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?

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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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