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Kevin Bentley

Puzzlemaking Expert

Kevin Bentley is a puzzle maker and designer of Komino Puzzles based in England. In 2016, Kevin invented Komino puzzles, which are logic puzzles with a unique set of logical rules inspired by domino pieces and jigsaw puzzles. He has created over 30 different designs of Komino puzzles, 12 of which are presented in his first book of 200 puzzles called Komino Puzzles, published in 2018. Kevin has had a lifelong interest in solving all kinds of puzzles, including Rubik’s cube and Sudoku, and is a computer programmer with over 30 years of experience.

Education

  • BSc Computer Studies (Hons)

Professional Achievements

  • Komino puzzles get published monthly in the Gamlingay Gazette publication
  • He features a daily interactive puzzle on www.kominopuzzles.com/Puzzle/Daily

Certifications & Organizations

  • Qualified as a Psychiatric Nurse, 1985
  • Higher National Certificate, Computer Studies, 1988
  • Diploma in Computing, 1996
  • Elected member, British Computer Society, 2006

Favorite Piece of Advice

Start with a small design of your idea and refine it as you explore its potential. Be open to changing your design completely. Create a sample of your initial idea and solve a few variations of your sample puzzles. Develop an understanding of how the solution evolves and the techniques you need to use, and use this to refine your rules and design. Always check that there is only one solution, creating a computer program to test all alternative solutions as required. Use the easiest technique if there is a choice in solving the puzzle. The hardest technique you need to use will help grade the difficulty of your puzzle. It is a good idea to give sample puzzles to friends and colleagues and observe how they solve it. See what questions they ask, their common assumptions, and what rules they misunderstand. If they get wrong answers, check to see if the puzzle needs refining.

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Co-authored Articles (13)

How to Solve Slider Puzzles of Any Size

Try these simple strategies to quickly solve your puzzle Are you stuck on your slide puzzle? These brain teasers are a fun challenge, and they get a lot easier to do once you crack the best strategies to figure them out...

How to

Solve a 3 by 3 Slide Puzzle

If you’re looking for a way to test your brain, completing a slide puzzle can be a great little challenge. To win, you have to move 1 tile at a time to unscramble an image. A 3-by-3 puzzle is a great place to start if ...

How to Invent and Decode Secret Ciphers and Codes

Send messages only you and your friends can decipher just like a secret agentWhile spies and treasure hunters in movies make cracking codes look super complex, you can actually make your very own secret code or cipher qu...

3 Ways to Solve Magic Square Math Puzzles

What makes magic squares special and how to fill them in If you’re a fan of math and logic puzzles like Sudoku or Kenken, then trying to solve a magic square is the perfect little challenge to try out. A magic square ...

Solving the Lights Out Game with the Chasing the Lights Method

Chase the Lights to solve each puzzle quickly (and in the fewest moves!) Are you playing Lights Out and finding yourself stumped, pressing the same cells on and off, over and over again, to no avail? We’ll let you in o...

How to

Solve Kakuro

Kakuro is a Japanese puzzle game that is solved by inputting numerical combinations and using simple math.. 02 January 2025. It’s not the same as Sudoku, but if you’re a Sudoku fan, you’re sure to love Kakuro! The ...

How to Get the Most Points at in Tetris

Tetris is a classic video game that has a large competitive scene and dedicated fanbase. While there are many different versions of Tetris, the basic components are always the same. You score points by filling in rows, w...

How to

Solve 8 Puzzle

8 puzzle is a type of sliding puzzle. It may take normal people a few minutes to solve it. In this article, you will learn how to solve 8 puzzle fast. After you master the steps, you will be able to solve it within a ...

How to

Play Sudoku for Kids

Sudoku helps kids sharpen their math, pattern recognition, and critical thinking skills, so if you’re looking to teach a child to solve these exciting puzzles, that’s amazing! For beginners and kids as young as 5 yea...

The 15 Puzzle: How to Find a Solution in No Time!

Solve the 15 puzzle one row at a timeIn this article, you will learn how to solve a 15 puzzle. Once you memorize the rules, your solving record can be reduced to a few minutes.

How to

Solve a Skyscrapers Puzzle

A skyscrapers puzzle requires determining the heights of a grid of buildings. Numbers at the edges of the grid tell the number of skyscrapers visible from that direction. Taller buildings block the view of all lower buil...

How to

Play Kenken

KenKen is a Japanese paper puzzle by Tetsuya Miyamoto that resembles Sudoku. Ken Ken roughly translates to "cleverness-cleverness," and solving one requires a mix of math skills and general logic. The rules take some get...

How to Solve the “You Enter a Room” Riddle (Plus Other Brain Teasers)

Learn the surprising answer and logic behind this viral riddleYou may have seen a variation of this riddle making its rounds on social media: “You enter a room. 2 dogs, 4 horses, 1 giraffe, and a duck are lying on the ...