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Sudoku Champ Eyes Tougher Puzzles

Young scientist hopes to make his name in DNA research

By Will McCahill, Newser Staff

Posted May 10, 2008 5:41 AM CDT

(Newser) – Beating all comers—for the second year in a row—at the world's top sudoku tournament is nothing to scoff at, but champ Thomas Snyder has loftier goals, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The 28-year-old Stanford scientist is hoping he can solve complex DNA puzzles instead: "I hope I can take advantage of my skills and be someone who changes people's lives."

The bioengineering post-doc says he wants to find a method to help diagnose, and perhaps prevent, gene-borne illnesses; sudoku has sharpened his mind for the task. Snyder plans to keep at the DNA puzzle, but he expects his sudoku dominance to wane: I don't know if I'll hold this position for all of my life—but for now, I think it's a real hoot."

"I tend to get very frustrated if I look at a puzzle for a few minutes and can't solve it," a friend says of Snyder. "But Thomas, he'll stick with it, and do all-night puzzle sessions." (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

"It's maybe a bit spiritual," says Thomas Snyder, a Stanford scientist who last month won his second consecutive world sudoku title. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

"If I think something is going to beat me," sudoku champ Thomas Snyder said, "I just persevere and work my way through it. I like to take on the impossible and say, 'No, I can do this too.' " (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

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Sudoku Champ Eyes Tougher Puzzles

Young scientist hopes to make his name in DNA research

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