There Is Such A Thing As Pixidoku – Help Spread The Word!

This is Deb with a special blog post about Pixidoku. So what’s Pixidoku all about, and why do we want to talk about it? Well first off, like the “Pixe” in Pixeladies, the “Pixi” in Pixidoku doesn’t refer to pixies. Second, we love Sudoku. Third, Heather, one of the co-creators, is the daughter of my high school BFF. And finally, I like math and logic, and anything that can make kids “get it” is worth supporting. By the way, Kris is logical, too, but she loves helping kids learn even more than she loves Sudoku.

Sudoku

Sudoku (数独) is a puzzle typically containing a grid of 81 squares partially filled with numbers. The point is to fill in the empty squares with numbers so that each row, column and subgroup of squares contains each of the numbers 1-9. That means no repeats. Deb is not a morning person, so her puzzles are filled with scribbles and goofs. The puzzle on the left, published in 1895, is a forerunner of modern Sudoku puzzles. To read more about Sudoku, click here.

 

 

Pixidoku

The Pixidoku puzzle works with icons and emojis instead of numbers. It was developed by Heather Moore and Jim Bumgardner. Heather is a teacher and leather worker in Portland, Oregon, and Jim is a self-described “creative nerd at Walt Disney Imagineering.” Heather was having great success using the puzzle in her classes. She and Jim started a Kickstarter campaign to produce sturdy editions of the game. Just when I was about to donate to their Kickstarter campaign, I noticed it was gone. I wrote Heather, and she told me they were reworking some things and to stay tuned. Thanksgiving day, Heather called to let me know they had a new and improved campaign. Plus, Pixidoku had just received a Brain Toy Award from Academics’ Choice. Woo hoo!

 

How You Can Help

Stop what you’re doing! Yep I know you’re reading our blog, but it’s ok this time.

• Read about the Pixidoku Kickstarter campaign here. You can even watch some videos.
• Contact any teachers you know and tell them about Pixidoku. The easiest puzzles are great for kids as young as 7. Have them contact Heather for more information.
• If you are as impressed as I am and want to help Heather share her joy of math with the next generation, get out that credit card and help fund the printing of Pixidoku puzzles. Do it now! The campaign is open until Thursday, December 12 2019 4:00 PM PST.

Thank you for your consideration!