Maki Kaji
Maki Kaji | |
|---|---|
 Kaji in 2011 | |
| Born | 8 October 1951 Sapporo,Japan |
| Died | 10 August 2021(aged 69) Tokyo,Japan |
Maki Kaji(Hạ trị chân khởi,Kaji Maki,8 October 1951 – 10 August 2021[1])was a Japanese businessman who was the president ofNikoli,apuzzlemanufacturer. He is widely known as "the father ofSudoku"for his role in popularizing the number game.[2][3]
Early life
[edit]Kaji was born inSapporoon 8 October 1951.[4][5]His father worked as an engineer at a telecom company; his mother was employed by a kimono shop. Kaji attendedShakujii High Schoolin his hometown. He later studied literature atKeio University,but dropped out during his first year.[4][6]After a succession of jobs including being a roadie, a waiter and a construction worker, he started a publishing business.[6]
Career
[edit]Kaji launched a quarterly puzzle magazine in 1980 calledNikoli,[7]together with two friends from his childhood.[4]They named the magazine after arace horsethat had won the 19802000 Guineas Stakesrace in Ireland.[6][8]Three years later, he founded a company under the same name.[5]The magazine, the company's main product, grew to have 50,000 quarterly readers.[9]
The number gameSudokuappeared in early issues ofNikoli.[7]He formulated the name "Sudoku" while he was scrambling to get to a horse race.[4][10]He shortened it fromSuuji wa dokushin ni kagiru( "numbers should be single" ) at the urging of his fellow workers.[10]After the game spread to Britain[11][12]and the United States,[8]it became wildly popular.[7]
Kaji also invented or introduced various other puzzle games, such asMasyu.[9]He resigned as head ofNikolion 31 July 2021,[13]ten days before his death.[4][14]He was succeeded as president by Nikoli's editor in chief, Yoshinao Anpuku.[13]
Personal life
[edit]Kaji was married to Naomi until his death. Together, they had two children.[4]
Kaji died on 10 August 2021 at his home inTokyoat age 69, frombile duct cancer.[4][15]Nikoli's staff held a memorial gathering for him on 2 November in Tokyo.[16]
References
[edit]- ^Sổ độc, danh phó け thân の hạ trị chân khởi thị tử khứ sổ tự を mai めるパズルゲームArchived16 August 2021 at theWayback Machine(in Japanese)
- ^"'Father of Sudoku' puzzles next move ".bbc.co.uk.13 June 2007.
- ^"Japan's 'father of Sudoku' Maki Kaji dead at 69".www.thenews.com.pk.17 August 2021.
- ^abcdefgAlbeck-Ripka, Livia; Ueno, Hisako (17 August 2021)."Maki Kaji, 'Godfather of Sudoku,' Dies at 69".The New York Times.New York.Retrieved17 August2021.
- ^ab"Sudoku maker Maki Kaji, who saw life's joy in puzzles, dies".AP NEWS.17 August 2021.
- ^abcMcNeill, David (2 May 2007)."Kaji Maki: First he gave us sudoku".apjjf.org.
- ^abcBellos, Alex (2010).Here's Looking at Euclid: A Surprising Excursion Through the Astonishing World of Math.Simon and Schuster.ISBN978-1-4165-9634-9.
- ^ab"Correction attached to" Inside Japan's Puzzle Palace "".The New York Times.21 March 2007.
- ^abTimes, Martin Fackler the New York (22 March 2007)."Sudoku's successors?".OrlandoSentinel.com.
- ^ab"Sudoku: Maki Kaji, puzzle enthusiast, dies aged 69".BBC News. 17 August 2021.Retrieved17 August2021.
- ^Smith, David (15 May 2005)."So you thought Sudoku came from the Land of the Rising Sun..."The Observer.Retrieved13 June2008.
The puzzle gripping the nation actually began at a small New York magazine
- ^Devlin, Keith (29 January 2012). "The Numbers Game (book review ofTaking Sudoku Seriouslyby Jason Rosenhouse et al.) ".The Wall Street Journal.Weekend Edition. p. C5.
- ^ab"Nikoli".3 June 2024.
- ^Kelly, Tim; Lies, Elaine (16 August 2021)."Japan's Kaji, the" godfather of Sudoku, "dies at 69".Reuters.Retrieved16 August2021.
- ^Scottie Andrew (17 August 2021)."Maki Kaji, the 'godfather of Sudoku,' dies at 69".CNN.Retrieved18 August2021.
- ^"Remember meeting of Maki Kaji | nikoli".29 September 2021.
External links
[edit]- "Maki Kaji: First he gave us sudoku"—Daily Independent(UK) newspaper article
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