Games

Main Features of Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b

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• Support for 9*9 and 16*16 boards
  
  • 9*9 boards
    Sudoku and Wordoku boards of any level of difficulty are supported by Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b.
    
    Sudoku 9*9 Boards that you fill with numbers from 1 to 9.
    
    
    Sudoku 9*9 Board
    
    
    Wordoku 9*9 Boards that you fill with letters from A to Z (according to letters assignment).
    
    
    Wordoku 9*9 Board
  
  
  
  • 16*16 board:
    Sudoku and Wordoku boards of any level of difficulty are supported by Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b.
    
    Sudoku 16*16 Boards that you fill with numbers from 1 to 9 and letters from A to G.
    
    
    Sudoku 16*16 Board
    
    
    Wordoku 16*16 Boards that you fill with letters from A to Z (according to letters assignment).
    
    
    Wordoku 16*16 Board
    
    
    Note that attempt to generate 16*16 boards with high difficulty levels can be lengthy. A dialog box may appear to show progress of attempt...
    
    
  
  
• The application handles automatically the switch from Sudoku to Wordoku.
  
  For this, you should configure Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b to fit your needs.
  Select the menu 'Options | Board Options' and click the button labeled 'Wordoku'
  
  
  Switch Sudoku-Wordoku
  
  
  Three assignments are available:
  • Random Letters Assignment.
  • Random Word Assignment.
  • User-Defined Assignment.
  Locations of the assigned letters can be :
  • Randow: one of the rows, one of columns or one of the blocks of the board is selected randomly
  • Defined: the assignment is located in a defined row, column or block
  When switching for the first time from Sudoku to Wordoku, Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b will assign the letters according to the options selected.
  You can change the assignment at any time by selecting the menu 'Sudoku | Assign Wordoku Letters'...
  
  
• You can Save the board for later use in a single file (BoardData.sbd) that can store dozens of boards ...
  
  
  
  
• Using the BoardData file, you can store partly solved board, later retrieve the puzzle in the state you left it and continue the search for final solution.
  
  
• Board Import: manually, from Isanaki binary file, text files (.txt .msk .sdk .sol .spf and .ss) and clipboard
  
  
• Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b can export boards data in two different ways
  
  
  1. Export to Text File
  2. Export to Clipboard
  
  
  Isanaki File Export
  
  
  In both cases, four different formats are available:
  1. Web Friendly Format (.txt)
     Ex: ..4......5..61....12.5..67.3.9..1.2.......7.9....54..3........7..5..6.3....78.4..
     
  2. VBForums Contest Format (.msk, .sol)
     

     ..4......
     5..61....
     12.5..67.
     3.9..1.2.
     ......7.9
     ....54..3
     ........7
     ..5..6.3.
     ...78.4..

  3. SadMan Software Format (.sdk)
     

     [Puzzle]
     ..4......
     5..61....
     12.5..67.
     3.9..1.2.
     ......7.9
     ....54..3
     ........7
     ..5..6.3.
     ...78.4.. 

  4. Simple Sudoku Format (.ss)
     

     *-----------*
     |..4|...|...|
     |5..|61.|...|
     |12.|5..|67.|
     |---+---+---|
     |3.9|..1|.2.|
     |...|...|7.9|
     |...|.54|..3|
     |---+---+---|
     |...|...|..7|
     |..5|..6|.3.|
     |...|78.|4..|
     *-----------*

• The application updates automatically the pencil marks in each cell of the board to show the remaining candidates..
  
  

  In a Sudoku board

  Or a Wordoku board

  
  If you prefer the hard way, you can turn this feature off and hide the pencil marks ...
  
  
• The application allows entry of a new board by four different ways
  
  
  1. Switch the Board to Date Entry Mode and Type in the board data manually. To do this, select the menu 'Sudoku | Enter a New Board'
  2. Open a Sudoku Board from the Sudoku Board file handled by Isanaki 2.4b. This file is named BoardData.sbd and contains all the Boards Data previously saved.
  3. Import a Sudoku Board from a Sudoku Text File. Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b attemps to read different kinds of Sudoku files (.txt .msk .sdk .sol .spf .ss) but their structure are not stricly defined
  4. Import a Sudoku Board from the clipboard. Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b expects standard characters for empty cells ( either a dot, a 'X' or a '0') and attempts to handle different kinds of data structure.
  
  In Board Entry Mode, the current cell is surrounded by a green border (but you can change this colour to fit your favorite colour)
  Once the board is loaded, you can switch to Solve Mode by selecting the menu 'Sudoku | Solve the Board' and start resolving the board. In Solve Mode, the current cell is surrounded by a blue border (but you can change this colour to fit your favorite colour)
  
  
  
• Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b provides flexible navigation in the board
  
  Navigating around the board can be done using the arrow keys (left and right keys to travel in the current row, up and down keys to travel in the current column) and the tab key (to cross the whole puzzle)
  
  
• Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b handles a 256-level of Undo-Redo.
  
  Whatever the source of the change (user entry, application hint or complete board solving), you can undo or redo it.
  
  
  
  You can walk between steps using the arrows around the History button ...
  
  
• Using Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b, you can setup the way the boards are printed ....
  
  Select the menu 'File | Board Page Setup'
  
  
  Isanaki Sudoku Page Setup
  
  
  Using the dialog box, you can customize the boards printouts in the same way you customize screen display:
  • Board
  • Blocks
  • Alternate Blocks
  • Clues and Quests
  • Pencil Marks
  • Mistakes
  
  Using the same dialog box ...
  
  Isanaki Sudoku Page Setup
  
  
  you'll be able to specify board name, date, time and board level on either header or footer of the page ....
  as well as Separator Lines between blocks and around the board.
  
  
• You can always delete a number inside the current cell by typing the 'Delete' key
  
  
• To avoid trips into a dead end, Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b highlights the mistakes in red
  
  You can switch this feature off and you can change the default colour to fit your favorite one.
  
  
  Isanaki Sudoku Board with Mistake
  
  
  
• Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b supports keyboard accelerators
  
  You can access several functionalities of the application without leaving your keyboard:
  
  
  • CTRL+N: New Board
  • CTRL+O: Open a Board
  • CTRL+S: Save Current Board
  • CTRL+I: Import Board from File
  • CTRL+I: Export Board from File
  • CTRL+P: Print Board
  • CTRL+D: Default Board Generation (using the last type of board generated by Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b)
  • CTRL+G: Special Board Generation
  • CTRL+H: Get Next Hint
  • CTRL+Z: Undo
  • CTRL+Y: Redo
  • CTRL+J: Jump to Solving Technique
  • CTRL+1: Switch to 16*16 Boards
  • CTRL+9: Switch to 9*9 Boards
  • CTRL+U: Check for Isanaki Sudoku Update
  • CTRL+A: About Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b
  
  
  
• If your screen display does not fit yours eyes, try changing the zoom ... from 50% to 400%.
  
  
• Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b supports full colour customization
  
  You can change many options as
  
  • Background Colour
  • Block Colour and Alternate Colour
  • Clues and Quests Cells Colour
  • Fading Style: Upside Down, Downside Up, LeftSide Right, RightSide Left, Inside Out, Outside In between Start and End Colours
  • Wordoku Setup
  • Pencil Marks Display
  • Mistakes Warning
  • Box and Grid: Seperator between blocks and Grid around Board
  • Global Application Options: Play Sudoku Animation and Play Sound on Candidate Selection
  • ...
  
  Select the Menu 'Options | Board Options'
  
  
  Isanaki Sudoku Board Options
  
  
  and change them to fit your needs.
  
  
• Since release 2.4a, Isanaki Sudoku performs a self-check at startup to verify the version of the local copy versus the version available at the TGMDev Web Site.
  
  Select the menu 'Help | Check for Isanaki Update' and verify the result on screen
  
  
  Jump to the Web Site if a new Version is available !!!

• The application supports the generation of different Sudoku boards
  
  

  Board Size	9 * 9 Boards	Sudoku and Wordoku Boards of any level can be generated
  	16 * 16 Boards	Sudoku and Wordoku Boards of any level can be generated
  Board Complexity	Very Easy	Boards solved using only very basic techniques
  	Easy	Boards solved using very basic techniques and one or more easy techniques
  	Medium	Boards requiring some average techniques to be solved
  	Hard	Boards requiring several average and some advanced techniques to be solved
  	Very Hard	Boards requiring several advanced techniques to be solved
  	Fiendish	Boards requiring a lot of average and advanced techniques to be solved
  Board Style	Non Symetrical
  	Symetrical

  
  
• The grids generated by Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b always have unique solution
  
  Sometimes, boards entered manually have multiple solutions. On shift from Entry Mode to Play mode, Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b first checks if the board have a truly unique solution.
  If it's not the case, you'll be warned that the current board have multiple solutions ...
  
  
  Isanaki Sudoku Multi-Solutions Board
  
  
  
• Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b supports custom board generation: solving technique to use, occurrence number, difficulty level
  
  Selecting the menu 'Sudoku | Generate Board | Special Generation', Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b allows the generation of Sudoku boards according to specific criteria:
  
  
  Isanaki Sudoku Special Board Generation
  
  
  
  • Technique Included: the application will generate boards that use the selected technique to solve the board
  • Number of Boards to Found: the application will generate as many boards as you want. Keep in mind that the higher the request, the longer the generation time ...
  • Minimum Level and Maximum level: the application will generate board that fit your difficulty request
  • Minimum Occurrence: the application will select only the board(s) that required the use of the specified technique the specified number of time (or higher)
  • Number of Generation Attempt: Some combinaisons does not generate boards. This option limts the attempt number
  
  Once the board(s) is (are) generated, you can sort the resulting table by ascending or descending order and using different criteria: board index, technical occurrence, board score (difficulty level) and clues number. Most of the 9*9 boards generated have between 22 and 28 clues.
  
  
• The generation of Sudoku boards is very fast (less than 50 milliseconds for 9*9 boards but can be lengthy for some 16*16 boards)

• You can ask the application to solve the board for you.
  
  Just select the menu 'Solve' and select the type of logic for puzzle solving
  1. Solving by Brute-Force: in this case, the application guesses in a systematic (recursive) way the different numbers of the board up to the complete solution. For a 9 * 9 board, it typically takes a few milliseconds (using a 3.2 Ghz computer). For complex 16 * 16 board, the process could exceed 10 seconds. At any time, you can stop a lengthy brute-force processing by selecting the menu 'Solve | Stop Brute-Force Solving'
  2. Solving by Logical Deduction: Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b uses the same techniques as you to solve the board (see below for the solving techniques used). It applies the different techniques sequentially from the simplest ones to the more complex ones from the first cell to the last one. As soon as it found something, it restarts the processing.
  
  
• The solver of Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b applies the most common techniques used to solve Sudoku boards
  
  Advanced techniques are added in each release of the application.
  Meanwhile, its resolving capacity is able to solve most of the boards found in magazines or on the Web.
  
  The following techniques are used:
  • Single in a Box
  • Single in a Row
  • Single in a Column
  • Hidden Single in a Box
  • Hidden Single in a Row
  • Hidden Single in a Column
  • Naked Single in a Box
  • Pointing Pair Reduction in a Row
  • Pointing Pair Reduction in a Column
  • Box Line Reduction in a Row
  • Box Line Reduction in a Col
  • Naked Pair in a Box
  • Naked Pair in a Row
  • Naked Pair in a Column
  • Hidden Pair in a Box
  • Hidden Pair in a Row
  • Hidden Pair in a Column
  • Naked Triple in a Box
  • Naked Triple in a Row
  • Naked Triple in a Column
  • Hidden Triple in a Box
  • Hidden Triple in a Row
  • Hidden Triple in a Column
  • Naked Quad in a Box
  • Naked Quad in a Row
  • Naked Quad in a Column
  • Remote Pairs
  • XY-Chains
  • Unique Rectangle Type I
  • Unique Rectangle Type II
  • Single Colours
  • X Wings
  • Y Wings
  • Forced Chains
  • Brute-Force Guess (Note that the use of this technique is optional)
  
  
• Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b provides support for customizable solving techniques hierarchy. Using this adanced option, it is possible to control the way Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b solve the board. The default behvaiour remains unchanged: simplest techniques first, then techniques with increasing complexity and, finally, brute-force guess.
  
  Select the menu 'Options | Advanced Options' to modify the behaviour of Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b.
  
  
  Isanaki Sudoku Custom Hierarchy
  
  
  and change the techniques ranking to fit your needs.
  
  Note that there is an option to force the brute force technique to always be used as the last technique, whatever the technique hierarchy ...
  
  
• The solver of Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b is very fast (between 1 and 50 milliseconds for the hardest sudoku boards)
  
  
• You can customize the solver to disallow the use of brute force technique
  
  

• The application disallows invalid entry to keep you in the right track
  
  
• The application allows entry of a new board by four different ways
  
  You can enter the numbers (or the letters in 16*16 boards) by typing the keyboard or by clicking with the mouse on the different buttons on the top of the window.
  
  Now, since version 2.3, you can select a quest from a small dialog box that appears while right-clicking on the cell ...
  
  Isanaki Sudoku Mouse Entry
  
  
  
  Now, you can also select several cells and remove a candidate from all the selected cells in one shot ...
  
  Isanaki Sudoku Multiple Cells Selection
  
  
  
  Multiple cells selection is done using the classical Windows way:
  • Mouse Click: select last clicked cell and deselect current selection
  • Mouse Click and CTRL key: select last clicked cell and keep current selection
  • Mouse Click and SHIFT key: select cell from last clicked cell to newly clicked cell and deselect current selection
  
  The dialog box for candidate selection/removal reflects the multiple selection:
  One button allows the display of all candidates from the selected cells
  
  
  One button allows the display of the common candidates from the selected cells.
  
  
  
• Isanaki Sudoku 2.6b can help you solving the board if you hit a stop point ...
  
  Select the menu 'Solve | Hint' or click on the 'Hint' button. The application will attempt to give you the next step plus some explanations of how it find it !!! It's a great way to learn how to solve some puzzle ...