LinkedIn has expanded its gaming catalogue with the launch of Mini Sudoku, a compact version of the classic number puzzle designed to be completed in two to three minutes. This marks the sixth game on the professional networking platform, following the rollout of bite-sized puzzle games in May 2024.
Developed after an in-person meeting with Nikoli, the Japanese publisher credited with popularising Sudoku worldwide, Mini Sudoku features a 6 x 6 grid instead of the traditional 9 x 9 layout. Players must ensure each row, column, and region contains the numbers 1 to 6 without repetition.
A new puzzle is released daily, with Monday grids being the easiest and difficulty gradually increasing through the week. Each puzzle is crafted by Thomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Champion who also designs other LinkedIn games such as Queens, Tango, and Zip.
The name “Sudoku” comes from the Japanese phrase Sūji wa dokushin ni kagiru, meaning “the digits must be single/unique.” While the concept originated as Number Place in 1979 via Dell Puzzle Magazines, Nikoli introduced the rules and branding that made Sudoku a global hit.
With Mini Sudoku joining the lineup, LinkedIn now offers six free daily puzzle games – Pinpoint, Cross-Climb, Queens, Tango, Zip, and Mini Sudoku – in a move aimed at increasing user engagement, echoing strategies once popularized by social media giants like Facebook and later adopted by Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
