Sudoku is a Japanese number-placement game requiring logic and patience. The object is to fill a 9x9 grid with the numbers 1-9. You may not use the same digit in any row or column. You also can't repeat numbers in a 3x3 square. Trust us, the game is fun, but first-timers can get frustrated enough to throw a temper tantrum.

Beginners should stop worrying, because experts who've mastered the game are willing to share their secrets.  British TV personality, Carol Vorderman, is a Sudoku whiz and author of Master Sudoku: Step-by-Step Instructions for Players at All Levels. Here are her top tips, in her own words:

• I always start with number one and pencil in all my options around the grid before moving on to number 2. When I've worked my way up to number nine, I simply go back to the beginning and start with number one again.
• I concentrate on the 3x3 mini grids, rather than rows and columns. They give up a lot of clues.
  
• If you've completed seven numbers in a row or column, then obviously the two boxes that are left must be one of the two remaining numbers left over. That row or column often passes through a mini-grid where you also have two options. Frequently, you can deduct exactly where the two leftover numbers go.
  
• Don't be scared to put the puzzle down and come back to it. If you go through the options for the first time, walk away. The answer can come straight to you when you view it with fresh eyes.
  
• I use a mechanical pencil with an eraser on the end -- it has the thinnest nib -- as you have only tiny boxes in which to place all the options.
  

If you want even more practice, click here for your chance to enter to win a Deluxe Sudoku Cube -- it has 18 different puzzles and includes tips for solving! Once you're ready for a real challenge, start playing momlogic's Sudoku X.