Countdown to Sudoku Fun Day

Today marks 3 years since we arrived in Tokyo and 16 days until I host the first Sudoku Fun Day at the Tokyo American Club. Members of the club will have the pleasure of meeting the man who coined the word sudoku yet neglected to patent it. Never mind, he is a devotee of the track and named his puzzle company after a prize filly, Nikoli. He is pleased to provide the rest of us with a time waster that only costs pennies per puzzle.

My circuitous path to Kaji-san originated at TAC, as insiders call the oasis of Western culture in Tokyo where one-third of the members are American. The balance is divided between Japanese and that all encompassing "other." It didn't take much to persuade me to join the Library Committee, a hodgepodge of avid readers including one Mrs M, a Kentucky native who has lived in Tokyo on and off for 30 years.

"You will give a talk to the English Speaking Union of Japan on the subject of puzzles," she told me in a drawl that spills over when she speaks nihongo. So one rainy evening in April 2009 I expounded to 50 retired businessmen on the power of puzzles. What wild opportunities we native English speakers have in Nihon! In the crowd sat three staff members from Nikoli Puzzles who kindly accepted my invitation to attend. Japanese travel in groups, and this group consisted of a young man, a young woman and their manager, G-san, all of whom stepped out for a smoke as soon as politely permissible.

What a surprise when G-san invited me to address the staff at Nikoli Puzzles! I learned that the staff dines together on a regular basis and often invite an inspirational speaker. On a balmy June evening I took the subway north to the old part of town. The folks of Nikoli fit into a neat little brownstone with everyone's shoes in cubbies at the entryway. The puzzle editors strangely resembled the ones I managed in my days as publisher at Official and Kappa Puzzles. Finally I met the wizard himself, Maki Kaji, a wiry man with a goatee and nicotine stained fingers.

The staff sweetly listened to me talk about how puzzles have introduced me to many interesting people during my crazy career and presented me with a stack of magazines, all reminiscent of those produced by Official and Kappa Puzzle Group. Then we went out for three hours of sushi, beer and cigarettes. Out of the smoky haze, the idea to bring Sudoku to TAC was born.

I have 15 days to work out the logistics and to fill the room.