Those who play puzzles like Kakuro have long been seen as quiet folk who would prefer to spend their time face down in a book of puzzles with a pencil in hand and glasses sitting atop their noses. While I’m sure there are people out there who fit this stereotype to a “T,” I’d venture to guess that most avid Kakuro players probably do not.

In fact, I think that many people out there would relish the chance to partake in the joy of Kakuro (sounds cheesy, I know) with others. Well, fear not you Kakuro-loving socialites, there are ways in which you can make Kakuro a social activity!

Play It With Your Kids

If you have children, then why not make it fun for yourself and them by playing together? Puzzles are solved faster when there are more people working together after all. Plus, it’s an irreplaceable experience for everyone involved as bonding time is more precious than anything.

Compete

Find a friend and see who can finish a puzzle faster. You could even make it interesting and bet on it if you want.

Tournament Time

Start an office pool of sorts. Begin with an easy puzzle and get increasingly more difficult with each passing round. Those who can’t complete the puzzle are eliminated with each passing round. The last person standing wins a prize. Everybody likes prizes.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Even if you can beat ’em, it would still be fun to team up with someone else. Choose a difficult puzzle, one that you doubt you’d be able to do by yourself, and play with someone. After all, two heads are better than one.

The socialization doesn’t have to stop when you start the computer either. Besides taking the pencils out of Kakuro players’ hands and lifting the angle of their faces, the Internet has done a few more things for Kakuro players, like give them a social outlet through:

• Facebook - we’ve got a Kakuro facebook page. Like us and connect with other Kakuro players who like us too.

• Facebook…Again. While you’re at it, why not just play our online Facebook game? You can connect with other players there too. Thank you, Mark Zuckerberg.

And don’t be shy! Comment on our posts and initiate conversations with others who do likewise.

There you have it. Next time you’re in the mood for Kakuro but still want to be social, consider using one of these techniques. If you have any other ideas, we’d love to hear them!