8月17日,日本公司Nikoli發布了前任社長、也是風靡全球的數字解謎游戲“數獨”的發明者鍜治真起(Maki Kaji)的訃聞:鍜治先生因膽管癌逝世,享年69歲。鍜治真起一直將傳播“解數獨”的樂趣視為畢生的事業。
被世人稱作“數獨教父”的鍜治真起是這個熱門解謎游戲的發明人,他原本是想給孩子和其他不想太絞盡腦汁的人設計一個簡單的游戲。“數獨”的名字由“數字”和“單獨”的日語字符組成,玩家需要將數字1到9填入一個9乘9的大九宮格,保證每行、每列,以及每個3乘3的小九宮格里的數字都不重復。
有點造化弄人意味的是,直到2004年,數獨才開始在全球流行起來,而這是因為一位來自新西蘭的粉絲把它投到了英國報紙《泰晤士報》(The Times)上發表。兩年后,日本才后知后覺地發現了這個起源于本國的熱門解謎游戲,用日語來說叫“逆輸入”(gyakuyunyu),即“重新進口”。
直到今年7月,鍜治真起都一直在自己的拼圖游戲公司Nikoli擔任首席執行官,8月10日,他在位于東京都三鷹市的家中溘然長逝。
鍜治真起到過30多個國家,將他對這一數字拼圖游戲的熱愛傳播到世界各地。據總部位于東京的Nikoli公司稱,多年來,數獨錦標賽已經吸引了來自100個國家、約2億人的參與。
Nikoli公司表示,除了在日本境內,數獨從未注冊過商標,這推動了數獨在海外的流行。
“鍜治先生想出了‘數獨’這個名字,并且受到了世界各地數字拼圖游戲愛好者的追捧。我們衷心地感謝您對他畢生事業的支持?!痹摴驹谝环萋暶髦姓f。
最初,數獨被稱為“Suji-wa-Dokushin-ni-Kagiru”,意思是“數字應該是個單身漢”。近年來,被公認為全球最受歡迎的紙筆字謎游戲的數獨也已經推出了數字化版本。
鍜治真起出生于日本北部的北海道島,從東京慶應義塾大學(Keio University)輟學后,創辦了日本第一本字謎拼圖雜志。他于1983年創立了解謎游戲公司Nikoli,也幾乎在那同時發明了數獨。
接替鍜治真起擔任Nikoli首席執行官的安福良直表示,鍜治真起很好相處,大家都很愿意和他交朋友,并且他對生活有著“獨特而有趣的態度”。
“我們的使命是繼續追尋鍜治的愿景,開啟更多的可能。”安福良直說。
Nikoli已經為100多家媒體公司提供原創數字拼圖游戲,其中10家是外國媒體公司。
日本主流媒體《每日新聞》(Mainichi)在其訃告中稱贊了鍜治真起的貢獻:是他讓書店開始設立專門的拼字游戲區,并將“數獨”一詞引入牛津英語詞典。
鍜治真起和妻子直美有兩個女兒。葬禮僅由親密的家人參加。Nikoli公司正在安排單獨的追悼會,但具體細節尚未確定。(財富中文網)
編譯:陳聰聰
8月17日,日本公司Nikoli發布了前任社長、也是風靡全球的數字解謎游戲“數獨”的發明者鍜治真起(Maki Kaji)的訃聞:鍜治先生因膽管癌逝世,享年69歲。鍜治真起一直將傳播“解數獨”的樂趣視為畢生的事業。
被世人稱作“數獨教父”的鍜治真起是這個熱門解謎游戲的發明人,他原本是想給孩子和其他不想太絞盡腦汁的人設計一個簡單的游戲。“數獨”的名字由“數字”和“單獨”的日語字符組成,玩家需要將數字1到9填入一個9乘9的大九宮格,保證每行、每列,以及每個3乘3的小九宮格里的數字都不重復。
有點造化弄人意味的是,直到2004年,數獨才開始在全球流行起來,而這是因為一位來自新西蘭的粉絲把它投到了英國報紙《泰晤士報》(The Times)上發表。兩年后,日本才后知后覺地發現了這個起源于本國的熱門解謎游戲,用日語來說叫“逆輸入”(gyakuyunyu),即“重新進口”。
直到今年7月,鍜治真起都一直在自己的拼圖游戲公司Nikoli擔任首席執行官,8月10日,他在位于東京都三鷹市的家中溘然長逝。
鍜治真起到過30多個國家,將他對這一數字拼圖游戲的熱愛傳播到世界各地。據總部位于東京的Nikoli公司稱,多年來,數獨錦標賽已經吸引了來自100個國家、約2億人的參與。
Nikoli公司表示,除了在日本境內,數獨從未注冊過商標,這推動了數獨在海外的流行。
“鍜治先生想出了‘數獨’這個名字,并且受到了世界各地數字拼圖游戲愛好者的追捧。我們衷心地感謝您對他畢生事業的支持?!痹摴驹谝环萋暶髦姓f。
最初,數獨被稱為“Suji-wa-Dokushin-ni-Kagiru”,意思是“數字應該是個單身漢”。近年來,被公認為全球最受歡迎的紙筆字謎游戲的數獨也已經推出了數字化版本。
鍜治真起出生于日本北部的北海道島,從東京慶應義塾大學(Keio University)輟學后,創辦了日本第一本字謎拼圖雜志。他于1983年創立了解謎游戲公司Nikoli,也幾乎在那同時發明了數獨。
接替鍜治真起擔任Nikoli首席執行官的安福良直表示,鍜治真起很好相處,大家都很愿意和他交朋友,并且他對生活有著“獨特而有趣的態度”。
“我們的使命是繼續追尋鍜治的愿景,開啟更多的可能?!卑哺A贾闭f。
Nikoli已經為100多家媒體公司提供原創數字拼圖游戲,其中10家是外國媒體公司。
日本主流媒體《每日新聞》(Mainichi)在其訃告中稱贊了鍜治真起的貢獻:是他讓書店開始設立專門的拼字游戲區,并將“數獨”一詞引入牛津英語詞典。
鍜治真起和妻子直美有兩個女兒。葬禮僅由親密的家人參加。Nikoli公司正在安排單獨的追悼會,但具體細節尚未確定。(財富中文網)
編譯:陳聰聰
Maki Kaji, the creator of the popular numbers puzzle Sudoku whose life's work was spreading the joy of puzzles, has died, his Japanese company said on August17. He was 69 and had bile duct cancer.
Known as the “Godfather of Sudoku,” Kaji created the puzzle to be easy for children and others who didn’t want to think too hard. Its name is made up of the Japanese characters for “number” and “single,” and players place the numbers 1 through 9 in rows, columns and blocks without repeating them.
Ironically, it wasn’t until 2004 when Sudoku became a global hit, after a fan from New Zealand pitched it and got it published in the British newspaper The Times. Two years later, Japan rediscovered its own puzzle as a “gyakuyunyu,” or “reimport.”
Kaji was chief executive at his puzzle company, Nikoli Co., until July and died Aug. 10 at his home in Mitaka, a city in the Tokyo metro area.
Maki traveled to more than 30 countries spreading his enjoyment of puzzles. Sudoku championships have drawn some 200 million people in 100 countries over the years, according to Tokyo-based Nikoli.
Sudoku was also never trademarked except within Japan, driving its overseas craze, Nikoli said.
“Kaji-san came up with the name Sudoku and was loved by puzzle fans from all over the world. We are grateful from the bottom of our hearts for the patronage you have shown throughout his life,” the company said in a statement.
Originally, Sudoku was called “Suji-wa-Dokushin-ni-Kagiru,” which translates to, “Numbers should be single, a bachelor.” In recent years, Sudoku, believed to be the world’s most popular pencil puzzle, has come out in digital versions.
Born in the main northern island of Hokkaido, Maki started Japan’s first puzzle magazine after dropping out of Keio University in Tokyo. He founded Nikoli in 1983, and came up with Sudoku about the same time.
Yoshinao Anpuku, who succeeded Kaji as Nikoli's chief executive, said Kaji made friends easily and had a “unique and playful approach toward life."
“Our mission is to pursue Maki’s vision and possibilities,” Anpuku said.
Nikoli has provided original puzzles to more than 100 media companies, 10 of them foreign ones.
Major Japanese newspaper Mainichi in its obituary credited Kaji for starting the puzzle sections at bookstores, as well as introducing the word “Sudoku” into the Oxford English dictionary.
Kaji is survived by his wife Naomi and two daughters. Funeral services have been held among close family. A separate memorial service is being arranged by Nikoli, but details were still undecided.