Classic Sudoku by Cracking The Cryptic offers a premium sudoku experience designed for both casual and dedicated puzzle enthusiasts. This game stands out through its meticulously curated collection of hand-crafted puzzles, ranging from beginner-friendly to diabolically challenging levels. Each puzzle is carefully play-tested to ensure it provides a rewarding solving journey, something no other sudoku app on the market currently guarantees.

The app also features an innovative progression system where players earn stars by solving puzzles, unlocking additional challenges as they advance. With 40 beautifully designed puzzles at launch and new monthly content updates planned for the first year, this app ensures long-term engagement. Whether you're looking to sharpen your logical thinking or simply enjoy high-quality sudoku puzzles, Classic Sudoku delivers exceptional value for fans of the genre.

Classic Sudoku distinguishes itself with several standout features that elevate the traditional sudoku experience. First, every puzzle in the game has been crafted by renowned sudoku experts Simon Anthony and Mark Goodliffe, who have represented the UK in the World Sudoku Championship. These puzzles are not computer-generated but instead thoughtfully designed to guide solvers through intricate patterns and techniques.

Another key feature is the app's unique hint system, which includes explanations written by Mark and Simon themselves. These hints not only help players overcome tricky moments but also teach advanced solving strategies. Additionally, the app introduces a star-based progression system, allowing users to unlock more puzzles as they improve their skills. With regular content updates adding five new levels each month, players will always find fresh challenges to tackle.

In Classic Sudoku, rule authenticity is paramount to ensure a genuine and traditional Sudoku experience. The game strictly adheres to the classic Sudoku rules where each grid must be filled with numbers 1 through 9 without repeating in any row, column, or 3x3 subgrid.

What sets this game apart is its flexibility within those rules. The puzzles are crafted not just to comply with the basics but also to incorporate advanced techniques that challenge even seasoned players. This approach ensures that while the foundation of Sudoku remains intact, the solving process is varied and engaging.

Players benefit from this blend of authenticity and flexibility as it offers an educational journey through the complexity of Sudoku strategies. Each puzzle is designed to teach and reinforce different solving methods, enhancing the player's skills over time.

The value for users lies in the assurance that every puzzle they encounter will respect the established norms of Sudoku while providing enough variation to keep the gameplay fresh and intellectually stimulating.

Although Classic Sudoku does not feature an AI opponent in the traditional sense, it provides a curated selection of puzzles that simulate the experience of battling wits with a skilled adversary. The puzzles themselves act as the 'opponent,' challenging players to think critically and adapt their strategies.

The quality of these puzzle-opponents is exceptional due to rigorous play-testing by experts Simon Anthony and Mark Goodliffe. Their expertise ensures that each puzzle presents a logical and enjoyable challenge, akin to facing a well-matched competitor in other board games.

This setup benefits users by consistently delivering fair yet difficult challenges that improve their strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities without the unpredictability often associated with AI opponents.

Ultimately, Classic Sudoku's take on AI opponent quality translates into a rewarding experience where solvers can measure their growth against increasingly sophisticated puzzle-adversaries, fostering a sense of accomplishment with every victory.