Sudoku Master — Support

Help, questions and bug reports.

Frequently asked questions

How do hints work?

Each hint has three steps. Step 1 tells you where to look, step 2 explains the logic, and step 3 fills in the answer (or removes pencil marks). Only step 3 costs score. Every hint names its technique and links to the lesson, so try stopping at step 1 or 2 and finishing the deduction yourself.

Why did the app say my digit is wrong?

With Check mistakes on, entries are compared with the unique solution and wrong ones turn red with an explanation — usually a clash in the row, column or box, or a cell that has only one possible candidate. Turn checking off in Settings for a paper-like experience where only direct clashes are marked.

What is the three-mistake limit?

An optional rule that ends the game after three wrong entries. Turn it off in Settings › Mistakes. When it triggers you get one second chance per game: the wrong entries are cleared and one mistake is forgiven — free with Premium, otherwise after a short rewarded video.

What do the letters A–G mean in 16×16?

Sixteen symbols are needed, so after 9 come A to G (A is 10, G is 16). Rows, columns and 4×4 boxes each hold all sixteen exactly once. See Learn › 16×16 Puzzles.

What is X-Sudoku?

The same rules as a standard puzzle, with one addition: each of the two long diagonals must also hold every digit exactly once. Nothing else changes, and every technique you already know still applies — you simply have two more houses to scan. Hints name the diagonal when that is where the deduction comes from. Start one from New Game › X-Sudoku, and see Learn › X-Sudoku. It is free, and there is no separate leaderboard for it.

What is Practice mode?

Open any technique in Learn and tap Practice. The app generates a puzzle and plays it forward to a position where that technique is the next logical step, with pencil marks filled in. Ask for a hint and it looks for that technique first.

How is the score calculated?

Points per correct placement with a streak bonus, penalties for mistakes and revealed hints, a time bonus, and +20% for a flawless game and +10% for solving without hints. Full details are under Settings › How scoring works.

What is the Daily Challenge?

One 9×9 puzzle a day, the same for everyone. Difficulty rotates through the week. Complete it to extend your daily streak.

Does my progress sync between devices?

Yes. Statistics, achievements, your daily streak and the puzzle in progress sync through iCloud. Both devices must be signed in to the same Apple Account with iCloud Drive enabled (iOS Settings › [your name] › iCloud). If a device shows older data, open the app there and wait a few seconds.

I lost my puzzle after closing the app.

Progress is saved after every move and the Continue card on the Play tab resumes it. If you chose Abandon Puzzle when leaving, it counts as a loss and cannot be restored.

Keyboard shortcuts on iPad

Digits 1–9 and A–G enter values, arrow keys move the selection, Delete erases, N toggles Notes, H asks for a hint, ⌘Z undoes and ⇧⌘Z redoes.

What is free and what is Premium?

Free: unlimited 9×9 puzzles at every difficulty, X-Sudoku, the Daily Challenge, the Home Screen widget, Game Center leaderboards, the Basics and Intermediate lessons with practice, and 3 explained hints a day. Premium (one-time purchase, no subscription) adds unlimited hints, the Advanced and Beyond lessons, 16×16 puzzles and removes all ads. Buy it from Settings › Go Premium or by tapping any lock.

I closed a hint without using it. Does it still count?

No. A hint is charged against your three a day when you open it, because even the first step tells you where to look — but the charge covers that position, not the tap. Close the card and ask again with the board unchanged and the same hint comes back for nothing. Writing pencil marks does not end it either; entering a digit does.

Leaderboards and Game Center

If you are signed in to Game Center, your best times for won 9×9 classic puzzles and your daily streak are posted to leaderboards, and your achievements are mirrored there. Open them from Settings › Leaderboards, and the achievements from Settings › Achievements. Practice, 16×16 and X-Sudoku games are not submitted. Game Center is optional and the game works in full when you are signed out; sign in or out from iOS Settings › Game Center. Your nickname and avatar come from there, not from us.

My leaderboard rank looks wrong, or a time is missing.

Only won standard 9×9 classic games count, and a time faster than a human plausibly plays is not submitted. Scores can also take a minute to appear, and nothing is submitted at all while you are signed out — games you finished then will not be backfilled. Achievements are different: they re-send their full progress whenever you sign in, so those do catch up.

Adding the Home Screen widget

Touch and hold the Home Screen, tap +, search for Sudoku Master and add the widget. It shows whether today's Daily Challenge is done, your streak, and the puzzle you can resume; tapping it opens that puzzle. iOS decides how often widgets refresh, so it can lag the app by a few minutes — opening the app updates it straight away.

I'm out of hints for today.

The free allowance resets at midnight. You can also watch a short rewarded video for an extra hint when the option is offered, or unlock unlimited hints with Premium. Hints in Practice mode never count towards the limit, and advancing a hint you already opened is always free.

Are there ads?

The free version has optional rewarded videos you can choose to watch — for an extra hint, or for a second chance after the mistake limit. Nothing plays unless you tap the button. We may also show a short ad between games or when returning to the app; these never interrupt a puzzle. Premium removes every ad.

I bought Premium but it's locked on my other device.

Make sure the device is signed in to the same Apple Account, then tap Settings › Restore Purchases. Premium also works for Family Sharing members when sharing is enabled for purchases.

Why does the app ask to track me?

That is Apple's App Tracking Transparency prompt, shown once before the first ad can load so Google can decide whether ads may be personalised. Choose Ask App Not to Track if you prefer; ads still work, just not personalised. Premium users never see the prompt.

How do I request a refund?

Purchases are handled by Apple. The quickest way is inside the app: Settings › Request a Refund opens Apple's refund form. You can also visit reportaproblem.apple.com, sign in with your Apple Account and choose the purchase. Apple decides refunds and usually replies within a few days; we cannot issue them ourselves. If a refund is granted, Premium is removed from your Apple Account.

Reporting a bug

Email us with what you expected, what happened instead, and if possible a screenshot. The ⓘ button on the game screen shows the puzzle's grid, difficulty and the techniques the solver needed — include that if a puzzle or hint seems wrong.