Sudoku is a fun, compelling, stimulating and captivating game – but sometimes even the most enthusiastic Sudoku solvers find themselves feeling “stuck.” If you’re having trouble finding solutions to your latest Sudoku challenge, or if your eyes are starting to glaze over from too many hours of filling spaces on the Sudoku grid, perhaps it’s time to look for a source of fresh inspiration.

Many Sudoku beginners treat Sudoku like a one-step-at-a-time linear game – first you find the right number for this missing space, then the next, then the next, and so on until you’re done. But a more advanced understanding of Sudoku shows that some of the most successful Sudoku players know how to solve Sudoku puzzles by thinking ahead.