Sudoku

About four years ago when I was on a plane, I happened to be sitting next to an Asian man. He was working on a Sudoku puzzle.  I told him I had tried to figure out how Sudoku worked and had never been able to learn the secret of the puzzle.  His reply was, "I am not good.  My daughter is excellent.  She look at puzzle and can almost figure out in her head.  I have to study."  He proceeded to explain the concept of  Sudoku. It did not make sense to me.

I purchased a Totally Easy Sudoku booklet and tried to follow the directions in the book. "To solve, place a number into each box so that each row across, each column down, and each small 9-box square within the larger diagram (there are nine of these) will contain every number  from 1-9.  In other words, no number may appear more than once in any row, column, or smaller 9 box square.  Working with the numbers already given as a guide, complete each diagram with the missing numbers that will lead to the correct solution."

No matter how hard I tried, I found that for every ten puzzles I attempted I might get one correct. I set the Sudoku puzzle aside and went back to working crossword puzzles. That was about two years ago. This morning I picked up the Sudoku book and studied it.  I worked the first puzzle correctly. It did not seem so difficult so I went on to the next puzzle.  I again finished it correctly.  What had happened in two years? Did my brain retain what I had learned before?  Why did it seem easier now that I was giving Sudoku another chance?

I do not know why or how I am now able to figure out a correct answer.  I still am not a whiz at working the Sudoku puzzles but I am so much better than I was two years ago.  Is that weird or what? My brain never ceases to amaze me!