Version 1.57.2 fixes an issue relating to the buttons for generating a new puzzle of a particular size:

Version 1.57.0 adds some new improvements and enhancements:

• Improvements to the way the difficulty is estimated for new puzzles generated by the puzzle generator.
• Improvements to the way the built-in help chooses the hint to show, so that easier steps are identified before more difficult steps.
• The built-in help now identifies a square with a pencilled block outline as being incorrect if the square will ultimately contain a number when the puzzle is completed.
• Added more auto-complete functionality for when a clue value is tapped and the associated row or column already has two blocks, or when the number of missing blocks exactly matches the number of empty squares. In particular, if a group of squares are selected by tapping the clue value and all squares have values except for one, the last square is promoted to a value if it only has one candidate value. The same also applies to the squares outside the blocks, when the selection is inverted.
• If a row or column with a hidden clue has two blocks, the squares between the blocks now get selected when the space is tapped where the clue would normally be shown. A second tap inverts the selection. If any number combinations were already showing, they remain showing and are no longer cleared.
• Enhancements to full dark appearance when dark mode is in operation. The panel showing the number combinations is less bright, the spotlight feature is shown with more contrast.
• Some cosmetic improvements to the number buttons (the round buttons for number values).
• Fix for an issue where number combinations were sometimes being filtered out incorrectly when the setting “only show combinations with the right numbers of values” is turned on.
• The level controls in the puzzle generator settings are less fiddly to adjust.

Version 1.56.0 contains a number of enhancements that were requested by players via the contact form and quick survey:

• A swipe action can be used to select any group of squares that does not contain a block. Actions can then be performed on these squares together, such as number elimination.
• Pencil mode includes the possibility to set temporary blocks. This can be useful for trying out possible block positions.
• Pencil mode stays on when squares are selected by tapping a hint. Updates to multi-selected squares are also possible with pencil mode still active.
• When the last pencilled candidate has been eliminated from a square, the square shows the outline of a block, instead of appearing empty. This is to indicate that the square might be ready to receive a block, because no candidate values are left.
• The difficulty weighting for the puzzle generator can be configured in more diverse ways. Players can now mix and match the weights for the different categories of difficulty.
• When the difficulty weighting is set exclusively to either "harder puzzles" or "easier puzzles", the generator is more likely to generate puzzles that have maximum or minimum difficulty.
• Fix for a rare issue where the sum combinations were occasionally not being displayed correctly after being inverted.

In version 1.55.0, the puzzle generator delivers puzzles with a better mix of difficulties. The changes in detail:

• When the difficulty weighting for the puzzle generator is set to "random is fine", the puzzles are now generated with a much better mix of difficulties.
• In Normal play mode, the puzzle generator now only generates puzzles up to a difficulty level of DIFFICULT (and not up to VERY DIFFICULT, as previously). As always, the play modes Advanced and Expert can be used to generate VERY DIFFICULT puzzles, if required.

This is expected to be the last release to include support for iOS 14. To benefit from future updates of the app, please be sure to update devices still running iOS 14 to a more recent version of iOS.

Version 1.54.0 includes two new modes of layout for landscape orientation and improvements to the way the difficulty of new puzzles is estimated. The changes in detail:

• Landscape (sideways) orientation is now supported on all devices. Previously, landscape orientation was only supported on iPads.
• A new layout setting allows players to choose whether the puzzle should be on the left or right side of screen when playing in landscape orientation. On an iPad, the option of vertical layout is also available, as before.
• The main benefit of the new modes of layout is that the explanation for help does not obscure the puzzle. This makes it possible to study the help explanation and examine the puzzle at the same time. For this reason, players who usually prefer to play a puzzle using vertical layout may still find it useful to rotate the device to landscape orientation in order to study the help.
• When a new puzzle is generated by the built-in puzzle generator, the way the difficulty is estimated has been improved. The difficulty rating now reflects the logical complexity of the puzzle much more accurately.
• Terminology: the introduction and the built-in help now refer to the numbers at the side of a puzzle as "clues" instead of as "sum values".

Version 1.53.0 contains a bunch of small improvements. The main changes:

• An improvement to the Spotlight feature. If there are any squares where the spotlight value is the only candidate value, these are shown highlighted as single cases, even if there are other squares in the same row or column which also have the value as a candidate.
• The option to show inverted combinations now takes effect whenever a sum value is tapped twice, even if two blocks are not present. Previously, the combinations were only shown inverted if there were two blocks, when double tap also inverts the selection.
• Improvements to the way the difficulty of newly-generated puzzles is estimated for cases involving expert complexity.
• Improvements to the way the built-in help chooses where to show a help hint for puzzles generated in expert mode.
• Further improvements to help explanations.

​This version also includes fixes for the following issues:

• A fix to prevent false alarms for an “incorrect sum” when candidate values are being set on a single square. Previously, other rows and columns that were impacted by the selection might signal an error after the first candidate value had been set, only to be cleared again when more candidate values were added to the selected square.
• A fix for when values are applied to a group of squares that have been selected together. If the first value to be tapped was not already a candidate for any of the selected squares, the squares were being cleared instead of being updated correctly.
• A fix for when a square with a single candidate value is tapped and then the value is confirmed by tapping again. Previously, this was causing the value to be eliminated instead of being confirmed.
• A fix for an isolated crash that was reported as happening while updating a selection with multiple squares.
  
• Fixes for a few missing symbols (icons) with iOS 14.

A new feature in version 1.52.0 makes it possible to delete combinations individually. This is especially useful for solving large puzzles! Also in this version:

• The general settings are now split over two pages, instead of having all settings on one long page.
• 8x8 puzzles are generated faster, with less load on the battery.
• The puzzle generator observes the difficulty weighting more closely for all puzzle sizes up to 8x8.
• Small cosmetic improvements.

Version 1.51.0 introduces three different modes of highlighting for the spotlight feature:

• In Mono mode, the same highlighting is used for all matching values. This is how spotlight highlighting worked in previous versions.
• In Singles mode, different highlighting is used to show when a value only appears once in a row or column. This is the new default mode of highlighting.
• With the mode Singles and paired, different highlighting is used for single values and also for paired values in a row or column. Advanced players may find this mode particularly helpful.

The highlighting mode can be selected in the settings. The advanced solving technique that uses paired values is explained in more detail in the FAQ section Settings.

Also in this version:

• A fix for an issue where tap gestures were not aligning correctly with app content. This was happening when resuming play if the app had previously been put in the background while an overlay sheet was showing.
• A fix for an isolated crash that was reported as happening when a puzzle was paused.
• Some cosmetic improvements.

Version 1.50.0 is the 50th release of the app! To celebrate this milestone, there are some significant changes in this release:

• The Challenge Trail has a new look, more consistent with the woodland themes used elsewhere in the app.
• New categories of puzzle pack have been added for Quirky and Scary puzzles, each with 3 brand-new packs. The Quirky packs contain out-of-the-ordinary puzzles, the Scary packs are aimed at skilled players and include a pack of premium 9x9 puzzles.
• A new kind of selector is used for switching between the categories of puzzle packs and the contents of the packs are described in more detail.
• Naming changes: the section Puzzle Sets is now called Puzzle Packs, the section Random Play is now called Puzzle Generator.

More details about the quirky puzzles and the premium 9x9 puzzles can be found in the FAQ section about in-app purchases.

A number of other corrections and improvements are also included in this release:

• Better support for dark mode in the Introduction and Challenge Trail sections.
• An improvement to the way the next puzzle is selected in the puzzle packs, to avoid going back to skipped puzzles after the app has been restarted.
• An improvement to the way the puzzle packs scroll into position, with the aim of always bringing the last-played puzzle into view.
• An improvement to the way the built-in help determines where the next step can be played, in order to skip small changes that are not important for making progress.
• A fix to prevent the puzzle generator from occasionally whirring forever.
• A blur effect is applied to the puzzle grid if the app is put into a suspended state when a puzzle is in play, so that it is not possible to study the puzzle while the timer is paused.​
• Further corrections and improvements to the help explanations.

Version 1.49.0 includes more improvements to the built-in puzzle generator.

​​The Random Play puzzle generator now generates puzzles that are more fiendish than ever (play modes Advanced and Expert). Improvements have also been made to the help explanations.