So I know I’ve been a little behind on working on 2.0, but I’m getting close and I’m going to need some BETA testers. If you are interested, please sign-up for an account on the blog (not in the comments please - I don’t want anyone’s emails revealed) and I’ll send you an email in a week or two.
Some of the new features include the ability to resize the widget, highlights on rows/columns you are on, central storage of high scores and competitions, and more…
nice widget!
I love your widget and I’d be happy to be one of your beta testers for the next version!
Question: I use your widget on my mac, will it work on a pc, too?
I just found your widget today. Nice.
Any plans to release as a stand-alone app?
I’m addicted! and working on addicting family and friends.
I am soooo looking forward to great new features in 2,0 and the competitions!
I downloaded the widget yesterday and enjoyed it, but when I went to play today it is not allowing me to insert numbers, only pencil marks. Maybe I will have to uninstall and reinstall.
Hi
- but I need over 7 minutes in position easy. For beginners, it should be easier!
I’m addicted too by sudoku. But - I think your widget is a bit too hard to solve.
I thought I am a sudoku-master
Hi,
I love your widget ! Question; what is the score based on?
I’d love to be a beta tester, too
I really enjoy your widget (other than the fact that the score and time information at the end (in white type) is printed overtop of the Macfun whale, so it’s harder to read). I’m working on addicting my family and friends 
As a long time user, since version 1, I would love to beta test version 2.0
I think your widget is cool. A bit hard to crack for me, though.
I’ve checked out a lot of Sudoku apps for the Mac and I have to say this one has the absolute best usability. The interface is totally intuitive and simple, and I love the simplistic approach of the display.
I’m looking forward to beta testing v2.0 (Yes, I created an account on the blog!). The feature to hilight the row and column is great, but I have just one request. Would it be possible to have a feature which will hilight all squares which contain the number you have currently selected? It should hilight penciled marks, pre-filled numbers as well as user entered answers. This would be a really cool feature
I know you can’t do al the features everyone asked for, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
I’ll be a beta tester too.
Would love to beta test. Great widget
Play this widget all the time, would love a shot at the beta (already created an account)
I just created an account so I too can be a beta tester. I love your widget and my wife is getting hooked now too.
Hey!
I love your sudoku…I only have one main problem, when it doesn’t realise that there is more ways then one to winning a game. I have a screen shot of a recent game I completed, and it should count as a win, but the only reason why it is not, is because it must not be the game on file, it seems to have no way of chcking other entries…this is a problem.
I can send yo the screen shot if you want, but I don’t know your email…
Thanks!
I hope your beta testing is going well!
i’m italian and I’d be happy to be one of your beta testers for this wonderfull wdgt!!!
Love your widget! I wonder if you might offer options for the toggling between the entry of pencil marks and entries… the cell shading is a bit subtle for me… maybe the border of the entire grid could change shades? or the color of the entered numbers? Also, I’d like to be able to change which key toggles it… or have it ALWAYS in entry mode and holding a modifier key enters pencil marks instead? Keep up the good work… looking forward to the new release.
Hello
Is there any way to enlarge it? It would be nice if the puzzle was larger so that it was easier to see the numbers, especially the pencil marks.
Wendy
Hello
Sorry just saw now that the new one can be resized, let me know when it is available!! Thanks.
Wendy
I’d love to beta-test. I had some friends over this weekend and we used your widget on our projector to do a group-solve! It was so much fun! It would have been great to have been able to scale it up to fill the screen.
I’m new at Sudoku. I like you Widget.
For me there’s little difference in scoring at all levels. Diablo is only a teensy more difficult than Easy. I haven’t seen anything like scores in the thousands. The fastest I can do anything is in 8 minutes. Most times it is much longer. I believe it’s due to the size of the Widget. I do make numerous mouse clicking errors, unfortunately. Please tell me if all this is the norm. Thanks for the great design.
I am hopelessly addicted both to Soduku and to your widget. The astonishing amount I spend at it, has, of course, improved my skill.
This brings out my competitive tendencies, and I wonder how I stack up against other addicts out there.
My top score: 13,106 (at Diablo, with a time of 6:20).
Anyone else as addicted as me?
I’d also love to beta-test. I’d be happy to try the new version and discover it’s new features
(I am not as fast as adrianne though, top score is about 5:20 and 12,000 in easy mode and 11:20 7,350 in Diabolo.
It’s been two and a half months since you posted. You still around?
I really like your widget. I can’t get it to create an empty puzzle. What am I doing wrong?
yup, it’s a nice widget. (and a great way to kill HOURS of time, too!)
one small suggestion: please add some indicator of how many of each digit are “used up” already, because if there are nine 4s on the board, for example, it’s nice to be able to skip them and concentrate on other numbers. one way might be to change the numerals along the bottom, either to a different colour, or something like fill them up as more of them are placed on the board. (going from outlined characters to filled ones, for example.)
great widget! have you given any thought to having the pencil marks organized?
it’s how i do it on paper: divide the empty cell into a 3×3 for pencil marks so the 123/456/789 always fall in the same place
execcellent
beta testing to germany !!
Would love to be a beta tester. Your 1.5 is great, but my older eyes could use the ability to enlarge the puzzle. Thanks!
hjmg
Hi:
Love your widget. Been playing for a long time. Managed a 37,380 high score in diablo level.
Would be happy to beta your 2.0.
Are you still beta testing this? I signed up for an account and haven’t received anything yet about the beta.
I really enjoy your widget, but as a sudoku master I’m looking for something tougher (I finish the Diablo level puzzles in about 10 minutes). Any chance you’ll try to program a Monster Sudoku (4×4 grids) widget?
I think you have created an excellent and enjoyable widget - but I am biased for anything sudoku. The one suggestion I have that i haven’t seen in the suggested feature set is the ability to enter sudoku you already have from books and newspapers. I would also be happy to test the beta when it is ready. Once again, excellent work on a solid widget.
Very often, I try to solve sudoku puzzles in the press. Would it be possible to allow me to enter the puzzle myself instead of generating it randomly?
I love your widget, but there’s a bug. If I play a lot of games on it without closing it, it gets slow. There will eventually be a noticeable delay between the click and the number appearing. The problem goes away as soon as I close the widget and reopen it, but then I lose my high scores. Will 2.0 fix this problem?
I would like to be a beta tester. I like the current version and I like the updates that you are planning. Thanks mike
BM,
You can already do this. Set Level of Difficulty to blank. Put in the number from the press based puzzle. Finally, press the ‘L’ or ‘l’ key. this will lock the the puzzle. Now, you ready to go!
Stephen
I don’t understand the “lock cells to begin blank puzzle” command. Am I to hit I then L ? When? I would love to able to insert numbers in a blank puzzle and then solve it using your pencil marks system.
Hi, dflinn,
in your meesage from January 27th, 2007 you write that you finish the diablos in about 10 minutes. Well, a lot of sleepless nights ended up in a record time of 4 minutes and 54 sec.
Our 10th best time there is 8:16. Let’s see if you can top that???
But nevertheless I think your 4*4 idea is a good idea.
I’d like to be a beta tester. Have enjoyed 1.5 very much and look forward to the new features.
I’d like to be a beta tester. It’s the best Sudoku on Mac. Do you need a german localisation?
Bob: Here’s how you use the L (lock): First, start a blank puzzle. Then enter all the numbers from the newspaper’s puzzle. Finally, type an L to lock those numbers, and you’re ready to begin solving it.
I would have written sooner, but was stuck on a devilish Diablo puzzle.
I wanna be a beta tester..
Love this puzzle. I’ll be a beta tester.
Your possible dutch beta tester is avoiding the madnes in the streets of Holland on Queensday.
Any interest in porting this widget to chumby (www.chumby.com)?
I’d love to be a beta tester.
Wonderful Widget! I have a comment concerning visual problems affecting 1/3 of the male population. Varing degrees of red green color blindness. Could you make it friendly by using contrastion colors?
Amazing game, the best sudoku ive found for the dashboard however it has one MAJOR problem. When playing it on my macbook pro while not connected to a power source (running on battery) after a few minutes it will give me a kernel panic and my computer crashes and will not start until the battery is fully charged. At first I thought it was a computer problem (on my 1 week old computer) so the apple store replaced it, when playing it again on my new mac it did the same thing. I removed the game and havent had the problem since. Please look into this problem, I would love to have this game again!
Het is een geweldig speeltje. Ik gebruik het vaak en wil graag beta tester zijn voor de nieuwe versie
Love your Soduko widget. Small comment though.
You have these auto-pencil marks. thats great but…
When solving the puzzle one needs to be able to edit the pencil marks.
Automatic pencil marks (when the game starts)
fully editable when playing would be a great option.
Keep up the good work.
I would also like to be a beta tester for version 2.0.
Does anyone out there know of a solution for my only frustration with Sudoku which is partly a problem with the Dashboard itself? Sometimes clicking on something in the Dashboard causes the Dashboard to close. Then I have to hit F12 to open it again. The biggest problem with this is that it usually happens when I’m entering a pencil mark with the Shift key held down. Of course, the Shift key makes Dashboard close in slow motion which makes it take longer for me to get back to Sudoku. This also seems to screw up Sudoku’s timing, since I’m fairly certain I did NOT complete a Diablo game in 32 seconds to earn a score of 77,481 points. I believe more than half of my high scores are “corrupted” in this way.
Hey you know that there is a big flaw with your game, the boxes you are originally given in a game need to be mirrored across the board. For examples look at www.websudoku.com if you have any questions feel free to e-mail me
sorry forgot my e-mail ADSchulman@mac.com
I’d love to be a beta tester. I really like your widget. As a slightly older guy, I’m glad to hear the new widget will be resizable!
Good luck and keep up the good work!
Would like to suggest an option for a blank sudoku widget so I can plug in the same numbers as the newspaper and try to solve the puzzle that way.
Would like to suggest an option for a blank sudoku widget so I can plug in the same numbers as the newspaper and try to solve the puzzle that way.
Would like to suggest an option for a blank sudoku widget so I can plug in the same numbers as the newspaper and try to solve the puzzle that way. I’d like to be a beta tester.
Can we expect to get a Wordpress Widget in the near future?
Hi,
I just wanted to notify you that the version string in the plist file for sudoku 1.5 isn’t correct (still states 1.0)
Ciao, Thomas
Fun widget. Thanks. I will be glad to Beta test the next release.
How about a standalone version, and perhaps a puzzle solver?
Two suggestions for 2.0 (if it’s not too late):
1) abiility to change the color of a pencil mark to red (or some other color), so i can keep track of “tentative” choices
2) ability to save a state of a game (inlcuding pencil marks) so i can go back after some of my “tentative” choices are disproved
That would help me handle much harder Sudokus that I currently can.
I’m hooked on Sudoku. I’d love to give your V2.0 a shot!
How the heck do you Start a New Game???????? Please some assist!!!!!!!
How the heck do you Start a New Game???????? Please some assist!!!!!!!
How the heck do you Start a New Game???????? Please some assist!!!!!!!
How the heck do you Start a New Game???????? Please some assist!!!!!!!
Great widget. I’m addicted. I play only the hardest level with the auto-pencil marks. In many games, there comes a point at which it is simply impossible to make a move that is certain. It would be nice to be able to add colored entries that one is unsure of–then if a dead end appears later on, one could back up by removing the colored entries.
Great widget. I’m addicted. I play only the hardest level with the auto-pencil marks. In many games, there comes a point at which it is simply impossible to make a move that is certain. It would be nice to be able to add colored entries that one is unsure of–then if a dead end appears later on, one could back up by removing the colored entries.
Hi Brian
Am I going crazy. This puzzle of yours can have two solutions - B1, B9, F1 & F9 can are unique rectangles with 29. F1 really should be a 3 but then the puzzle is broken. Rgds Paul
7 8 1
2 4 6
3 9 5
3 9 4
8 7 5
2 6 1
2 5 6
3 9 1
7 8 4
5 2 4
1 7 8
9 6 3
9 8 6
5 3 2
1 4 7
1 7 3
4 6 9
8 2 5
8 1 9
6 5 2
4 3 7
7 5 3
4 1 8
6 2 9
6 4 2
9 3 7
5 1 8
Hello,
I love the current version of the Sudoku widget and I’m curious to see how you improved it. Please register me as a beta tester!
Thanks
Thomas
Heya.
Love your widget! But there’s some great improvement you could make:
1. Add right click to add a pencil note.
2. Add a second row of smaller 1-9’s so that can click on those to make pencil notes. This effectively removes the need for keyboard access.
Note: when you do this, the need for a coloured box also disappears as the nr selected wll be highlighted.
3. Minor issues: make 1-9 a bit larger for problem free clicking.
I love it. Yet I think it would be better if you could improve it by making it an application, not just a widget. Hope you take that in consideration and email me if it happens. Thank you.
if you change the level of difficulty in the course of part, the score is not recorded correctly, too bad…
Hello, I’m Wuyang. I’m now writing a OS X 10.5 guide book in Taiwan, and in the book i want to introduce this good widget Sudoku.It also contents a CD, and I’ll put it in, can you agree with it?
Please mail me about your answer.
Thanks very much;)
This was the best widget for Mac OS X - the only one I would consider paying for!! I wish it worked well with 10.5
Key-select a number doesn´t work for me (MacBook Pro, OSX 10.5.4). It works only by clicking a number. Otherwise Sudoku is a great Widget with potencial. I love it. Thnx
I love Sudoku. Unfortunately, after I finally realized the method for solving even the most difficult puzzles (pencilling in all the correct possible numbers for each cell, then systematically checking for a pencilled number that occurs only once in a row, column or the 9-cell square, & patience) it’s kinda lost its addictive appeal for me.
Lately, the last few sudoku puzzles allowed the same number in a square. What’s up? Ronda
Lately, the last few sudoku puzzles allowed the same number in a square. What’s up? Ronda
If you’re still looking for testers, I’d be happy to join up.
1.5 is great, New Macbook seems slow to respond sometimes. Could it be a little bigger (not much though), and sometimes the red errors don’t show up clearly (especially if not directly in front of the screen).
I love the widget. Currently, V1.5 is broken for me: To move the cursor, I need to press the cursor key twice. Always. But only to move the cursor (”pen”). That means, effectively, I can’t play Soduku any more now! (It might have to do with my transition from OS X 10.4 to 10.5.)
Therefore, please sign me up as 2.0 beta tester. I hope the new beta won’t have this bug on my system.
I just checked 2.0. That version does not accept any keyboard input at all. (Yes, it has the focus.)
I am a little perplexed why your Sudoku games do not accommodate pencil marks for possible solutions for a square. I do not automatic pencil marks because they also include wrong numbers. I have a version for the PC that works great but have not found one easy way to mark up any Sudoku games for the MAC. Why is that? Can Mac users really solve the truly difficult puzzles without the pencil marks? If yes, point me to the brain box. I can not do it.
I am a little perplexed why your Sudoku games do not accommodate pencil marks for possible solutions for a square. I do not automatic pencil marks because they also include wrong numbers. I have a version for the PC that works great but have not found one easy way to mark up any Sudoku games for the MAC. Why is that? Can Mac users really solve the truly difficult puzzles without the pencil marks? If yes, point me to the brain box. I can not do it.
When you update Sudoku to 2.0 and you fix the pencil marks to a fixed 3×3 position for each number; 1-2-3,4-5-6, 7-8-9. For example the pencil mark for 1 would always go into the top left corner or the bottom right corner.
Do you plan to update your software to make larger square? That would be useful those of us who are far sighted.
I would like to make the suggestion that command-click be used for pencil marks instead of shift-click. This would be more convenient for people with smart mouse pads as we could single-finger click for numbers and double-finger click for pencil marks without having to bother with the shift key. Otherwise a great widget. Thanks.
Version 1.5 misbehaves under the new OS X 10.6 - if you zoom to see the numbers easier, as soon as you click to input a number the whole screen shifts. (Works normal if you don’t zoom, but that makes it harder for us older guys.)
I have experience beta-testing software, and would be happy to help.
- Lou
I just upgraded to 10.6 (snow leopard) and the sudoku widget seems no longer to recognize the difficulty levels. Even a diablo setting yields relatively simple puzzles. Anyone else notice this?
Even though the widget itself states it is version 1.5, the widget reports itself to the Mac OS as version 1.0
Any reason for this?
I just upgraded to Snow Leopard and am having problems with version 1.5. The first issue is that the keyboard is not immediately active when a new sudoku is created. I have to click somewhere in the puzzle with the mouse before I can use the keyboard. Second, it takes 2 keystrokes to move from box to box using the arrow keys. Other than that, it is still the best widget ever created!
I’d be happy to be a beta tester for sudoku.
I’d love to be a beta tester. I spend way too many hours everyday playing this widget!
Are you sure the HARD puzzles are always solveable - I keep running up against a brick wall . However I find the Diablo puzzles easier than the Hard March 2009
Hey, so I had your widget a couple years ago and used it all the time, but I switched because I don’t like how you have to hit the arrow keys twice to move what space is selected. If you fix that I’d come back. Maybe you will in your update
I don’t understand your scoring parameters. I finish a diablo rated puzzle in 17 minutes and receive 47 pts. I finish a hard rated puzzle in 12 min. and receive 6199 pts. I finish a diablo rated puzzle in 12 min. and receive 3447 pts. Am I missing something here?
Is 2.0 version still available? If so, please, send it to me.
Excellent work - great widget.
Is there a conflict with Lion OSX?
Doesn’t work in Lion
It stopped working after a large update yesterday (iTunes and a bunch more), the screen is blank, i.e. no numbers. The person above said it was Lion, it may have been the previous update.
If you need help with debug let me know
Eugene
It does not seem to be Lion as I have not installed it yet. I did do an update a day or two ago in which several items were updated including Safari and since then my sudoku is not working either
Ditto on the no numbers after downloading vs 1.5. Running OSX 10.6.
Same with me. After updating iTunes and Safari, Sudoku displays no more field contents. And I did not install Lion, I still use SnowLeopard.
Very sad. Sudoku is gone with the wind. And no new version since five years. This seems to be the end.
Just yesterday the sudoku widget stopped working on both my macbook and imac. The puzzle turns around but all the boxes are blank. Otherwise all the highlights are working, but nothing shows in the boxes, either typed or set.
What happened? I love my widget!
I noticed that Macfun.com isn’t loading, which is the host of this widget. I can’t connect to it, so maybe that’s the problem.
Can anyone else connect to Macfun.com?
Never mind my previous comment about Macfun.com
I still can’t connect to it, but I checked with a friend who has not installed the latest batch of updates, and his widget still works. (Also, we’re both running Snow Leopard, not Lion.)
All boxes are blank. Both in 10.5.x and in 10.6.x after the latest patches loaded.
Removed and installed 1.5 Sudoku, and still the same blank boxes for the numbers.
All other functions seem to work, from scores on. Hope the version 2 gets to beta soon.
I’m having the same problem, all blank. I’m missing my Sudoku. This is my favorite widget! please get it fixed soon.
My Sudoku widget has been disabled by the latest Mac upgrade to OS10.6.8 all of the boxes are blank
I’m having the same problem, I quote all the request to fix it. Please fix it, My opinion is that the change cold be related to the last Java update (Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 10 - OSX 10.5.8 - ppc)
Java and javascript have nothing to do with each other. Javascript is what is crucial for proper web page display. The problem then could be related to the last update of Safari. Please Brian fix this Sudoku widget
Hello there, updating to the latest version (1.5) i discover that my favorite widget don’t work (the numbers and the timer disappeared from screen). If this helps i am behind a firewall. Thanks in advance.
this is my favourite widget - however, it has stopped working. When I press new game, the game ‘board’ appears however, there are no numbers at all to play with. It is just a blank graph. Any ideas how to fix this?
Well, it’s one of those — the update to 10.6.8 or Safari. The problem is — it appears Brian is no longer taking an active role in his website and perhaps his widget. The last update on this site (other than our postings) is five YEARS ago. He may have moved on to other things in life that actually earn him a little bit of money.
Rats! No more Sudoku! Now I will have to do something productive with my time.
Does anyone know how we can get in touch with Brian?
Is anyone else having trouble since they loaded Lion? I can’t populate the numbers.
I downloaded Sudoku 2.0, now renamed Sudoku 1.5. I can’t make it work. It keeps showing a completely blank Sudoku. What am I doing wrong? I downloaded it a second time, but it didn’t help.
Well, I’m running Mac 10.5.8 and it’s not working for me either. I don’t use Safari; I use Firefox.
Would enjoy (?) - or perhaps just willing - to be a beta tester, especially since the widget no longer appears to work after a recent update to Snow Leopard (really don’t remember the OS being updated, but rather a few apps under Snow Leopard).
We need to hunt down the bastard at Apple who did this. While we are at it we need to hunt down the bastard at Apple who created the update that made my iPhone 3 run slow.
I have replaced the old version with the new, 1.5, with the disastrous result that, not only have I lost all the top scores, but the new version DOES NOT WORK. I am only getting a blank Sudoku. I have reinstalled several times with no result. Always a blank.
What should I do to retrieve something that works, maybe the old version?
Please help.
Mine stopped working after installing the latest update of iTunes.
Any word on how to get Sudoku to work? Mine is also blank.
I removed the widget from my dashboard today with regrets. It no longer functions on my Mac. Numbers won’t display.
Sad, as it was my most used widget. Hope it can be made functional again.
TB
Just wanted to add to my previous post. This widget uses images “.png” files so the font issue has not affected it’s performance. After some digging I found WebKit2 was bundled with the latest Safari update (5.1 and 5.0.6). WebKit2 uses a whole bunch of new APIs rendering some old ones obsolete. My guess is as good as yours, but most likely the SudokuC controller inside the widget is referring to one of those obsolete APIs.
Maybe it’s because macfun.com which sponsors this widget seems to no longer exist.
My copy of the widget is not generating a new puzzle, and in fact has been blank for the last few days.
I should mention I’m using 1.5
I’ve signed up for an account to his blog. Hopefully he receives an email when people sign up to join, so maybe if enough of us sign up to join his blog (click on login at the top and folloe instructions to get an account) he’ll notice and come check out what’s going on. I need my widget back! has anyone tried to time machine it back?
Life without my/your sudoku widget is just unbearable. I might even pay a couple of $$$ to have it back! Do something!
i have never in my life left a comment on a blog, but like many of you, my sudoku widget stopped working when i updated my software. i am so upset i just spent the last hour searching for brian deboer’s email address online. it is embarrassing how much money i would be willing to pay for an updated version of the software. the app was perfect. absolutely perfect. so brain, if you are out there, PLEASE fix it.
I can’t get my widget to work no numbers will display.
I upgraded to 10.6 and can’t play this anymore AND can’t find a substitute for it that will do pencil marks. How can you play without making notes!?! Please Brian, upgrade your widget, it’s the best.
Widget doesn’t show any numbers on a MacBook Pro ????
I found a pretty good Yahoo Sudoku Widget if you are going through Sudoku withdrawls. It’s just called Sudoku Widget by Darrel Raines.
I am really impressed along with your writing abilities and also with the format on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it your self? Anyway stay up the nice quality writing, it’s uncommon to look a nice blog like this one these days..
Ok! That widget made a sudoku junkie of me. Now it doesn’t work on OSX 10.6. And i can’t find a widget that offer the same ergonomy to measure the “real” time one take for solution.
This one is definitely made for competition, and version 2.0 fixes all little bugs that I had with it like resizing. Anyway, severe withdrawal is happening to me, Brian. (thanks to Anita for comprehension and suggestion). Just imagine that on top of a smoking withdrawal while flight travelling. Brian, it’s 2011 now, saying you’ve “been a little behind on working on 2.0″ is not a good excuse anymore. Tell us the truth. Did you retire?