Now, a Peterborough family have made it their business to send puzzles to the home of sudoku – Japan

After almost a decade in the creation, Alphametics was launched.

The words and numbers poser is the brainchild of Jodie Sanders (29) from Orton Northgate and Sarah Strain (26) from Yaxley.

Also on hand to help with devising the puzzles was their father Brian Strain, also known as Strainy.

The women are publishing a book of the posers through their Orton Northgate company Lissajous Publishing Ltd.

The quiz sees the would-be solver take a phrase and translate it into numerical form, completing a sum that is added up by assigning numbers to the letters.

It can also be made as hard or as easy as the player chooses, as all puzzles offer the option acquiring additional clues.

The magazine launches in the UK on Wednesday, with 1,000 copies being distributed across stores.

It is hoped the puzzle will give sudoku a run for its money when a further 20,000 copies hit the shops in Japan later in the year.

They are also hoping to launch it in America some time in the near future.

Mr Strain, a big Scrabble and crossword fan said: "In the early days of development, people said there wasn't a niche market for puzzles and then the sudoku phenomenon took off.

"It was launched nationally four years ago by the Japanese and now we want to present them with something instead of it being the other way around.

"We have spent nine years on this puzzle and are hoping the game will be well received, especially in Japan."

Lissajous Publishing is also launching a full range of products in connection with its Alphametics logic puzzle game including electronic versions on computers and mobile phones.

There will also be a sister website www.alphametics.com, which will give detailed coverage of all aspects of the new game and also feature a daily play game that anyone can try.

The firm is also launching a book next month, with a second volume in July, and volume three and four in December.