KenKen

[ ken-ken ]

Trademark.

1. a brand name for a numerical logic puzzle printed on a grid subdivided into clusters of squares, or cages, the object of which is to fill in the squares so that each column and row do not repeat digits, and all the numbers within a cage combine together using the specified arithmetic operation to equal a target number.

Word History and Origins

Origin of KenKen¹

First recorded in 2004, KenKen is from the Japanese word ken “cleverness”; invented by the teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto as a learning tool

Example Sentences

“In order to keep my brain functioning,” 73-year-old Jairo Angulo of West L.A. wrote, “I play Wordle, complete the Jumble, do the Sudoku, KenKen and crossword puzzles daily.”

From Los Angeles Times

“That really struck a chord because when I had been working on Good Sudoku, my mom was really trying to get me to make a KenKen game instead,” Gage says.

From The Verge

KenKen is really interesting because in sudoku, you’re just applying patterns.

From The Verge

But in KenKen, every situation is unique and you have to sort of think through the possibilities of the space.’”

From The Verge

As part of that experience, they found new inspiration from KenKen, a sudoku derivative that divides the puzzle grid into zones that each has a math equation attached, so you not only have to solve the traditional sudoku puzzle but also get the arithmetic correct.

From The Verge