Get help
Something not working, or got an idea? Email james@coverd.cc and I'll get back to you.
How to play
- On the home screen, pick a grid size and one to three stars, then tap the big play button.
- Fill the grid so every row, column and box has each number once.
- Tap an empty square, then tap a number to put it there.
- To change a number your child placed, tap it and pick another.
- To clear a number, tap it, then tap the eraser.
- To undo a move, tap the curved arrow next to the star jar. Each tap goes back one move.
- Tap the bulb whenever your child needs a hint.
- If your child goes 20 seconds without tapping anything, the bulb glows so they can see where to get help.
- Each solved puzzle adds a star to the jar.
- The first time Teenydoku opens, your child picks an animal, then a short how-to-play shows them what to do. To watch the how-to-play again, open Settings and tap Show how to play.
What does Show clashes do?
When your child puts a number where its row, column or box already has that number, both numbers wobble and the line they share is shaded for a moment, so your child can see why it doesn't fit. Then the new number hops back out. The square stays selected, so your child can try another number.
Show clashes is on to start with. Turn it off in Settings for more of a challenge: every number then stays where it's put. The bulb still helps when it's off.
Can I turn the sound off?
Teenydoku plays a soft pop when a number goes in and a short tune when a puzzle is solved. It stays quiet when your iPad or iPhone is on silent, and any music you're playing carries on underneath.
To turn the sound off, open Settings and turn off Sound. On iPhone, the Haptics switch turns off the small taps and buzzes your child feels.
How do I add, rename or remove a child?
- On the home screen, tap the gear in the top right corner.
- Type the number written on the screen. "Type forty-seven" means tap 4, then 7. A wrong answer goes back to the home screen, so tap the gear to try again.
- In Settings, go to Children.
- To add a child, tap "Add a child", pick an animal, type a name if you like, then tap Add.
- You can also add a child from "Who's playing?": tap the animal in the top left corner of the home screen, tap "Add a child", type the number, then pick an animal and tap Add.
- To change a child's name or animal, tap them, make the change, then tap Done.
- To remove a child, tap them, tap Remove, then confirm. Their stars and saved puzzle are deleted.
Each child gets a different animal, and there's room for six. Teenydoku always keeps one child, so the last one can't be removed, but you can rename them.
With two or more children, Teenydoku opens on "Who's playing?" and each child taps their own animal. To switch child later, tap the animal in the top left corner of the home screen.
How do I see how my child is getting on?
In Settings, each child's row shows their stars. Tap a child to see how many puzzles they've solved at each size and level, and how many stars are in their jar. It all stays on your iPad or iPhone.
How do I keep my child inside Teenydoku?
Use Guided Access, which is built into iPad and iPhone. It keeps the device in one app until a grown-up ends it with a passcode.
- Open Settings, then tap Accessibility.
- Tap Guided Access and turn it on.
- Tap Passcode Settings and set a Guided Access passcode. You can also choose Face ID or Touch ID.
- Open Teenydoku. Triple-click the top button on iPad or the side button on iPhone. If your device has a Home button, triple-click that instead.
- Tap Start. If a list of shortcuts appears first, tap Guided Access, then Start.
To end Guided Access, triple-click the same button, enter your passcode and tap End. Apple's guide to Guided Access has the full details.
Does Teenydoku work with VoiceOver and larger text?
Yes. VoiceOver reads every square, such as "Row 2, column 3, 2, given", and says what each move did, so someone using VoiceOver can play a whole puzzle.
Settings, the grown-ups' question and the names on "Who's playing?" follow your device's text size. If Reduce Motion is on, Teenydoku fades things in and out instead of moving them.
If something goes wrong
- If a puzzle seems impossible, tap the bulb. It points to a number that needs changing, or to a square that's easy to fill next.
- If the app looks wrong or stops responding, close it from the app switcher and open it again. The puzzle in progress is saved after every move.
- Check the App Store for an update.
- If none of that helps, email james@coverd.cc. Say which iPad or iPhone you're using and what happened.
Deleting the app also deletes every child's stars and saved puzzle, so leave that until last.
Does Teenydoku need the internet?
No. Everything works offline.
Where is my child's progress saved?
Teenydoku doesn't collect any data about you or your child, and everything it saves stays on your iPad or iPhone. The privacy policy has the details.