New Word Sudoku (Qudoku!) Puzzle for Monday, 2/15/2010

Happy New Year! According to the Chinese calendar.

The Chinese calendar is very different than the Western calendar I’ve taken for granted all my life. The Solar Calendar we use in the U.S. and other Western countries is perhaps best described as linear: counting of the years began at some point, and simply increases by one every year—every rotation of the Earth around the Sun. The months repeat, as do the seasons; our horoscopes are cyclical, based on the moon/month when we were born. But years simply increase.

The Chinese Lunar calendar, on the other hand, is based on a 60-year cycle with two interwoven smaller cycles within: the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac and the five elements metal, water, wood, fire and earth. Many Chinese believe that the year of your birth is the primary factor in determining your personality traits, physical and mental attributes, even the degree of success and happiness you’ll experience throughout life.

One legend says that Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one.

Another rendition of the legend says that the twelve animals quarreled about who was to lead the cycle of years. The gods decided to put it to a race: whichever animal reached the opposite bank of the river would be first; the rest would come in the cycle according to their finish in the race. The twelve animals jumped in and began to cross. But the rat jumped on the ox’s back; when the ox was about to make shore, the rat jumped off and won the race. The pig, reputedly lazy, was last. This supposedly explains why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second, and the pig last.

Today’s Qudoku puzzle set names one of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac, and spells out a short description of your Chinese horoscope if you were born under this sign. I’ll even throw in a free hint: I’m not starting with the rat; the animal we talk about today happens to be the animal for this year, 2010.

Calligraphy courtesy of the Chinese Calligraphy Store. The Web site graciously offers the Chinese Zodiac symbols free.

COURTS
Zodiac Sudoku: 6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

GIVEN DAY
8x8 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x4 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once
Copy circled letters to the corresponding numbered cells in the quote grid to spell out the characteristics of those born in the year of this animal

Solution first thing in the morning.

Thanks,
--Dave