First Impression
The first time I opened Supreme Duelist, I’ll admit I was a little nervous. My son helped me set up my Samsung Galaxy S23, and he warned me that some apps are too busy and cluttered for someone my age. But this one surprised me right away. The main screen is clean and simple, with big buttons that are easy to read. I don’t need my reading glasses every time I tap something. I started a puzzle on a Wednesday afternoon while waiting for my wife to finish her doctor’s appointment. Before I knew it, she was tapping on the car window saying it was time to go home. I was so into the puzzle I barely noticed the time pass. That’s a good sign for me, because I get bored easily with phone games.
What It Does Well
The biggest thing this app does right is keep things straightforward. I don’t have to hunt around for where to start or fiddle with a bunch of settings just to play. The number buttons are big and clearly labeled, which helps a lot when my hands aren’t as steady as they used to be. I also really like that it lets you make notes in the squares with small numbers, like a pencil mark. That was a feature my friend Martha told me about, and it’s helped me solve some of the tougher puzzles I would have given up on otherwise. The daily challenges keep me coming back, too. Every morning after breakfast, I try the new one. It feels like a little routine now. The colors are soft and easy on the eyes, not all flashy and bright like some games my grandkids play. There’s also a timer if you want to track how fast you finish, but you can ignore it if that kind of thing stresses you out. I ignore it.
Where It Falls Short
Not everything is perfect, and I have a few gripes. First off, the hints system could be a lot better. Sometimes when I tap the hint button, it just highlights a row instead of actually showing me a number or giving me a nudge. That doesn’t help much when I’m truly stuck. I ended up missing a couple of daily challenges because I ran out of hints and didn’t want to guess. Another thing that bothers me is the ads. I get that apps need to make money, but the ads pop up at the worst times, like right when I’m about to place the last number. A few times I accidentally tapped on the ad and it took me to some sketchy website. That really annoys me. Also, and this might just be because I’m not a tech wizard, but I found the settings page a little confusing. There’s a bunch of toggle switches for things like “auto-check” and “highlight duplicates” that I don’t fully understand what they do. I turned one off by mistake and my puzzles started looking different.
Is It Worth the Price?
The app is free to download, which is nice. But honestly, the ads are frequent enough that I wouldn’t mind paying a few dollars to get rid of them. I tried the free version for a week and almost deleted the app because of how often I got interrupted. But then I found out there’s a one-time purchase to remove ads, which I went ahead and did. I think it was around four or five bucks. For me, that’s money well spent because now I can play without jumping through hoops. I’ve gotten more than my money’s worth in the month I’ve had it. My wife even started playing it on her tablet after she saw me enjoying it. If you’re like me and you hate being pestered by pop-ups, just skip the free version and buy the ad removal right away. It makes the whole experience much more pleasant.
Developer & Support
I had a small problem about two weeks into using the app. One of my saved puzzles just disappeared. I wasn’t sure if it was my fault or a glitch. So I contacted support through the app’s help section. I sent a message on a Friday evening and didn’t hear back until Tuesday morning. That’s a few days, which felt like a long time. But when they did reply, the person was polite and actually understood my issue. They explained that if the phone runs out of battery while the app is open, sometimes progress doesn’t save. That made sense because I had let my battery die the day before. They also gave me a tip to manually save before closing the app. I appreciated that they didn’t just copy and paste some generic answer. So while the wait was frustrating, the help itself was good.
Privacy & Safety
I’m not too worried about privacy with this app because it doesn’t ask for much. It didn’t ask for my contacts, location, or anything weird like that. It just wanted permission to store data on my phone, which makes sense because it saves my puzzles. There’s a privacy policy link in the settings, but I’ll be honest, I didn’t read the whole thing. It’s too much legal talk for me. I did scroll through it and it seemed like they just collect basic info to improve the app. No red flags that I could see. My only concern is those ads I mentioned earlier. Some of them lead to outside websites, and I don’t love that. I make sure to never tap on them. If you’re careful, it’s fine. But if you have grandkids using the phone, you might want to keep an eye on them.
How do I use the pencil mark feature to make notes in squares?
Tap the pencil or note mode button (usually near the number pad) to enter small numbers in a square, helping you track possibilities. This is great for tough puzzles where you need to test options without committing to a final answer.
What do the 'auto-check' and 'highlight duplicates' toggle switches in settings do?
Auto-check automatically flags incorrect numbers as you place them, while highlight duplicates shades repeated numbers in the same row, column, or box. If you accidentally toggle one off and your puzzles look different, just go back to settings and turn it on again.
Why does the hint button sometimes only highlight a row instead of giving me a number?
The hint button provides a gentle nudge by highlighting a row or area where a number can be placed, rather than giving you the exact answer. If you need more direct help, try using the 'show number' hint option if available, or save hints for when you're truly stuck.
How can I stop ads from popping up at the worst moments, like when I'm about to place the last number?
Ads are frequent in the free version, but you can remove them entirely by purchasing the one-time in-app ad removal option. This will prevent interruptions and accidental taps that take you to sketchy websites.
How does Supreme Duelist compare to other Sudoku apps like Sudoku.com or Classic Sudoku?
Supreme Duelist stands out for its clean, senior-friendly design with big buttons and soft colors, making it easier on the eyes than flashier alternatives. However, its hint system is less helpful than some competitors, and ads are more intrusive unless you pay for removal.
