US | sudoku Sudoku Champ Eyes Tougher Puzzles Young scientist hopes to make his name in DNA research By Will McCahill Posted May 10, 2008 5:41 AM CDT Copied "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) 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." Read These Next A family hike took a tragic turn in Arkansas on Saturday. Delta pilot arrested moments after landing plane. Multiple people shot at Reno casino. Kim Jong Un's sister shows up with biting words. Report an error