the challenges tab is now where you earn. weekly quests pay 3–4 shop pieces each — claim them with a tap, and a dot tells you when rewards are waiting. finish all three in a week for a 6-piece chest; a completed forge now pays 10, and a countdown shows when the next one lights. new: focus mode — one classic puzzle with ninesmith's own toasts and reminders held until you finish. it can't silence other apps; do not disturb is still yours to switch on. and your progress now rides along in iCloud backups, so a new phone no longer starts from zero.

challenge a friend. finish your daily and share a short code. your friend enters it and plays the same board — fastest time wins, each hint adds 30 seconds. the code travels through your own messages; the app still collects nothing. a much bigger board, and a selected cell you can actually see. the first screen and the upgrade screen now fit every iPhone, notch included. and if you skipped the apprenticeship, the first-game walkthrough no longer interrupts you.

Small improvements to your daily Sudoku ritual: • An optional daily reminder, offered after your first Daily puzzle. Decline it, and we won’t ask again. • Share a card after completing a puzzle to let friends see your latest solve. • A clearer weekly league view with an additional comparison row. • More readable messages from the Smith, so his tips and encouragement are easier to notice. Thanks for playing Ninesmith.

the smith's display case is open. finished puzzles now leave a piece behind — spend them on board accents, frames, celebrations, sound sets, and how much the smith remembers. fifteen objects in all. five new sound sets, from a struck anvil to a wooden tile on felt — each one changes the digit, the win, and the mistake together, not just the tap. rose gold joins the themes: warm copper and blush, drawn to match right down to the icons. also: fast typing no longer cuts sounds off mid-note, and the mistake panel finally has the right colour on light themes.

the smith has more to teach, and more to say. the smith's apprenticeship — two short lessons that teach sudoku itself: the one rule, then how to read the board. new to sudoku? start here. the smith's forge — a limited build event. every solved puzzle adds a piece to something bigger. miss a day? nothing resets. the smith has more to say — new lines for milestones, rebuilt streaks, and the hours you actually play. polish is now picked up from your phone automatically.