If a puzzle starts empty then there's nothing to go on! What is the strategy for solving a puzzle?
A puzzle always has clues to go on - these are the numbers at the ends of the rows and base of the columns. A good strategy is to start by looking for the largest values. Please check out the "Strategy" section of the app introduction, which illustrates a number of techniques for solving a puzzle.
Is there a way to get help if I get stuck?
Yes. Just tap the button with the "?!" symbol.
The FAQ section on help and scoring explains all about how the help works in full detail.
The FAQ section on help and scoring explains all about how the help works in full detail.
Is there a step-by-step tutorial?
The help can actually be used to guide you step-by-step through any puzzle, explaining the logical reasoning at each step.
- Let the help show you the row or column for the next step.
- View the explanation of what can be done, if it is not clear.
- If you are not able to see how the step goes then instead of guessing, just tap the help again and let it show you.
The button for "How to use" has gone! How can I get to this guide now?
A button for "How to use" is shown below a puzzle in play if this part of the introduction was skipped when the app was first launched. The button disappears as soon as the guide has been seen through to the end (or when pencil mode is enabled).
To get back to the "How to use" guide at any time, just select Introduction from the main menu.
To get back to the "How to use" guide at any time, just select Introduction from the main menu.
How can a square be marked as a "number" square, or "not a block"?
Just tap the square once, which changes it from an empty square to a square containing candidate numbers. To start with, all possible candidates are shown, but if you know that some candidates can be eliminated then you can take out the ones that do not apply. The "How to use" section of the app introduction shows how this is done.
It is important to realise that a square with candidate numbers represents a square which will definitely be a number, that is, it will definitely not be a block. It should not be viewed as a square with pencil markings that may or may not be a block.
For solving difficult puzzles, it is possible to set pencil markings too. Please see the separate FAQ section on pencil mode for details.
It is important to realise that a square with candidate numbers represents a square which will definitely be a number, that is, it will definitely not be a block. It should not be viewed as a square with pencil markings that may or may not be a block.
For solving difficult puzzles, it is possible to set pencil markings too. Please see the separate FAQ section on pencil mode for details.
How can a square be marked as a possible block?
Just don't set it as a number square (see the answer above). All empty squares are possible blocks, and possible numbers too.
If you would like to pencil in the candidate values for an empty square without committing it to being a number square, use pencil mode. The FAQ section on pencil mode explains how.
If you would like to pencil in the candidate values for an empty square without committing it to being a number square, use pencil mode. The FAQ section on pencil mode explains how.
Is there an easy way to fill the gaps in a row or column when the positions of the blocks are known?
Yes. This is done by tapping the clue at the end of the row or column. The way the gaps are filled depends on the number of blocks present:
This technique works for a clue of 0 too and can even be used for rows or columns with hidden clues. Just tap the space where the clue would normally be shown.
After the empty squares have been updated, the squares between the blocks are automatically selected. If the clue is tapped again, the selection is inverted and the squares outside the blocks are selected instead. Updates can be performed on the group of selected squares, as described in the next two answers.
- If there is only one block present and just one empty square remains, or both blocks are missing and exactly two squares are still empty, the empty squares are converted to blocks automatically.
- If two blocks have already been placed, any squares which are still empty (either inside or outside the blocks) will be converted to number squares automatically.
This technique works for a clue of 0 too and can even be used for rows or columns with hidden clues. Just tap the space where the clue would normally be shown.
After the empty squares have been updated, the squares between the blocks are automatically selected. If the clue is tapped again, the selection is inverted and the squares outside the blocks are selected instead. Updates can be performed on the group of selected squares, as described in the next two answers.
Is there an easy way to narrow down the candidate numbers when the right combination is known?
Yes, there are just two steps:
This technique is illustrated towards the end of the "How to use" introduction sequence. If you skipped this part of the introduction when you first loaded the app, you can go back to it by selecting Introduction from the main menu.
- Tap the clue to select all the squares between the blocks.
- Tap the numbers for the combination.
This technique is illustrated towards the end of the "How to use" introduction sequence. If you skipped this part of the introduction when you first loaded the app, you can go back to it by selecting Introduction from the main menu.
Is there an easy way to take out just one candidate number, without having to tap in all the other numbers?
Yes. Just tap the number that you want to remove twice. This is also illustrated in the "How to use" introduction.
This technique works for multiple selections too:
This technique works for multiple selections too:
- The squares between two blocks can be selected by swiping across the squares, or just by tapping the clue value.
- If the clue is tapped a second time, the selection is inverted and the squares outside the blocks are selected instead.
Is it sometimes necessary to guess the next step?
No. Every puzzle can be solved with logical reasoning and it is never necessary to guess the next step.
When you use the help to perform a step, it offers to show an explanation of the logic. A good way to learn how to solve the puzzles is to study and understand the help explanations.
When you use the help to perform a step, it offers to show an explanation of the logic. A good way to learn how to solve the puzzles is to study and understand the help explanations.
Is trial and error a good strategy?
This is just a form of guessing. It is a strategy that works, but it inevitably means that you will sometimes go down the wrong path and will have to backtrack the steps. This costs time, even if you take advantage of the help to "undo back to where I went wrong". You won't be exercising your brain very much either!
A better long-term strategy is to learn how to solve the puzzles by logical reasoning, as this will allow you to take the right path first time. Using the help and studying the explanations is a good way to learn.
A better long-term strategy is to learn how to solve the puzzles by logical reasoning, as this will allow you to take the right path first time. Using the help and studying the explanations is a good way to learn.
Can the puzzles be reset and played again?
Yes. If you want to, you can reset the puzzles in the Challenge Trail and Puzzle Packs and play them all again, as many times as you like. There is no need to re-install the app either.
- An option to reset your Challenge Trail progress can be found in the options menu on the Challenge Trail launch page.
- A similar option can be found in the options menu on the Puzzle Packs page, allowing the packs to be reset individually.
Is there a way to play the same puzzle again without resetting all the puzzles?
If you want to replay a puzzle straight away then what you can do is clear it and start again, instead of stopping the timer when it is completed. This is done by tapping the reset button (with the X) instead of the button with the finish flag. It might also be useful to turn on the option in the settings to "show if numbers add up correctly to the clue values", which will let you see if the solution is looking good before you clear it - please see the FAQ section on Settings for more details.
The reason why there is no other simple way to replay the same puzzle immediately is because it would make it too easy to climb the leaderboard if players could go back and get a better score for the puzzle they just learnt how to solve.
The reason why there is no other simple way to replay the same puzzle immediately is because it would make it too easy to climb the leaderboard if players could go back and get a better score for the puzzle they just learnt how to solve.
There is a lag after every tap! Why is it so sluggish?
The Troubleshooting page has a detailed answer on this issue.
How does pencil mode work?
Please see the separate FAQ section on pencil mode.