12955
I've never actually played a sudoku puzzle (I know, I live in a cave!).

I just saw the word written in kanji somewhere, which rekindled my interest.

[Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudoku) states:

> The puzzle was popularized in 1986 by the Japanese puzzle company Nikoli,
> under the name Sudoku, meaning single number.

Though to me, the compound 数独{すうどく} implies "number addiction", especially in
the context of a game.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-27T05:52:59.293
12954
2013-09-27T06:09:59.950
1804
question
meaning compounds
Does 数独{すうどく} really mean "single number"?
I don't believe that sudoku exists as an actual word. Literally it does mean
"single number," as it is a combination of the characters for "number" and
"single." However the mathematical term for singular (versus plural) is
単数{たんすう}.

According to the [Wikipedia
page](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%95%B0%E7%8B%AC) for it, the name is a
reduction of the phrase "数字は独身に限る," or basically "limited to one number." I
don't know if there are any hidden puns about number puzzle enthusiasts being
forever alone, but a subsequent publication of this type of puzzle in Japan
shortened that title to 数独, and thus it was named.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-27T06:09:59.950
12955
2013-09-27T06:09:59.950
1797
12954
answer