A whole bunch of numbers

As if smoking wasn't enough, I've discovered a new addiction.

The quality newspapers in this country have been fighting a war recently around the compelling game of Su Doku. I was skeptical at first; I've never been one to jump on bandwagons whenever they're heralded as "the next big thing".

But I've been in college the past ten days, and everyone there is playing it. I'm one of the few in the class who buys the Independent, and I was regularly being asked to provide copies of the game from that paper after those playing it had finished the versions in the Times and Telegraph.

So, in a moment of boredom, I thought "what the hell, I'll give it a try". Ever since, I've been totally addicted. Most days, I finish the Indie game by the time I get off the train (although this morning I almost missed my stop trying to find the 9s in a particular column). I usually blag the other two games from someone in class once I arrive. I'm not alone - one guy in class paid £10 today for a book of 100 such puzzles, and the internet is littered with stories of people who are so addicted they refuse to speak to anyone while they're playing it.

So my advice to you is this: if you're bored, give it a go. But be prepared to do very little else, possibly for the rest of your life. Take the phone off the hook, put Su Doku or Sudoku into google, and enjoy!