Finding the right puzzle for yourself is like putting on the comfiest pair of socks. So when you get interested in a puzzle type that clicks with you, you’ll always return to it whenever you’re craving brainy challenges. While many modern games are now left to devices and have been drastically altered, classic puzzles like Kakuro remain available in many different forms and retain their simple and entertaining formula.

Why Challenging Puzzles Will Always Have a Place

As games continue to evolve, older generations struggle to keep up with games that are becoming more complex and filled with too many mechanics and functions. However, logic puzzles tend to retain their simplicity as becoming too complex through artificial mechanics detracts from their main purpose, making them a preference for older players.

Kakuro (also known by other names such as Cross Sums or Cross Addition) is one of the more challenging puzzles most preferred by elders for many reasons, and here are five of them!

1. Easy to Learn Logic Puzzle

Sheet puzzles are well-known for being beginner-friendly, and understanding Kakuro is especially easy for older generations. There are no complicated factors in the game, and it all relies on logic, digits, clue values and basic addition. Elders like it due to its simplicity, and that simplicity makes it easy to play from the get-go and share with others. Most even liken it to playing a number-based Crossword puzzle.

However, while Kakuro in itself is easy to pick up, it can also be made to challenge even further by adjusting the difficulty. Some elderly players also want to progress and test their ability to solve a hard Kakuro puzzle and find a unique solution.

2. Best for Passing Time

Puzzles are wondrous games to entertain and pass the time, and a logic puzzle like Kakuro is a classic choice. Most games nowadays, especially those available on phones, are arcadey and consume time through either back-to-back fast-paced levels or forcing unnecessary grinding. These kinds of games rely more on response time and reliance on items or cash shops, making them unappealing to an older audience that is looking for fun in actually being able to understand and play the game.

Classic sheet puzzles like Kakuro incentivize you to play slowly and carefully, as rushing sum combinations in a logic puzzle like this just ends up making more errors and duplicate numbers in the end, forcing you to re-do the whole thing. Elders enjoy solving Kakuro puzzles because the game is designed to be played with relaxation in mind and is a slow burn. There are no timers to pressure them nor are there any in-game mechanics that force them to think fast. It’s just them taking on the Kakuro puzzle at their own pace and leisure.

3. Logic Puzzles Stimulate the Brain

Folks who are reaching their senior years are at the most risk of developing mind-related problems such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. And many studies have shown that constantly stimulating and exercising the brain can significantly lower the onset of these illnesses.

Kakuro is well-loved among the elderly as it allows them to exert their minds and keep their brains healthy while not being too complicated. Having to think of the right solutions to a clue to solve Kakuro puzzles also improves mood and overall health, which is definitely a big plus for older players. Being able to fill in a whole row or column with the right answer for every cell can greatly affect self-esteem, making this simple game of numbers the perfect activity for the elderly to help save themselves from the risks of mental illnesses.

4. Kakuro Puzzles Don’t Require Much

Most games nowadays require a lot just to be able to be played, like strong hardware, a good internet connection and many more. Even phone games, which are optimized to run on most mobile devices, are starting to demand more resources to be played.

Kakuro doesn’t require much to be solved—just you, a pen to fill in cells with and the grid puzzle itself. This low-requirement bar is what highlighted Kakuro even back then, making it preferred by the elderly. Older people usually aren’t tech-savvy, that’s why they are discouraged from playing new games in new systems. Even new puzzle games are starting to become inaccessible for them as modern gaming designs become more focused on flash and flair.

While Kakuro is traditionally a sheet puzzle, of course, it also has modern iterations in apps and websites. But even these modern Kakuro puzzles don’t require much, as the simple nature of the game barely takes up space in a device and doesn’t need a super-fast internet connection. If you want to try out a Kakuro puzzle website yourself, try out our web app at kakuroconquest.com!

5. Almost Endless

Retirees and other elderly have an abundance of time, which is why finding entertainment that doesn’t go stale fast and is continuously engaging for them is difficult. They can’t play golf every day as the weather can change and trying to play modern games is unappealing to them due to many various reasons, with technical stuff being the least of their problems.

This is why classic logic puzzle games continue to thrive even now as there are always people who want to play them, especially the elderly. Kakuro is one of the few games that even newcomer elders can enjoy continuously due to its simplicity and nigh-infinite amount of possibilities. It’s also available in many different forms and difficulties, making Kakuro the ideal entertainment for elders looking for an engaging puzzle.

Go Play a Kakuro Puzzle Today!

Kakuro is just one good example of an elderly-friendly puzzle. So if you want to play more challenging puzzles like Kakuro, Sudoku or Hitori, check out our other games!