of word puzzle in the world. ... An example of a Paint by Numbers puzzle. ... Moderately difficult sample puzzle © 2005 Adam R. Wood, licensed under GFDL Fillomino (フィルオミノ) is a type of logic puzzle published by Nikoli. ... Hashiwokakero (橋をかけろ Hashi o kakero; lit. ... Moderately easy sample puzzle (solution) Heyawake (Japanese:へやわけ divided rooms) is a binary-determination logic puzzle published by Nikoli. ... Hitori (ひとりにしてくれ Hitori ni shite kure; literally let me alone) is a type of logic puzzle published by Nikoli. ... Easy Cross Sums puzzle The Cross Sums is a very common type of logic puzzle that is often referred to as a mathematical transliteration of the crossword. ... Sample puzzle © 2005 Adam R. Wood, licensed under GFDL (hyperlink to solution) Masyu (Japanese:ましゅ; translates as evil influence, but see History) is a type of logic puzzle designed and published by Nikoli. ... Number Link is a logic puzzle published by Nikoli. ... Moderately difficult Nurikabe puzzle (solution) Nurikabe is a binary determination puzzle. ... Moderately difficult Slither Link puzzle (solution) Slither Link (also known as Fences and Loop the Loop) is a logic puzzle published by Nikoli. ... A Sudoku puzzle (image hyperlinked to solution) Sudoku (Japanese: 数独, sūdoku), also known as Number Place, is a logic-based placement puzzle. ... Yajilin (ヤジリン) is a type of logic puzzle published by Nikoli. ... This is a list of major puzzles published by Nikoli. ...

External links

• Official website in English
• Official website in Japanese
• Puzzle Japan in English (puzzle tutorials & hints, free beginner and sample puzzles, and a daily subscription service)
• Puzzle Japan in Japanese