How to pronounce Sudoku?

Pronounce Sudoku as soo-DOH-koo. The first syllable rhymes with zoo, the middle sounds like dough, and the last sounds like coo. Put the strongest emphasis on DOH.

Sound it out

Say the three pieces slowly, then join them without pausing: soo-DOH-koo. English accents vary slightly, but that version will be understood anywhere the puzzle is played.

• soo: rhymes with zoo
• DOH: rhymes with dough and carries the stress
• koo: rhymes with coo

Where the name came from

The puzzle was known as Number Place before the Japanese publisher Nikoli introduced it to Japanese readers in 1984. Nikoli first used a longer Japanese title and later shortened it to Sudoku. In the abbreviation, "su" refers to number and "doku" to single. Nikoli's Sudoku history explains the naming in the publisher's own words.