Today, I implemented a new feature that I know a great friend of mine will be happy to see: Symmetry in number placement. I do hope you will appreciate it as well!

Some people have lately been asking me if all the new features I write about here will be made available on Pocket PC too, since I only attach screenshots of the Windows version. The answer to this is: Of Course! The only reason I am only posting screenshots from the Windows version is that new features are easier to develop and debug on a Desktop PC.

The new feature of today is the technique multi-colouring. I won't bother explaining it here, but it is a bit harder than simple-colouring. Search for it on the web and you will find!

I attach two screenshots showing the different types of multi-colouring:

The latest development version of Pocket Sudoku now contains support for the simplest form of Colour Solving, often referred to as "Simple Colours" or "Single's Chains". It is basically a chain strategy that lets you exclude candidates by looking at pairs of candidates. An easy to use GUI addition for Colour Solving still needs to be done, but as the solve/generate core now has support for it, that won't be long.

See the attached screenshots for two demonstrations.

Cheers,
Emil

As well as the rest of Pocket Sudoku, the hints system is undergoing a complete rewrite in order to be ready for the next version.

UPDATE (2008-07-23):
Hint of one of the new techniques in Pocket Sudoku 1.0:

Today was algorithm day. I completely rewrote the naked / hidden pattern search algorithms and found some bugs in the old implementations. I also wrote a completely new N-fish algorithm, making swordfish, jellyfish, etc. solvable as well as the previously supported X-Wing. I guess I'm going to sleep quite well tonight! :)

Version 0.9.1 is a release adding just one new feature: the ability to save and load pencil marks.

There are no visual changes, so all the language files from 0.9 are working in this release as well.

If you feel playing with automatic pencil marks almost makes the game too easy, I agree with you. And if you think clearing away manual pencil marks after placing a number on the board is just a plain pain, I agree with you. That is why we are introducing the all-new semi-automatic pencil mark mode.

If you are interested in the development of the next Pocket Sudoku version, here are some screenshots:

I had really bad weather during the first week of my vacations this year, so I sat down and started working on version 1.0 of Pocket Sudoku!

Progress is looking fine this far. There are still some bugs that need to be fixed and some optimizations to be done but I can already promise some exciting new features:

* Pocket Sudoku for Windows - For all of you who want to run the game on your desktop pc.
* Squiggly - Oddly shaped puzzles
* Diagonals - 1 to 9 in the two diagonals as well
* Different grid sizes - Play 2*2, 3*3, 4*3 and other variations