Hi Happy Sudoku-ers!
I have version 2.0 in beta form - it still has some kinks to work out and the high scores don’t work yet, but there are some other requests in there.
Namely:
- auto-pencil marks are editable - sort of
- there is now a continual assist mode which functions the way Autopencil marks worked before. There are also separate user pencil marks that are editable or updated by hitting the assist keys. It’s hard to explain fully, but fool around with the combinations of a, A, and opt-a. - the easy puzzle is easier per some folks request
- there is a scoring system - high score display is coming
- the puzzle no longer disappears when finished per some requests
- universal binary (though I haven’t tried it personally since I only have a ppc)
- other minor fixes here and there
Please keep in mind it is a beta version. But, that being said, please comment below with any legitimate bugs that you find. If you still aren’t scared away - click here to download version 2.0 (beta). Also check out the web-only version (in the next post) - especially for those folks without macs or those who were wishing for a resizeable widget.
- B
UPDATE: High scores work now and I’ve changed the auto-pencil marks so they can be stricken. See the comments below for more info.
In ver 2, why doesn’t the selected number appear at the bottom of the puzzle?
It did in the prev version.
I can’t figure out how to remove individual pencil marks, which is the main thing
that needs to be done.
Not sure about the selected number. It appears for me - but keep me posted and I’ll check on a few other computers at work.
As for auto-pencil marks - I have updated beta 2 to allow you to “strike-out” auto pencil marks. As they are auto-generated each turn I don’t want to completely erase them since it’s possible the user could make a mistake or just accidentally erase an auto-pencil number. If that happened, it would be unclear why it had disappeared and I think it would confuse people. Try this out and see what you think.
You need some way to delete all pencil marks.
If you dont want to use cap A, how about cap B.
That would be better, since I dont use your
pencil marks much, but I do use mine when I go
down a wrong branch. When I hit a contradiction,
it would be nice to be able to then erase all pencil
marks together, rather than one at a time.
at once.
Hello,
No High Scores saving ?
Tanks
Don - you can delete pencil marks with the delete key on a selected cell. Do you want a way to delete the marks in all cells?
Lavarte - high scores are saving for me…is anyone else having this same problem? Please try deleting your preferences file first (~/Library/Preferences/widget-com.bdeboer.widget.sudoku.plist) and reloading the widget (command-r). Let me know if that helps. Thanks,
- B
Yes, I would like a way to
delete ALL pencil marks at once.
I do use the delete key, one box
at a time, but it is tedious.
One more thing. When I put in pencil marks,
I use the shift key. I tend to put in a string of
these, following a false trail. It would be nice
if the shift-lock key (otherwise useless and annoying)
could be used, so I dont have to hold down the
shift key for this whole string.
What do I do after I finish a blank puzzle?
Not sure I totally understand that question…but if you want to say insert a puzzle from the newspaper, start with a blank puzzle and insert the numbers as needed. When done inserting the paper’s numbers, hit “L” and begin playing the puzzle as normal.
Is it possible to have an option to generate a new legitimate puzzle, instead of just random numbers in random positions? (i.e. the position of the filled in numbers are rotationally symmetric)
Sorry but no high scores saving …
I deleting my preferences file (~/Library/Preferences/widget-com.bdeboer.widget.sudoku.plist) and reloading the widget …
… no high scores
Tanks
The ability to “strike-out” auto pencil marks is GREAT. I have been using it very effectively.
For me, high scores are saved, but I cannot understand the order of the high score list. It is neither chronological nor highest-first. Highest-first would seem logical to me, so that it would show the 10 highest in each difficulty level.
Keep up the good work, Brian.
It would be great if you had an undo feature
I can’t a new game. There is no “i” button for setup. I can choose the little squares and the numbers, the clock is working, but I can’t do anything else. The board is empty, I can’t put any number on it. I deleted the plist file, and re-installed it. It didn’t help. What would be the problem.
Kind refards
The high scores are not in any particular order. It would be nice to see the time with the scores, perhaps as a tool tip if you are short on space. It would be nice to have at least a vague idea of how the score is calculated. What are the penalties for using various aids? Maybe something about the scoring could be listed in the directions or next to the key commands. It would be nice to have a leader board of all time and weekly top scores for all widget users, although I realize that is not trivial on the server side. Maybe next version.
The feature I most want is to be able to temporarily (while a key is down) see all occurrences of a particular number. Perhaps highlighting the backgrounds of all the squares with that number. When there are pencil marks, it should also highlight squares where that number is an option. I assume option-number or shift-number would be the key. It could be an on/off/switch thing instead of being while a key is down, whatever is easier to implement. Maybe next version.
On the High Scores page, I think the buttons at the bottom should read:
New, Solve, Options, Go Back
I have used beta 2 for several games and found no real bugs. Great job on a great game.
Hi Brian -
My name is Bennett Gavrish and I am working on a story on sudoku puzzles for my school newspaper. I just wanted to ask you a couple of quick questions -
- What makes sudoku puzzles so addictive?
- Why have sudoku’s become so popular recently?
- What kinds of people would be interested in sudoku?
- What is the basic strategy to solving a sudoku?
i’ve lost numbers 1-9 on bottom, after a few games they disapear…
I had the same problem with the initial beta release - the numbers disappeared at the bottom. So far (knock wood) I have not had that problem with the most recent release.
I also had the numbers at the bottom of the puzzle disappear. They re-appeared after a couple of new games were generated. Odd. It may have occured when I started using the keyboard for selecting the number.
Nice job.. lots of fun
Thanks for getting rid of the ‘beep’ and other improvements.
It’s nice to have the high scores in rank order. However, occasionally I get a very (suspiciously) high score. My scores for ‘hard’ puzzles are usually in the range 50 to 350. However, I just completed one in 2:45 and was given a score of 28464! Once before, using a previous version, I saw a similar thing.
From the data I have so far, the score, S, seems to be accurately given by:
S = exp(-0.955*ln(T)+6.64), where T is the time to solve, in minutes. These are the exponential and natural logarithm functions.
I think erroneous high scores occur when the Mac goes to sleep in the middle of the game. Or, perhaps just if the Widget layer is not active. Not sure exactly. But, it definitely happens.
I recently started on the Suduko puzzles using Dashboard and think it is great. I am not clear as to what “pencil marks” do for me. One thing I cannot do. If I have 2-4 in two squares in a line, I can remove all 2’s and all 4’s from the rest of the line. However, if there are 4 no.’s in the square (2-4-3-6), how do I remove the 2 & 4 and leave the 3 & 6? This knowledge would help speed up the solving time. I have found if you do enough of the puzzles, you will find the quickest solving time for easy to the hardest will be about the same. (4 minutes).
OK - this is admittedly weird, but my cat walked on my keyboard and inadvertently pressed some key and now I can’t enter any numbers, only pencil marks. Any idea how to undo? I’ve asked the cat but she doesn’t care!
Thanks.,
Sue