Each row, column and box must contain every digit from one to nine. Between 17 and 33 squares are already filled with a number in each puzzle, and players finish the game by filling in the blank spaces.
Snyder's win, in the advanced division, was the most lucrative, followed by a $5,000 prize for Ron Osher of Stamford, Conn., also a player in other puzzle competitions, who was an intermediate player. The beginner-level prize of $3,000 went to Lori DesRuisseaux of Elverson, Chester County.
"I just came down to have some fun," she said, somewhat startled at her performance, moments after she won. "I never thought I'd make it to the finals."
Many players said that they had become addicted to the puzzle in the three years it has been popular in North America. "It's like cleaning my drawers and my cupboards: It's about putting things in order," said Gretel DeRuiter, a Springside School teacher from Mount Airy who competed, as did three of her students. "Of course, my drawers and cupboards are not in order, because I've been doing Sudoku."
Here are the winners of the Inquirer's first Sudoku National Chamionship, in order and by division.
Advanced
1. Thomas Snyder, Palo Alto, Calif. ($10,000 prize). He finished the final round in 7 minutes, 7 seconds.
2. Tammy McLeod, Los Angeles.
3. Sarah Ratcliffe, Glenside.
Intermediate
1. Ron Osher, Stamford, Conn. ($5,000), 7:57.
2. Matthew Fabrizio, Philadelphia.
3. Vincent DeLuca, Swarthmore.
Easy
1. Lori DesRuisseaux, Elverson. ($3,000), 3:49.
2. Danny Choi, Cherry Hill.
3. Matthew Bramucci, Lancaster.
Age categories
These contestants won $100 each for finishing fastest in rounds organized by age.
10 and younger: Rachel Hart
11 and 12: Mira Pomerantz
13 and 14: Drew Farber
15 and 16: Amy Mount
17 to 19: Chris Narrikkattu
20s: Roger Barkan. (Thomas Snyder won the round, but disqualified himself from the age competition after winning
the national championship. Barkan, also an experienced competitive puzzle player, timed in next.)
30s: Kirsten Boes
40s: Ron Osher
50s: Jeff Weiss
60s: Carol Peckman
70s: Donald Russell
80s: Milton Schwartz
