Sudoku Rocks! The Complete Sudoku Book

A puzzle book proclaiming itself to be “the complete Sudoku book” is certainly bold. I’ve seen similar claims made by other publishers and other puzzle books over the last decade, all with varying degrees of validity. But what does it mean to be “the complete Sudoku book”?

Well, in my estimation, it would demand puzzles to fit solvers of every skill level—from first-timers to grizzled veterans. It would demand a step-by-step guide instructing newcomers in how to solve Sudoku, teaching them how to read the grid and glean information not only from the set numbers, but from the patterns they form. It would demand patience, an easy-to-grasp progression of difficulty (in both puzzles and solving techniques), and advanced solving tools for seasoned solvers looking to up their game.

And Sudoku Rocks! succeeds on all fronts. Klein has crafted an impressive handbook capable of walking a new solver from their very first puzzle to greater success. The incremental increases in complexity progress swiftly enough to prevent boredom, but not so quickly that they risk losing a less experienced solver.

He even had a trick or two to teach a long-time puzzler like myself. Sudoku Rocks! is as complete a Sudoku book as you’re likely to find anywhere.