Sudoku II

When you're a local coffee shop competing with chains, you have to find ways to set yourself apart.

With two Tim Hortons up and running in Gates, a third in the works, and rumors of a fourth one to be located near the airport, with Dunkin' Donuts now open, and with Panera Bread in the same small mall, Cafe Geo is facing that task.

The small shop has started to offer occasional music - Matt Milecchia is scheduled for next Saturday, for example.

Yesterday, it tried a "Sudoku Tournament."

With little advertising, the tournament drew 10 entrants (though not all showed up) to do the math puzzles.

There were prizes - certificates for the shop. But the tournament was more about fun.

Heck, even the Good Looking One, who went there just for a cup of coffee, and has never done a sudoku puzzle before, joined in and completed one.


Mike Ciacchia has been doing sudoku puzzles for about a year. "My son got me started," he said.












A lot of the participants "blamed" others for getting them into the puzzles.

Connie Eisele saw a friend doing one, for example. "I looked over her shoulder and said, `Let me try.'"

She liked them. "I'm not a crossword puzzle person. I'm more mathematical."

Jack Goronkin in turn cited Eisele for getting him started.

"She said, `These are fun. They’re relaxing.'"

He laughed good-naturedly. "I’ll tell you, I don't know if it’s fun or relaxing."

But that didn’t stop him from taking part in the tournament.

Connie Eisele and Jack Goronkin check solutions.

Store owner Helen Geronikos was open to doing more such tournaments - perhaps even some card games - maybe on a regular basis.

Did I hear euchre?