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 Beyonce leaves national anthem unfinished. A space capsule carrying ashes of 160 people crashed in the ocean. A lesson in minding your own business ... at 30,000 feet. Trump "never heard" that "shylocks" is offensive. Report an error