From the official KenKen site:
A lot of people are puzzled. They can’t believe that KenKen, something so delightfully addictive, so FUN, has an educational pedigree. It’s true. KenKen has academic benefits — from increasing numeracy skills and logical thinking to developing concentration, perseverance and stamina — and it has its roots in a Japanese classroom, thanks to an innovative and far-sighted educator Tetsuya Miyamoto.
And from a Harvard educator:
“I first saw KenKen in the Boston Globe in November 2008. By the time I’d finished the first puzzle I’d become completely smitten … itching to get hold of more puzzles. I couldn’t wait to show the puzzle to the math teachers in the course I teach as part of the Math for Teaching program I direct in Harvard’s Extension School. As a math teacher I’m always thinking about what it takes to capture and keep people’s attention in classes. KenKen attracts people no matter what their math background. It’s concise and elegant, and inspires people to use their mind in mathematically sophisticated ways they might not have thought possible!”
– Andrew E., PhD, Director, Math for Teaching, Harvard
If you haven’t tried KenKen yet, the beginning of school is a great time to begin. Your students will thank you, and the experience will pay dividends for years to come!
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