A Deku Studios game
NINES
Sudoku Cash
Same puzzle. Fastest mind wins.
Classic sudoku, played against real people for real prizes. Every player in your tournament gets the identical grid with the identical givens, and the fastest correct solve takes it.
You do not have to pay to play
Nines is free to download and free to play. Acorn tournaments cost nothing and are available everywhere. Cash tournaments are optional, and they run only in states where independent counsel has opined they are lawful.
Before launch
Get $5 in bonus cash at launch
Leave an email and we will send you a code worth $5 in bonus cash, redeemable when Nines opens.
Bonus cash is a promotional credit, not withdrawable currency. It can be used toward tournament entry where cash tournaments are available. 18+ only. One code per person.
How a tournament runs
- 01
Pick a table
1v1 or Group. Choose a difficulty from Easy to Expert. Enter with acorns for free, or with cash where cash tournaments are available.
- 02
Everyone gets the same puzzle
Every player in your tournament receives the identical grid with the identical givens, from the same seed, with the same time limit.
- 03
Solve it
Place the digits 1 through 9 so every row, column and box holds each digit once. First-class pencil marks and conflict highlighting. No hints and no auto-solve.
- 04
Fastest correct solve wins
Finishing puts you above every player who did not. Among finishers, time decides it, and mistakes add to your time. Group tournaments pay the top three.
The part the category gets wrong
There is no luck in sudoku. Saying so is the whole point.
The cash puzzle category asks you to trust it. Sudoku does not require trust: the puzzle is either the same for everyone or it is not, and the solution is either unique or it is not. Here is what Nines guarantees and how it is checked.
Same puzzle, same givens, same clock
A tournament is one seeded puzzle. Every player sees the identical grid with the identical starting digits. No player gets an easier board.
One solution, reachable by deduction
Every Nines puzzle has a single unique solution that can be reached by logic alone. You never need to guess, and guessing is priced accordingly: mistakes add to your time.
The server checks the solve, not your device
The server reconstructs the puzzle and its solution from the seed, replays your recorded input, and gates on plausible per-cell timing. Fill-order analysis flags solver-tool patterns and collusion between players.
We tell you the rake
15 percent on 1v1 and 17.5 percent on Group, taken from the real-cash portion of the pool only. Bonus cash entries are not raked. That is the whole revenue model. There are no in-app purchases.
Nines runs on the Deku platform. The same guarantees cover every game we ship.
Read the full fairness policyWhat is in the game
A sudoku app worth respecting
First-class pencil marks, conflict highlighting and technique-rated difficulty from Easy to Expert. Built for someone who knows what an X-wing is.
1v1 and Group tournaments
Head to head, or a full table. Group pays the top three. Daily events, and a standings history for every tournament you have played.
Free acorn tables
Acorns are the free entry currency. Acorn tournaments run everywhere, cost nothing, and play by the identical rules.
No hints, no auto-solve
Nothing finishes the puzzle for you and nothing nudges you toward the next cell. The solve is yours.
The money, stated plainly
- Cash entry
- OptionalAcorn tables are free
- Rake, 1v1
- 15%Real-cash portion only
- Rake, Group
- 17.5%Bonus cash entries are not raked
- In-app purchases
- NoneRake is our only revenue
Player funds are held in a segregated account at Mercury Technologies, with deposits held by FDIC-insured partner banks. Age verification and KYC are required before any withdrawal.
Straight answers
Is this gambling?
Nines is a skill contest, not a game of chance. There is no luck in sudoku: every player solves the same puzzle, and the result turns on how quickly and accurately you solve it. Cash tournaments run only in jurisdictions where independent counsel has opined that skill contests of this kind are lawful, and free acorn play is available everywhere.
Do I have to spend money?
No. The game is free to download and free to play. Acorn tournaments cost nothing. Cash entry is optional.
Is the puzzle the same for everyone?
Yes. A tournament is a single seeded puzzle, and every player in it receives the identical grid with the identical givens and the same time limit.
Can I guess my way through?
It is a poor strategy. Every puzzle has one solution reachable by deduction, and mistakes add to your time, which makes guessing negative expected value against anyone solving properly.
What stops someone using a solver?
The server replays your recorded input, gates on plausible per-cell timing, and analyses fill order for solver-tool patterns and collusion between players. Puzzles come from an in-house pool rather than published sources, so they cannot be looked up.
How do I get paid?
Winnings land in your Nines wallet when the tournament adjudicates. Withdrawals require age verification and identity verification, which is a legal requirement, not a stalling tactic.
Where can I play for cash?
Cash tournaments run in select US states only. The current list is published on the Deku Studios site and is enforced by the app itself, which verifies your location before any cash entry.
- 18+ only. Nines verifies age and identity before any withdrawal.
- Cash tournaments are available in select US states only, and Nines verifies your location before every cash entry. Free acorn play is available everywhere.
- Nines is a skill-based contest. Prizes are awarded on performance. Nothing here is a promise of winnings or income.
- Bonus cash is a promotional credit and is not withdrawable.
If play stops being fun, stop. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-426-2537, any time.