nudoku

Start a sudoku game

$ nudoku

$ nudoku -d [easy|normal|hard]

$ [<h>|<j>|<k>|<l>|<ArrowKeys>]

$ [<Backspace>|<x>]

$ <H>

$ <S>

$ <N>

$ <Q>

nudoku [OPTION...]

--help
    Display a help message and exit.

--version
    Display version information and exit.

nudoku is a free and open-source Sudoku game designed for command-line interfaces. Built using the ncurses library, it provides a clean, interactive terminal-based experience for playing Sudoku puzzles. Users can navigate the grid using arrow keys, input numbers, undo moves, reset the board, or even have the puzzle solved. Its minimalistic design focuses on providing a pure Sudoku experience without graphical distractions, making it ideal for Linux enthusiasts, developers, or anyone who prefers a terminal-centric workflow.

It generates new puzzles randomly and allows for easy interaction directly within the terminal, embodying the Unix philosophy of doing one thing well. The game is self-contained and manages all gameplay logic, including difficulty generation and error checking, within the terminal environment.

Requires a terminal emulator with ncurses support.
All gameplay controls are internal to the application and are not exposed as command-line parameters.
Does not inherently support saving game state between sessions.

Once nudoku is launched, the following keys are used for interaction:

• Arrow keys: Navigate the grid.
• Number keys (1-9): Enter a number into the selected cell.
• 0 or DEL or BACKSPACE: Clear the selected cell.
• u: Undo the last move.
• r: Reset the current puzzle.
• n: Start a new random puzzle.
• s: Solve the current puzzle (fills in all correct numbers).
• c: Check for errors (highlights incorrect entries).
• q or ESC: Quit the game.
• h: Toggle help message within the game.

nudoku emerged as a lightweight, terminal-native solution for playing Sudoku, leveraging the well-established ncurses library. Its development focused on simplicity and direct playability within the command line, aligning with the ethos of many minimalist Linux utilities. While the exact initial release date might vary across distributions, its presence in many repositories signifies its acceptance as a standard, accessible Sudoku game for CLI environments, offering a classic game experience without GUI dependencies.

ncurses(3), gnome-sudoku(6), bsdgames(6)