Sudoku. How do you score 100K+?

[Kat903213V]

When I play Sudoku, I never score more than 10K, 20K, 30K or 40K depending upon the level I play.  But I see high scores in excess of 100K?  How do I score more than the basic max score for each level?

[mmarkr]

The scoring formula should be written as  percentage completed without errors * (difficulty level + remaining score) which yields a maximum score of 112,000 if you could somehow complete the puzzle in 0 seconds.  I have gotten in the mid 80,000s but that seems to be my limit.  To get 100,000 exactly, you would have to complete the expert puzzle in 2 minutes.  That would give a time bonus of 600 (720-120)  so you would get 100*(400+600) which is 100,000.  It is possible to "cheat" at Daily Sudoku by completing the puzzle correctly in Chrome's Incognito mode without logging into the AARP website, then making note of all of the numbers.  You can then exit out of Chrome, come back in, log into AARP and then redo the same puzzle and quickly re-enter all the correct numbers.  To me, that is cheating but I'm sure some people do it.  The normal Sudoku puzzle gives you a new puzzle every time so this cheating method won't work for that.

[OttoM155353]

I had to prove to myself that people are cheating at this game. So I did the Expert level puzzle within one box of completion, then stopped to write down all the correct answers. I then Reset the puzzle at Expert level with no notes and typed in all the answers as fast as I could. Even then the best I could do was about 1 minute 25 seconds for a score of 103,400. So that proved to me that people like EGGreen who you see at the top of the leader board every day with a score of around 109,000 or more has a way to cheat where he or she can solve the puzzle in advance like I did but then had a way to load all the numbers in at once. Because to get a score around 109,000 means the puzzle must be completed in about 10 seconds or less. AARP could stop this cheating by doing away with the Reset option so a new puzzle comes up every time. 

[2Papa]

Why is completion time even scored.  Correct answer should be the deciding factor.  Why does America always want to add a stress factor?

[AARPLynne · Accepted solution]

Thanks for your question, @Kat903213V! Sudoku scoring includes two bonus multipliers that vary by level, one for difficulty and one for time. Final score is calculated with the percentage of puzzle completed without errors (or help) multiplied by difficulty bonus + time bonus.

Difficulty bonus is:

• Easy = 100;
• Medium = 200;
• Hard = 300;
• Expert = 400

Time bonus is your time spent solving subtracted from:

• Easy = 180 seconds;
• Medium = 360 seconds;
• Hard = 540 seconds;
• Expert = 720 seconds

If your time spent is more than the time bonus amount, the time bonus does not apply (i.e., you are not penalized with a negative number as a multiplier).   

[WillowT250899]

Fascinating. Did you design the algorithm, Lynne? Seems like there are inherently more variables at play—ones even determined by how level of difficulty is designed. I play to keep my mind flexible so I’m always the top winner! I need the hint where you can highlight numbers because of my vision. That counts to deduct my score. (But I’m still number one!) I love finding the mathematical sequences that inherently must occur given the limited possibilities (like a fibbonaci pattern). I think that someone with far more mathematical knowledge than me would solve quickly by seeing many other patterns. Even lacking complete mental dexterity, needing a support button to compensate for vision, and only having a slightly above average fascination with mathematical sequences in nature, I can score between 90K and 106K (and whilst my dog is nudging me for treats). No computer generated system will as fairly show relevant ability as one on paper. I wouldn’t assume people cheat. But I know I win every time because I engage my mind. That said, play one minute after east coast midnight if you want to appear on the top 10 list. 

[wh53937823]

Thank you for this explanation.  I think, though, that I have completed the expert puzzle and received different scores for the same time spent and errors.  I could be wrong, but I wonder if there are points earned for completing boxes, columns, or rows.  Or if scoring is influenced by current scores on the board.

[Kat903213V]

Thank you, so much, for explaining that.  Will have to improve my speed! 🙂

[AARPLynne]

You're welcome, @Kat903213V, enjoy!

[KellyN908086]

I wonder the same thing. I play the expert level, complete the puzzle at 100% with no errors and it's always 40K. I don't understand how to score more than that.

[MelissaS708860]

The faster you complete the puzzle, the higher the score.