Introducing Strategy Lessons
I wrote the original Strategies of Hexakai guide a while back, then I integrated it with the hints functionality. Today, I'm launching a new strategies feature: Strategy Lessons, a guided walkthrough that introduces each strategies, demonstrates it on real boards, then challenges you with three practice boards per lesson.
The first two lessons are free. The other five come with Hexakai Plus.
There are seven lessons, in the order you'll need them: the Single Cell Strategy, the Single-Strand Strategy and the Star Strategy to start, then Value-Centric Counting and Strand Possibility Symmetry, and finally Triangular Elimination and the Lonely Possibility Strategy.
Watch the strategy work, one step at a time
Every lesson opens with a guided example. You step through it with Back and Next, and at each step the board shows exactly which cells the strategy is looking at: the strand it's working on is outlined, the cells it's deciding between are shaded, and the text explains why.
Each step is worked out from the board itself, so it never skips over something the board doesn't show. When you reach the end, the answer is filled in, and you can try it yourself.
Pencil marks, filled in for you
The possibility strategies are about pencil marks: which values each cell could still take, and what those marks tell you when you compare them. In those lessons, the example already has the marks pencilled in, so you can focus on the pattern instead of the bookkeeping.
Then practice on boards built for that strategy
After the example, each lesson has practice boards. On each one, the strategy solves exactly one empty cell, and every cell the deduction doesn't need is blotted out, so what's left is the pattern you're learning. Find the cell and enter its value.
- A wrong value is marked right away, so you know where you stand.
- Stuck? Show me highlights the cells the strategy uses.
- Solving a board gets the same finish as a completed game.
- On Triangular Elimination boards, the lesson even tells you which value to follow.
An achievement for finishing
With Hexakai Plus, solve at least one practice board in every lesson and you'll earn the Complete the Strategy Lessons achievement. Skipped boards don't count, so you'll have earned it.
Start free, then go further with Hexakai Plus
The first two lessons, the Single Cell Strategy and the Single-Strand Strategy, are free for everyone, guided examples and practice boards included. The other five come with Hexakai Plus, alongside strategy hints in the game, boards up to size 16, the full daily puzzle archive and no ads, for $4.99 a month across the web, Android and iOS. The Strategies of Hexakai guide stays free for everyone.
Learn every strategy, then practice it.
Thank you for playing, and happy puzzling!
Whether you're a fan of Sudoku or new to puzzle games, Hexakai offers a distinctive and engaging experience. Download now to begin your journey through the captivating world of hexagonal puzzles!
