How can I see the leaderboards?
There are a number of ways to bring up the leaderboards:
- After completing any puzzle -> tap the new points scored.
- On all pages with an options menu -> select Leaderboard from the menu.
- On the main menu page -> launch the Game Center dashboard by tapping your player symbol in the top-right corner, then navigate to the Leaderboards section.
What is the difference between the leaderboard display styles?
The leaderboard display style can be selected in the Sumaddle app settings (in the device settings). Two types of display style are available:
Top scores
This is the default display style. The top 100 scores are always loaded + the scores around your own score, if it is outside the top 100.
The top scores leaderboard display style usually works faster and more reliably than the standard Game Center display style. It also switches between light and dark mode in accordance with the device setting and generally provides better integration and consistency with the rest of the app.
If you are missing the information that is provided by the standard Game Center leaderboard style (described below), there are two ways that it can be seen:
The top scores leaderboard display style usually works faster and more reliably than the standard Game Center display style. It also switches between light and dark mode in accordance with the device setting and generally provides better integration and consistency with the rest of the app.
If you are missing the information that is provided by the standard Game Center leaderboard style (described below), there are two ways that it can be seen:
- either, view the leaderboards via the Game Center dashboard (as described in the last point of the answer above)
- or, change the leaderboard display style back to the standard style in the Sumaddle app settings (in the device settings).
Standard Game Center
This is the leaderboard display style that is a standard part of the Game Center dashboard, as used in many apps.
This display style allows you to drill down on other players to see more details about their Game Center activities (if they have chosen to allow this information to be seen). You can also see the activities of your Game Center "friends".
This display style allows you to drill down on other players to see more details about their Game Center activities (if they have chosen to allow this information to be seen). You can also see the activities of your Game Center "friends".
How are the leaderboards configured?
The leaderboards are configured in a few different ways:
Challenge Trail and Puzzle Packs
These leaderboards report your latest cumulative score over all time.
Puzzle Generator
The leaderboard for the puzzle generator reports your total score since the last reset. A reset occurs every 24 hours, after which the leaderboard begins again from scratch, so in effect the leaderboard hosts a daily contest between players. The reset happens at 05:00 GMT every day, independent of daylight saving changes.
This leaderboard is a classic hare and tortoise race - you can reach the top quickly if you are good at solving puzzles, but you can also reach the top slowly if you just stick at it and solve a lot of puzzles! However, you will need some perseverance to win the daily contest, the keenest players sometimes score over 500,000 points in one day!
This leaderboard is a classic hare and tortoise race - you can reach the top quickly if you are good at solving puzzles, but you can also reach the top slowly if you just stick at it and solve a lot of puzzles! However, you will need some perseverance to win the daily contest, the keenest players sometimes score over 500,000 points in one day!
Holiday Special
A separate leaderboard exists for special puzzle sets in seasonal releases. This was last active for a special edition of the app which ran from 21st December 2022 to the end of January 2023.
This leaderboard reports the latest cumulative score just as for other puzzle sets, but it also resets every two weeks like with the puzzle generator. However, unlike the puzzle generator, a reset is more like capturing a snapshot:
This leaderboard reports the latest cumulative score just as for other puzzle sets, but it also resets every two weeks like with the puzzle generator. However, unlike the puzzle generator, a reset is more like capturing a snapshot:
- After a reset has happened, the current leaderboard starts again from an empty state. But as soon as you re-visit the section of the app with the special puzzles, your latest total score will be posted to the current leaderboard, even if you don't play a puzzle.
- If there are more puzzles to be played then your total score will go on growing, it does not start from 0 after a leaderboard reset (unlike the Puzzle Generator leaderboard).
- If you reset the special puzzles and play them again then your score starts again from 0 on the current leaderboard, but it doesn't affect any score that was captured on the previous leaderboard.
Can I contribute to the leaderboards from multiple devices?
Yes, but there are a few limitations.
- The leaderboards for the Challenge Trail and Puzzle Packs report the latest cumulative score from a single device. If you are playing the puzzles on multiple devices then you will see the score most recently posted.
- With the puzzle generator, your existing leaderboard position is loaded when you first go to Puzzle Generator, then it is added to. If you switch device, the leaderboard total will normally be picked up automatically when you start playing on the new device. You can help this to happen by making sure you wake the device from sleep, or by navigating to Puzzle Generator again from the main menu, or just by viewing the leaderboard on the new device.
If I play offline, will the points get added to the leaderboard later?
Yes. The corresponding leaderboard will be updated if you re-visit the part of the app where you scored the points once you are back online.
If it doesn't seem to be working, please follow these steps:
In the case of the puzzle generator, only the current leaderboard can be updated, so you need to make sure to get back online before the leaderboard resets. As soon as the daily reset has happened, the previous leaderboard is frozen and no further updates to it are possible. Any points that have not been posted before the reset happens will be lost, they are not carried over into the following leaderboard period.
If it doesn't seem to be working, please follow these steps:
- Make sure your device has network connectivity.
- If the app is already running, terminate it in the app switcher (double-tap the home button and swipe the app upwards).
- Re-launch the app and wait until it reports that Game Center sign-in was successful. The next answer below explains what to do if this does not happen.
- Navigate from the main menu to the parts of the app where you scored the points.
In the case of the puzzle generator, only the current leaderboard can be updated, so you need to make sure to get back online before the leaderboard resets. As soon as the daily reset has happened, the previous leaderboard is frozen and no further updates to it are possible. Any points that have not been posted before the reset happens will be lost, they are not carried over into the following leaderboard period.
When I try to view a leaderboard it tells me I'm not signed in to Game Center. What do I need to do?
Normally, you will be signed in to Game Center automatically when the app launches, or it will prompt you to sign in. If this is not happening, please try the following:
- Go to your device settings -> Sumaddle and check that "Connect to Game Center" is enabled.
- Go to Game Center in the device settings and sign in there. This is also where you can create a Game Center profile, if you do not already have one.
Do the points scored in the Puzzle Generator preview get posted to the Puzzle Generator leaderboard?
Yes. The points scored by playing puzzles in the preview are posted to the leaderboard, just the same as for new puzzles that are created by the puzzle generator on demand. This also means, when the daily leaderboard reset happens, the points earned up to that moment move to the "previous" leaderboard and the points on the new "current" leaderboard begin again at 0.
If you reset the preview, your running total is also reset and starts again from 0. However, any score already posted to the leaderboard will stay there. A score already posted to the Puzzle Generator leaderboard is not replaced by a lower score, only by a higher score.
If you purchase the Puzzle Generator, the score from the leaderboard is used as the starting position for continued play, even if the preview was reset just before purchase.
If you reset the preview, your running total is also reset and starts again from 0. However, any score already posted to the leaderboard will stay there. A score already posted to the Puzzle Generator leaderboard is not replaced by a lower score, only by a higher score.
If you purchase the Puzzle Generator, the score from the leaderboard is used as the starting position for continued play, even if the preview was reset just before purchase.
I didn't play the Puzzle Generator yesterday, but I'm listed on the previous leaderboard. How can that be?
When you view the previous leaderboard (for Puzzle Generator or special releases), Game Center shows you the leaderboard for when you previously played. This may not be the same as the leaderboard that was previously active. So in the case of Puzzle Generator, the leaderboard you see as being previous is not necessarily yesterday's leaderboard, but rather the leaderboard in which you last participated.
I've noticed that there is a player who seems to be able to climb the Puzzle Generator leaderboard in big leaps. How is that possible?
It is possible to score more than 10,000 points with a single 9x9 puzzle, but if a player is climbing the leaderboard in much larger leaps then it probably means they are playing offline. Every time they come back online, their leaderboard score will be updated with all the points they earned while playing offline. Since it takes time to collect points, you will probably also notice long periods during which their score stays unchanged.
If you are intending to play the Puzzle Generator offline, please be aware that you need to get back online before the next leaderboard reset happens, otherwise the points that were earned will be lost. There is an answer further above about playing offline, which explains in more detail.
If you are intending to play the Puzzle Generator offline, please be aware that you need to get back online before the next leaderboard reset happens, otherwise the points that were earned will be lost. There is an answer further above about playing offline, which explains in more detail.
Why are there no other players in the leaderboards?
When a leaderboard is viewed in the Game Center dashboard it sometimes only shows you and your "friends" (this default is enforced by Apple). Change the context selector from Friends to Global to see all global players.
The other possible reason for why there may not be many other players is if you are looking at the leaderboard for Puzzle Generator and the daily reset has just happened. The earlier answer about leaderboard configuration explains in more detail.
The other possible reason for why there may not be many other players is if you are looking at the leaderboard for Puzzle Generator and the daily reset has just happened. The earlier answer about leaderboard configuration explains in more detail.
I just finished a puzzle really quickly, but the points weren't added to the leaderboard. Why not?
This issue is addressed on the Troubleshooting page.