The Interface
Understanding the interface helps you solve puzzles more efficiently. Here's everything you see on screen.
The Grid
The 9×9 grid is the heart of the game. It's divided into:
- 81 cells — Each holds one digit
- 9 rows — Horizontal lines, labeled in your mind as 1-9 from top
- 9 columns — Vertical lines
- 9 boxes — The 3×3 regions separated by thicker lines
Cell States
Cells appear differently based on their state:
Given cells — Pre-filled numbers in dark text. Cannot be changed.
Your entries — Numbers you've placed, shown in the theme's accent color.
Selected cell — The currently active cell, highlighted prominently.
Related cells — When you select a cell, its row, column, and box are softly highlighted.
Same number highlight — All cells containing the same number as your selection are marked.
Conflicts — If you enter a number that violates a rule, it's shown in red.
The Number Pad
Below the grid, you'll find buttons for digits 1-9. Use these to:
- Enter a number in the selected cell
- See how many of each digit remain to be placed (shown as a count)
Control Buttons
Notes (N) — Toggle pencil mark mode for entering candidates.
Erase — Remove the number or notes from the selected cell.
Undo — Reverse your last action. Use liberally!
Hint — Get help when stuck (if enabled in settings).
Timer
The timer tracks how long you've been solving the current puzzle. You can hide it in Settings if you prefer to solve without time pressure.
Keyboard Navigation
You can play entirely with the keyboard:
- Arrow keys — Move between cells
- 1-9 — Enter numbers
- N — Toggle notes mode
- Backspace/Delete — Erase cell
- Ctrl+Z — Undo
See Keyboard Shortcuts for the complete list.