Three new puzzles open on the first of every month — Medium, Hard and Expert. Everyone playing that month gets the same three.
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Standings
The other players in the standings are simulated, not real people's records.
Past tournaments
Tournament
Scoring
The three tournament puzzles are not the only ones that count. Every game you finish from the first to the last day of the month adds to your score, and harder puzzles carry a bigger multiplier (1× on Easy to 5× on Expert). Last month's puzzles stay playable.
You get three hints per game, and each one costs points. Once they are gone, “With the coach” lets you keep using hints on the same puzzle, but that game does not count towards your score or record.
The other players in the standings
The 99 other players in the standings are simulated, not real people. This site has no server collecting anyone's scores.
Each simulated player has their own solving rate and points per game, tuned so the top 1% finishes about one puzzle an hour. Between 20% and 40% never take part in a given month. The same field runs all month, and their scores rise as time passes.
What order to play them in
Start with the first and work up. Once your hand is used to notes on the easier puzzle, the third takes less time. Puzzle 3 (Expert) needs an advanced technique such as X-Wing or Y-Wing, and the hint names it and explains the reasoning.
Finishing faster
- Turn on Auto notes. Writing and erasing candidates by hand disappears entirely.
- Turn on Quick entry. Pick a digit first, then tap cells — much faster when the same digit goes in several places.
- Sweep one digit at a time. Work through 1 to 9 asking only where that digit can go, and you miss fewer cells.