Sudoku is a hybrid: its name derives from Japanese (loosely translated it means 'number in allotted place') and its form can be traced back to the magic squares invented in 18th century Switzerland. The result is a numerical brainteaser that is fiendish, compulsive, and, in the simplicity of its rules, 'sublimely beautiful'. This collection is perfectly pitched to enthrall children from the age of 8 upwards.

The book features 45 puzzles and there are 4 levels of difficulty ranging from very gentle to tough.

'It's the latest craze in games, but there isn't a computer graphic in sight . . . addicts are as obsessed as 1980s teenagers fixated on the Rubik's Cube' BBC News