Sudoku Susser - 2.5.8

Let me start with a disclaimer: What I want out of sudoku assistant is basically electronic paper with a bookmarking capability (so when one of my guesses turns out to be wrong I can rewind back to the point where I guessed wrong and take a more profitable path). That means I can enter numbers in squares, including entering multiple numbers in a square to indicate possible numbers for that square, and I can edit the contents of squares as the puzzle progresses. That is it.

Every other interactive sudoku framework I have ever seen allows one to start with all the non-initial squares blank, then enter multiple numbers in unsolved squares to indicate possible allocations. Sometimes this is done as "pencil marks" in a tiny font in a line along the top of the square. Other times this is accomplished by simply allowing the user to enter more than one digit in a square, and showing all of the entered digits in a size-appropriate font.

In the "pencil marks" model, one clicks near the top of the desired square and types in numbers (the UK TimesOnline version is one that works this way). In the other model, which is employed by the Chicago Sun Times website, one simply clicks on a square and types as many digits as one wants. In both models, one can click on a set of numbers and edit them simply using normal text editing keys like arrow keys, delete, etc.

Sudoku Susser, on the other hand, only seems to be willing to show user-entered possibilities in a mode in which it also shows the user *all* of the possibilities on the entire board as calculated by Sudoku Susser, which is just plain cheating for the user.

In addition, Sudoku Susser's arcane method of data entry (Shift-#) is, well, arcane and completely unnecessarily so.

I can see the author has put a lot of work into this, and even had the unusual grace to write a manual for the program -- bravo! But I must unfortunately conclude that this program illustrates two of the founding principles of good software usability design:

1) Do not reinvent the wheel just to be different. If the existing methods employed by other programs are simple, elegant, and user-friendly, use the same methods yourself and spend your time adding value in other ways. Any attempt at improvement is going to be a mistake.

2) Never ever let an engineer or programmer design a UI all on their own. ;-)

If I could take the UI from either of the newspaper sites that I mentioned above, and add a simple bookmarking capability like the one in Sudoku Susser, I would be a happy man.

Not that I've ever used the product, or even tried Sudoku, -- I'm a crosswords puzzle guy -- but this sounds a little silly to me. Isn't the point of Sudoku to try and figure it out on your own? Maybe it's just me. :D