Arrow Sudoku Menus, Tools and Settings Guide

Play

• Access the sudoku grids that are available to play.

How to Play

• Access basic instructions on – how to play the game – tips and tricks – in-game tools.

Settings

• Access the many settings for the game which can affect the gameplay significantly. This guide will run through all of the settings.

Quit

• Exit the game.

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Use “up” and “down” arrows to highlight menu items then press “enter”.
• Press “Esc” while on the main menu to quit the game.

The “play” screen shows a grid (Sandwich Sudoku) or list (other apps) of the available sudoku puzzles to play.

To see more of the grid/list :

• Use middle mouse button to scroll up or down the grid/list, or,
• Place mouse somewhere in the grid/list, hold Left Click and drag up or down.

Colours.

The grid/list of available games to play will be coloured in 3 different ways (the specific colours will depend on which colour theme you have chosen for the game).
• Colour 1. Sudokus that are available to play but have not been solved yet (including partially completed sudokus).
• Colour 2. Sudokus that have been fully completed and solved (and are now available to be replayed).
• Colour 3. Sudokus that are currently locked and unavailable to play until the correct number of stars have been won (see below).

Stars

• A star will appear on the screen. (Top right in Sandwich Sudoku. Central in other apps). The large number shows the amount of stars you have earned so far from playing the puzzles. The smaller number shows the total number of stars that can be earned in the entire game.
• Stars are earned from completing puzzles.
• Locked puzzles will remain locked until a certain amount of stars are earned, and then they will unlock and become available for you to play.

Choosing a game.
Click on an available number and a small pop-up menu will appear showing the following information.

• The level number (or level name).
• The difficulty rating shown by a number of stars, from 1 star (easiest) to 10 stars (most difficult).
• Best time: This will always show the quickest time that it has taken you to complete this specific puzzle.
• “Continue” button (with elapsed time in brackets). This button only appears on games that you have started but not yet completed. Games are autosaved. Click on this button to continue your game.
• “New” Button: Click on this to begin a new game. Nb. If you click this by accident, this will delete any previously autosaved game and show a fresh empty grid – even if you exit the puzzle immediately without inputting anything you will see that the “continue” button has disappeared and you will no longer be able to play your previous save.
• “Cancel” button. Click this to return to the grid of games.
• In the newer apps you can place the puzzles in order (this does not apply to Sandwich Sudoku). At the bottom right you can click on the words that are there to cycle through and list the games in “Release Order”, “Difficulty” and “Required Stars”

Exiting the “Play” grid

• Click the Left Arrow in the top left corner
• Keyboard Shortcut: Press “Esc”

Rules

• Clicking this will show text giving brief instructions on the aim of the game and how to play this specific version of sudoku (other versions of sudoku by the same developers are available for purchase on Steam store).

Tips & Tricks

• Clicking this will show text giving ideas and methods for how to successfully play the game. [Use middle mouse button to scroll up or down, or place mouse somewhere in the text, hold Left Click and drag up or down.]

Tools

• This will open up a visual guide giving a brief explanation of the tools available during gameplay along with a list of some keyboard shortcuts. [Use middle mouse button to scroll up or down, or place mouse somewhere in the text, hold Left Click and drag up or down.] This guide I have created will cover these tools in more depth in the Playing a Puzzle section.

Back

• Thus will take you back to the main menu.

Upon entering a puzzle you will see a Sudoku grid with various tools and options; I shall look at these in this section. Note that changing your Gameplay Settings can drastically change the way some of these tools function and how the game behaves and looks.
NB. For Sandwich Sudoku and Killer Sudoku, see additional help under the “Playing Variants” section of this guide.

Mouse:

• Left Click = Select Cell
• “Shift + Left click” or “Ctrl + Left Click” = Select additional cells anywhere in the grid
• Drag & hold left mouse button = Select multiple cells [but see Settings: Cell Selection when dragging]

Keyboard:

• Arrows = Move position of Selected Cell

Multiple Selection Tool

• Keyboard Shortcut “Q” to select tool.
• Once tool is active, you can select multiple cells at once. Click on any cell to select or deselect it. Once you have chosen all the cells you wish to add to your selection, then choose another tool to add numbers, colours etc. to your selected cells [This tool cannot be selected if you are using Setting: Control Method: Tool]

Number Entry Tool:

• Keyboard Shortcut “A” to select tool.
• Select this tool to add a large number to a single cell
• While this tool is selected, pressing “Ctrl + Number” or “Shift + Number” will add a note (either Corner or Centre depending on Setting: Default Note Style)
• When multiple cells are selected, inputting a number will automatically add notes to each cell (based on your chosen settings).

Corner Note Entry Tool

• Keyboard Shortcut “S”
• This adds/removes a number as a Corner Note to all selected cells (or changes the note style of all selected cells).

Centre Note Entry Tool

• Keyboard Shortcut “D” to select tool.
• This adds/removes a number as a Centre Note to all selected cells (or changes the note style of all selected cells).

Toggle Number Tools

• Keyboard Shortcut “Space” toggles between the three tools in order.

Number Row

• You can click on the numbers that are situated in the row of numbers (situated directly below the grid) to input numbers and notes.
• Your selected number will be highlighted Black when using Setting: Control Method: Tool.
• Numbers can sometimes fade to grey once all nine instances of a number are in the correct place (when using Setting: Highlight Errors: All Errors)

Keyboard

• You can input numbers using the keyboard.
• Keyboard Shortcut “Z” will add/remove a “19” Centre Note in all selected cells [used in Sandwich Sudoku, but the shortcut also appears in other apps]

X Tool

• Keyboard Shortcut “E” to select tool.
• Keyboard Shortcut “X” will add/remove an “x” to/from all selected cells

Highlighter Tool

• Keyboard Shortcut “R” to select tool.
• Keyboard Shortcut “C” will add/remove a colour highlight to all selected cells
• Clicking on tool may toggle through colours, or you may have to select the colour by clicking on the small colour icon (depending on which Setting: Control Method you have chosen to use)

Trash Tool (Bin)
Clicking on the trash tool will open a box with further options:

• 1. Trashing Notes will remove all Corner and Centre Notes in the entire grid.
• 2. Trashing the Highlight Pen will remove all Highlight Colours in the entire grid.
• 3. Trashing the X will remove all Xs in the entire grid.
• 4. Trashing the Trash Bin will remove everything you have done, effectively starting the game again (but your timer will not reset to zero)

Eraser

• Keyboard Shortcut “W” selects this tool, which erases numbers and notes
• Mouse Right Click will also erase numbers and notes from a cell
• “Delete” key will also erase numbers and notes from all selected cells

Undo

• You can undo multiple moves
• Keyboard shortcut “N” or “Backspace”
• Mouse: click on arrow facing Left [Lower right corner of screen]

Redo

• You can redo multiple moves if you pressed undo too many times
• Keyboard shortcut “M”
• Mouse: Click on arrow facing Right [Lower right corner of screen]

Exit Game

• Click on arrow “<” (bottom left of screen)
• Press “Esc” (Games should be autosaved)

Enter Settings

• Click on Cog wheel (bottom left of screen)
• Ensure you click on BACK to return to the game.

Hint System

• Click on Question Mark “?” (bottom left of screen) and you will be given hints for how to solve the current puzzle.

NB. Not all of these variants may appear in this game.
This same guide is being published for all apps. If you would like to try out one of these variants then please buy the appropriate app (I am not the publisher and do not benefit from any sales).

Mouse:

• Left Click on a clue (the number outside the grid). A box will appear show the possible combination of numbers that can be placed in that row or column between the numbers 1 and 9. This will also highlight that row or column with a bold line. You can remove the line by Left Clicking on that clue for a second time, or by Left Clicking on a different clue outside the grid.
• Left Clicking on any of the numbers in the “possible combinations box” [Right of screen] will toggle them on/off so you can manually discount the number combinations that you think are impossible.
• The Top Bold Number in the “possible combinations box” matches the number outside the grid. Left clicking on this number in the box will toggle it on/off, and alternatively you can Right Click on any clue outside the grid. In both cases the relevant clue will turn pale grey to mark that clue as complete.

Mouse:

• Left Click on any cell within the grid that is in a numbered cage. A box will appear showing the possible combination of numbers that can be placed in that cage.
• Left Clicking on any of the numbers in the “possible combinations box” [Right of screen] will toggle them on/off so you can manually discount the number combinations that you think are impossible.
• Left Clicking on the “Calculator” symbol will allow you to calculate your own sums for any area of the grid that you may want to look at (perhaps an area that is not caged, but that you have manually highlighted with a colour. But this will only work for areas that have no repeated digits).
• Left click on “Sum” and choose a number between 1 and 45 to choose the sum that you think your area should add up to.
• Left Click on “Digits” and choose a number between 1 and 9 to choose the number of individual boxes in the area you have chosen.
• The possible options for that area will be given, which can be individually discounted and greyed out by Left Clicking on any combination of numbers.
• Left Clicking on the “Arrow” will return you to seeing the options for whatever cage is currently highlighted in the grid.

NB. Not all of these variants may appear in this game.
This same guide is being published for all apps. If you would like to try out one of these variants then please buy the appropriate app (I am not the publisher and do not benefit from any sales).

Whenever you click on a puzzle, a small icon will appear in the top left corner of the screen to help remind you which variant is being used. Some puzzles will use multiple icons when multiple rules are in use (e.g. a Miracle Sudoku puzzle).

• No Icon = Classic Sudoku or Killer Sudoku. Normal rules apply. Numbers cannot repeat in rows, columns, 9×9 boxes or cages.
• Knight Icon = Chess Sudoku. Antiknight Rule. The same digit cannot appear within a knight’s move of itself (according to the move of a knight in chess).
• King Icon = Chess Sudoku. Antiking Rule. The same digit cannot appear anywhere in its immediately adjacent cells within a king’s move of itself.
• Queen Icon = Chess Sudoku. The number 9 cannot see another 9 anywhere diagonally or in a queen’s move of itself.
• 123 Icon = Non-consecutive Sudoku. A number cannot be adjacent to another number that is either one above or below it (e.g. 8 cannot be next to 9 or 7).
• Sandwich Icon = Sandwich Sudoku. The numbers outside the grid indicate the sum of the digits sandwiched between the numbers 1 and 9.
• Arrow Icon = Arrow Sudoku. The numbers along an arrow must sum up to the number in the circle at the end of the arrow.

The Settings Menu is accessed by pressing “Settings” in the Main Menu, or by pressing the “cog wheel” while playing an individual puzzle.
Sync Save Data

• This will allow you to save your progress by syncing it between computers [This will be covered in more depth in the next section of this guide: Syncing, Saving and Resetting the game]

Video

• Change Screen Resolution
• Toggle between Fullscreen and Windowed.

Themes

• Change colour settings of game.

Gameplay

• Change gameplay settings [This will be covered in more depth later in this guide]

Back

• Back to main menu (or back to the puzzle you were playing if settings were accessed from a puzzle)

NB. Keyboard shortcut “Esc” will always take you back to the Main Menu. If you accessed the settings menu from a puzzle, then Esc will NOT return you to the puzzle. Press “Back” instead to get back to the puzzle you were playing.

The Sync Save Data Screen allows you to play the game on two computers, and transfer your progress from one computer to another.
A code will show your current progress on this computer.

Enter Code

• This is the box where you can input a code taken from another computer

Merge Data

• This should add the progress (completed puzzles etc) from your other computer whilst ensuring that it does not delete any progress you have made on this current computer.

Overwrite Data

• This should add the progress (completed puzzles etc) from your other computer and delete any progress you have made on this current computer.

Copy To Clipboard

• This should copy the code of your current progress on this computer to the clipboard so you can put it in a word document. This will enable you to print the code or email it to yourself in order to save your progress, or transfer it to another device.

HOW TO DELETE ALL PROGRESS
There should be no way to accidentally delete your data from within the game itself, however if for any reason you wanted to reset the entire game…
WARNING: This will delete all saved puzzles and reset the game entirely.

Windows:
First you need to locate the save data file on your computer.
It will be located in the AppData folder, which is normally hidden by Windows so you will need to ensure that hidden folders are made visible in your windows operating system (In Windows 10 with the File Explorer open, click the “View” menu and check the box marked “hidden items” to make them visible. Warning: Hidden folders are normally hidden so you can’t accidentally delete very important files that make your computer work! Don’t delete anything else in the hidden folders. You may want to hide files again after performing this).
The save file will be found in this folder:
C:\Users\[YOUR-USER-NAME]\AppData\LocalLow\Studio Goya\[NAME-OF-THIS-APP]
If you own a few of different Sudoku apps there may be several games stored on your computer, so please ensure you select the correct folder.
Within this folder there will be a file named
[NAME-OF-THIS-APP]SaveData.txt
Make sure the game is closed, and then DELETE this .txt file (or move it to trash).
Nb. Do not try changing values within the text file as this might crash the game. Simply delete the file. A new text file will be created when you restart the game.

Sorry, I don’t have info for other operating systems, but you may be able to search for a similar file on your system.

These settings can entirely change your experience within the game, so it is worth tweaking them and trying them out to see what suits you best.

Selection Default

• First, select the cell that you want to work with (so it turns dark grey), then input a Number, Note, X, or Highlight Colour by clicking on the appropriate tool (or shortcut key).
• Choose highlight colours by clicking on the appropriate colour.

Tool

• First, select the tool that you want to work with (Number, Note, Eraser, X, or Highlight Colour) by clicking on the appropriate tool (or shortcut key). Remember also to choose a specific number from the number list above the tools.
• Whichever cell you click on will automatically be filled based on the tool you have chosen.
• The Multiple Selection Tool is disabled, as clicking and dragging the mouse across multiple cells will automatically add notes, numbers etc. to any cells that the cursor touches.
• Highlight colours can be cycled through by clicking on the Highlight Colour tool multiple times.

Classic

• A hybrid of the two Control Methods listed above.
• For inputting Numbers and notes: Select the Cell first, and then input the number.
• For using the Eraser, X and Highlight Colour Tools: Select the Tool first, then choose a cell where the tool will be used.
• Highlight colours can be cycled through by clicking on the Highlight Colour tool multiple times.

On Default

• A timer appears in the top right corner of the screen showing the time taken to solve the puzzle.

Off

• The timer is not shown, but the time taken to solve a puzzle will still be recorded in the background and your best time will be shown in the play menu screen when you click on a puzzle.

Always Default

• When selecting a single cell (dark grey), any cells that see that cell (dark grey) within its column, row or 9×9 box will automatically be highlighted (light grey).
• When selecting multiple cells (dark grey), any cells that see both or all those cells (dark grey) will be highlighted (light grey).

Single Selection Only

• When selecting a single cell (dark grey), any cells that see that cell (dark grey) within its column, row or 9×9 box will automatically be highlighted (light grey).

Off

• Turns this option off

Filled Cells and notes Default

• Click on any cell that contains a filled large Number, and all cells that contain that same filled Number will be temporarily highlighted as Dark Grey. Any cells that contain Corner Notes or Centre Notes that share that number will also be highlighted with a dark grey colour.
• NB if you have “Highlight Restricted Cells” turned on in settings, then any matching numbers within restricted cells will be highlighted light grey as per Restricted Cell settings.

Filled Cells Only

• Click on any cell that contains a filled large Number, and all cells that contain that same filled number will be temporarily highlighted as Dark Grey.

Off

• Turns this option off

Select Multiple Cells Default

• When clicking and dragging the mouse, all cells that are pointed to by the mouse will be selected and turn dark grey. (Useful for inputting notes in multiple cells at a time). NB. Cells that contain Large completed Numbers can safely be highlighted as they will not be affected when inputting notes to the other cells.

Select First Cell Only

• When clicking and dragging the mouse, the highlighted cell (dark grey) will always be the first cell that the mouse pointed to. Dragging the mouse will not highlight any other cells. [NB. When this option is selected, it is still be possible to select multiple cells but only by using the Multiple Selection Tool].

Select Last Cell Only

• When clicking and dragging the mouse, the selected cell (dark grey) will always be the final cell (or current cell) that the mouse is pointing to (until you let go of the mouse button). So you can highlight one cell (dark grey) then drag the mouse around to highlight other cells (as dark grey), but only ONE cell will be selected (as dark grey) at a time.

Fill Cell Default

• Choose the Number Entry Tool, choose any cell, and add a Number. The Number will automatically be filled into that cell, no matter what notes are in the cell.

Remove the Note

• Choose the Number Entry Tool, choose a cell that contains Corner Notes or Centre Notes, and try adding a Number that is already noted. The note will disappear. Press again to fill the Number into the grid. [For example, a cell may contain the corner notes 135. Pressing 1 will remove the 1 note so the cell now shows 35. Pressing 1 again will now fill that large Number into the cell]. Pressing the number will always remove the note on the first press and only add the main large number on the second press.

Fill Cell If Last Note

• As above (see Remove the Note), but if there is only one note left in the cell (let’s say a 9 corner note), then inputting 9 will automatically change it to a large number without having to press twice to remove the note and then input the main number.

All Errors Default

• All wrong Numbers will be highlighted Red. For example if a cell should contain the Number 6 in its intended solution, then inputting any other Number into that cell will result in that cell turning Red. NB. This does not apply to small notes, but only large finished Numbers
• Once all nine instances of a certain number have been correctly placed in the grid, the number will turn grey in the number row (situated above the tools and below the grid) to show that the number no longer needs to be placed anywhere.

Duplicates Only

• Duplicate numbers in a row, column, or 9×9 box will be highlighted Red. For example, if you have two Number 8s in the same column then both 8s will be highlighted Red until you remove one of them.

Off

• Turns this option off

Noted and empty cells only Default

• Light grey “X”s can only be placed in cells that contain Corner Notes, Centre Notes, or are Empty.

Empty Cells only

• Light grey “X”s can only be placed in cells that are Empty.

Always

• Light grey “X”s can be placed in any cell, whether they contain Numbers, Corner Notes, Centre Notes, or are Empty.

Single Notation Default

• Each cell can only contain EITHER Corner Notes OR Centre Notes. The style of notes will switch automatically depending on what you choose to add. For example, if you want to add a Corner Note to a cell (that currently contains only Centre Notes) then ALL the notes in that cell will change to Corner Notes. Likewise if a cell contains only Corner Notes, you can switch all the numbers to Centre Notes.

Double Notation

• A cell can contain BOTH Corner Notes AND Centre Notes.

Corner Default

• it is not possible to put large completed Numbers into multiple cells at once, If multiple cells are selected (dark grey) and the Number Entry Tool is also selected, then inputting any number will add (or remove) Corner Notes into those chosen cells.

Centre

• As above, but using Centre Notes instead.
• NB. When dragging across multiple cells, any cells that already contain a large Number will not be affected in any way; only unfinished cells will receive the notes.

Standard Default

• The Corner Notes and Centre Notes will be the standard small size.

Large

• Corner Notes and Centre Notes will be significantly larger.

Nb: Adding too many Centre Notes to a cell will cause all notes within that cell to automatically shrink so that they always fit within the cell; deleting any of those numbers within a cell will cause the remaining notes to expand again either to Standard or Large size depending on the option you have chosen.

On Default

• When you input a large Number into a cell, then Corner and Centre notes that match that number will automatically be removed from that Number’s column, row or 9×9 box.
• NB. If you accidentally input a wrong large Number somewhere in the grid, then you may also find that some of your small notes have disappeared too! Instead of deleting the wrong number, then trying to work out what notes may have disappeared, you can simply undo the previous move which will restore deleted notes and remove the wrongly input Number. You can undo a move by using “Backspace” or Shortcut key “N”.

Off

• Turns this option off

Click on this word to revert all settings to their defaults.