Unlocking Elegant Sudoku | Back to Top
To unlock your copy of Elegant Sudoku, you must purchase a game key. To obtain a game key, click here.

Trying Elegant Sudoku | Back to Top
To play the free trial version, click here.
Download the installer program, and follow the instructions to setup the game.
You will then have 90-minutes of game time to evaluate Elegant Sudoku.

Downloading Elegant Sudoku | Back to Top
To download Elegant Sudoku, click here.

Installing Elegant Sudoku | Back to Top
To install Elegant Sudoku, open the file 'ElegantSudokuInstaller.exe', and follow the instructions. If you cannot find this file, you can search for it by pressing +F.

Notes in Elegant Sudoku | Back to Top
Notes are small numbers placed on a tile. They let you mark information on a tile without making a play.
You can make notes by clicking with the RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON (by default).
You can also make notes by holding CTRL, then pressing any number key.
To remove a single note, play that same note again.
To remove all of the notes from a tile, use the Eraser, or select the tile, then press DELETE or BACKSPACE.

The Active Number | Back to Top
In Elegant Sudoku, there is always one Active Number. It can be any number 1-9, or the Eraser. You can change the Active Number by clicking one of the buttons in the upper-right portion of the screen.
The Active Number has two uses:
-It is the number used when you make a Quick Play.
-It is the target number while Show Guides is enabled.

Quick Plays | Back to Top
Quick Plays automatically play the Active Number. This saves a step, but requires attention to the Active Number to avoid mistakes.
To make a Quick Play, you must change your mouse settings.

Playing with the Keyboard | Back to Top
Elegant Sudoku can be played entirely by keyboard, if you wish.
First, position the Cursor Tile by using the ARROW KEYS. Then, press any NUMBER KEY 1-9 to make a play.
You can also make a note by holding CTRL while making a play.

The Cursor Tile | Back to Top
The Cursor Tile is the only tile with a colored border. It is used primarily for keyboard play.
When a key is pressed, the key's action is applied to the Cursor Tile.

Printing | Back to Top
Puzzles can be printed at any time. Simply click the 'Print' button on the right side of the screen.

Puzzle Codes | Back to Top
Elegant Sudoku uses Puzzle Codes to allow players to share puzzles. The code consists of a few characters ("AB123", for example).
A puzzle's code can be found in the game window's title bar, or in the Game Report solution graph.
To use a Puzzle Code, begin a new game. In the New Game menu, enter the code in the box next to the 'Begin' button. Note that the selected game type and difficulty will be overridden.

Show Guides | Back to Top
Guides point to the possible location of hidden tiles of the Active Number. They can be helpful in finding the last few tiles of that number.
Guides are disabled during Ignore Mistakes games.

Perfect Game | Back to Top
A Perfect Game is given when the puzzle is solved without mistakes, hints, or free plays.

Personal Best | Back to Top
Your personal best applies only to the time it took to solve the puzzle.
Also, the personal best is limited to the puzzle's type-difficulty combination. Your best and average times for Easy-Payback puzzles are not related to those of Expert-Normal puzzles.

Hints | Back to Top
A hint can be requested at any time by clicking the 'Hint' button. Sometimes a hint cannot be found, depending on the puzzle. In this case, your hint total is unaffected.

Free Plays | Back to Top
A free play can be requested at any time by clicking the 'Free Play' button. A hidden tile will randomly chosen and revealed. The Cursor Tile will automatically be moved to this tile.

The Stats Panel | Back to Top
The Stats Panel lies on the right part of the screen, just below the 'Print' and 'Help' buttons.
It displays information about the current game in a cycle that updates every few seconds.
Items can be added to, and removed from, this cycle. This is done in the Options menu.

Blackout Games | Back to Top
In a Blackout game, you create your own puzzle.
When the game begins, all of the tiles are hidden. You then click on the tiles to be revealed. The number revealed depends upon the difficulty setting.
Once all of the beginning tiles have been revealed, the puzzle is played normally.
Note that in Blackout games there is no guarantee that the puzzle can be completed without mistakes.
Ignore Mistakes is not allowed during Blackout games.

Payback Games | Back to Top
In a Payback game, you are rewarded for playing quickly, and penalized for playing slowly.
The game runs on a short time interval. The duration of the interval depends upon the difficulty setting.
If you find a tile before the interval ends, you are given bonus time.
If you take too long, a tile is chosen at random, and the interval is reset.
Note that the penalty tile is always one that you played. This guarantees that the puzzle can be completed without mistakes.
Ignore Mistakes is not allowed during Payback games.

Ignore Mistakes | Back to Top
Ignore Mistakes is an option in the New Game menu. It is designed for a true 'pencil-and-paper' game.
If enabled, you will not be notified should you make a mistake.
The tiles you've played in an Ignore Mistakes game will appear darker than the puzzle's given tiles.

Game Settings | Back to Top
The game type and difficulty are set in the New Game menu.
As with Ignore Mistakes, these settings cannot be changed during a game.

Game Color | Back to Top
Elegant Sudoku features a customizable color scheme.
You can change the game's colors at any time from the Options Menu. You can also change colors before any new game during setup.
To choose your color scheme, click anywhere on the rainbow spectrum. Your selection is shown in the swatch to the left.

Mouse Actions | Back to Top
There are a variety of mouse actions available in Elegant Sudoku. You can set each of your mouse buttons to perform any of these actions. To change you settings, open the Options menu, and click the Mouse Action boxes at the top.
The following actions are available:
Play:
Click to open the Play menu.
Quick Play:
Click to play the Active Number.
Note:
Click to open the Note menu.
Quick Note:
Click to make a note of the Active Number.
Select Tile:
Click to select a tile, without making a play.

Reviewing the Tutorial | Back to Top
You can review the tutorial at any time. To do this, open the Options menu, and click 'Learn to Play'.

Replaying the Beginner's Guide | Back to Top
You can replay the Beginner's Guide at any time. To do this, press F12 during an active game.

The Tips Window | Back to Top
To re-open the Tips window, open the Options menu, and click 'Use Tips Window'.

More about Sudoku | Back to Top
To learn more about the game of Sudoku, click here¹.