Why are most sudoku and crossword puzzles constructed with 180 degree rotational symmetry?

easy sudoku
Erebos asked:

…meaning that the pattern of unfilled squares appear the same when you turn the newspaper upside down.

Are they easier to construct this way? Easier to solve? By convention?



Comments (2)    Posted in Other - Games & Recreation    

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2 Responses to 'Why are most sudoku and crossword puzzles constructed with 180 degree rotational symmetry?'

  1. bill - June 20th, 2009 at 11:31 pm

    so they can get them on the stores faster

  2. xwdguy - June 22nd, 2009 at 11:44 pm

    For crossword puzzles, it is a requested standard for publication, like having no 2-letter entries and not having the black squares chop the puzzle into pieces (so the answer is: quality standard). I have seen some Spanish-language crosswords (crucigramas) that use mirror symmetry instead. I was tempted to do a book of asymmetrical crosswords when I had a chance just to say that I had.

    I don’t have an answer for sudokus.

    Functionally, it really doesn’t matter during construction. But it would look funny.


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