ArcaMax Offers Sudoku and Crossword

ArcaMax Publishing, a leading publisher of family-friendly news and entertainment, is now offering Sudoku and crossword puzzles in its Games section.

The ArcaMax Web site, which also features trivia, Hangman, and comics, has made these two games available free to all site visitors. The games are available to play directly online, allowing for corrections and quick entry of words and numbers.

"The online versions of Sudoku and Crossword are really taking off. Because there is trial and error involved in solving the puzzles, it's easier to play the Internet versions in many cases than the print versions," Spain said. "But if you prefer playing offline, there are also printer-friendly versions of both games available."

The crossword puzzles ( http://www.arcamax.com/cgi-bin/news/channel/1058 ) are playable online and updated daily. The puzzles also highlight incorrect letters automatically, a feature which can be turned off for players who prefer more of a challenge.

The revamped Games section also features Sudoku ( http://www.arcamax.com/cgi-bin/news/page/1058/sudoku ), a puzzle which became popular in Japan in the mid-1980s and has become internationally popular over the past year. "Sudoku" (Japanese for "numbers singly") consists of a 9x9 grid divided into nine individual squares. Players must use logic and process of elimination to fill in each of the 81 squares with the numbers 1 through 9, with each number being present only once in each row, column, and square.

"The concept is simple, but there are numerous strategies for solving the puzzle," Spain adds. "The appeal lies in the fact that anyone can pick up the 'rules' fairly quickly, but even people who have been playing for a long time will still find it challenging."

The Sudoku puzzles are also playable online and updated daily. Once again, the puzzle gives players a little help, in the form of dots marking completed (but not necessarily correct) sections.

ArcaMax Publishing's Games section also features trivia quizzes and downloadable puzzle games, including popular titles such as Mahjong and Bejeweled. Their e-mail newsletters ("ezines") have over 2.5 million subscribers, and include content such as recipes, parenting tips, and Garfield. To subscribe, visit http://www.arcamax.com/cgi-bin/reg