Anastasia Miliano

Love Sudoku but finding yourself going through the motions? That satisfying 'click' when logic pieces fall into place still hits, but maybe not like it used to. You're not broken—you're bored.

You know the feeling. You open your daily Sudoku, scan the grid, and your brain automatically shifts into familiar patterns. Fill in the obvious numbers, look for naked pairs, work through the elimination dance you've done hundreds of times. It's comfortable, reliable, and...maybe a little predictable?

Enter Stars puzzles—Sudoku's smarter cousin that brings back that "I can't put this down" feeling.

Same Logical Heart, Different Beat

Stars and Sudoku share the same DNA that makes logic puzzles addictive:

If you can solve intermediate Sudoku puzzles, you already have every skill you need for Stars. The same methodical thinking, the same patience for working through constraints, the same satisfaction when everything clicks into place.

What Makes Stars the Fresher Choice

Instead of filling numbers in boxes, you're placing stars in regions. You still use row-and-column thinking, but now you're also managing spatial constraints within oddly-shaped regions. The logic feels familiar, but your brain engages with fresh complexity.

Think of it this way: Sudoku taught you to think in straight lines—rows, columns, boxes. Stars keeps that foundation but adds irregular regions that twist and curve across the grid. Suddenly you're not just eliminating based on what's in row 3, but what's possible in this L-shaped region that spans multiple rows and columns.

The rules are elegantly simple: place stars so each row, column, and outlined region contains exactly the right number, and no two stars touch each other (even diagonally). But within that simplicity lies endless variety.

Real Players, Real Reactions

One player put it perfectly: "Still just starting out so Monday and Tuesday are just right at this time, others are hard but I can see that like Sudoku, as I get better and more practice they would be appropriate."

Same learning curve, same progression—but with renewed excitement. Monday feels approachable, Friday feels challenging, just like when you first discovered Sudoku difficulty levels.

Another longtime Sudoku fan told us: "I think I now prefer this to Sudoku, which is very shocking, honestly."

That's the Stars difference. It's not harder or easier—it's fresher. Your logical thinking skills transfer perfectly, but your brain gets to stretch in new directions. You'll find yourself thinking "Oh, that's clever!" in ways you haven't felt in years.

The Brain Health Bonus

Here's something interesting: while Sudoku primarily exercises your logical reasoning, Stars adds spatial processing to the mix. You're still getting that daily dose of mental exercise that keeps your mind sharp, but now you're engaging additional cognitive pathways.

Research consistently shows that varying your mental challenges—rather than just repeating the same type—provides better cognitive benefits. Stars gives you that variety while building on skills you've already developed.

Even More Variety Ahead

And Stars is just the beginning. At Inkwell Games, we also have Fields—a color-based logic puzzle that brings shading and visual strategy into the mix. Same satisfying deduction, completely different approach. Because sometimes the best cure for dull puzzle routine is having multiple fresh options.

Our philosophy is simple: create puzzles that respect your intelligence, reward your persistence, and never waste your time with ads or manipulation. Just pure, thoughtful puzzles designed for people who appreciate the craft of logical thinking.

Ready for Something Fresh?

If you've been craving that early-Sudoku excitement again, Stars delivers. Same logical satisfaction, new spatial challenge. Same daily ritual, renewed sense of discovery.

Try today's puzzles and rediscover why you fell in love with logic puzzles in the first place.