diff --git a/src/App.css b/src/App.css
index 09a07a0..cafb124 100644
--- a/src/App.css
+++ b/src/App.css
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ body {
   font-size: clamp(20px, 5.5vw, 32px);
   font-weight: 500;
   line-height: 1;
-  color: #1976d2;
+  color: hsl(var(--hue), 69%, 48%);
 }
 
 .cell.given .cell-value {
@@ -140,23 +140,23 @@ body {
 
 /* Cell highlighting */
 .cell.selected {
-  background: #bbdefb;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 89%, 86%);
 }
 
 .cell.highlighted-row,
 .cell.highlighted-col,
 .cell.highlighted-box {
-  background: #e8eef4;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 22%, 93%);
 }
 
 .cell.same-number {
-  background: #c8e6f9;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 84%, 88%);
 }
 
 .cell.same-number.highlighted-row,
 .cell.same-number.highlighted-col,
 .cell.same-number.highlighted-box {
-  background: #b3d9f5;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 81%, 83%);
 }
 
 .cell.error {
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ body {
 }
 
 .num-btn:hover:not(:disabled) {
-  background: #e3f2fd;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 89%, 96%);
   transform: translateY(-1px);
   box-shadow: 0 2px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
 }
@@ -292,10 +292,15 @@ body {
   cursor: default;
 }
 
+.num-btn.highlighted {
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 89%, 86%);
+  box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px hsl(var(--hue), 69%, 48%), 0 2px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
+}
+
 .num-btn-value {
   font-size: clamp(16px, 4vw, 22px);
   font-weight: 600;
-  color: #1976d2;
+  color: hsl(var(--hue), 69%, 48%);
   line-height: 1;
 }
 
@@ -333,9 +338,9 @@ body {
 }
 
 .action-btn.active {
-  background: #1976d2;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 69%, 48%);
   color: #fff;
-  box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(25, 118, 210, 0.3);
+  box-shadow: 0 2px 8px hsla(var(--hue), 69%, 48%, 0.3);
 }
 
 /* === GameControls === */
@@ -370,8 +375,8 @@ body {
 
 .difficulty-select:focus {
   outline: none;
-  border-color: #1976d2;
-  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(25, 118, 210, 0.15);
+  border-color: hsl(var(--hue), 69%, 48%);
+  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px hsla(var(--hue), 69%, 48%, 0.15);
 }
 
 /* === Toggle Switch === */
@@ -424,7 +429,7 @@ body {
 }
 
 .checkbox-label input:checked + .toggle-track {
-  background: #1976d2;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 69%, 48%);
 }
 
 .checkbox-label input:checked + .toggle-track::after {
@@ -454,14 +459,14 @@ body {
 
 .btn-primary {
   flex: 1;
-  background: #1976d2;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 69%, 48%);
   color: #fff;
-  box-shadow: 0 2px 6px rgba(25, 118, 210, 0.25);
+  box-shadow: 0 2px 6px hsla(var(--hue), 69%, 48%, 0.25);
 }
 
 .btn-primary:hover:not(:disabled) {
-  background: #1565c0;
-  box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(25, 118, 210, 0.35);
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 72%, 42%);
+  box-shadow: 0 3px 8px hsla(var(--hue), 69%, 48%, 0.35);
 }
 
 .btn-secondary {
@@ -694,7 +699,7 @@ body {
 }
 
 .app.dark .cell-value {
-  color: #64b5f6;
+  color: hsl(var(--hue), 87%, 68%);
 }
 
 .app.dark .cell.given .cell-value {
@@ -706,7 +711,7 @@ body {
 }
 
 .app.dark .cell.selected {
-  background: #1a3a5c;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 56%, 23%);
 }
 
 .app.dark .cell.highlighted-row,
@@ -716,13 +721,13 @@ body {
 }
 
 .app.dark .cell.same-number {
-  background: #1a3050;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 50%, 21%);
 }
 
 .app.dark .cell.same-number.highlighted-row,
 .app.dark .cell.same-number.highlighted-col,
 .app.dark .cell.same-number.highlighted-box {
-  background: #1a2a45;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 45%, 18%);
 }
 
 .app.dark .cell.error {
@@ -739,11 +744,16 @@ body {
 }
 
 .app.dark .num-btn:hover:not(:disabled) {
-  background: #1a3a5c;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 56%, 23%);
+}
+
+.app.dark .num-btn.highlighted {
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 72%, 17%);
+  box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px hsl(var(--hue), 87%, 68%), 0 2px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
 }
 
 .app.dark .num-btn-value {
-  color: #64b5f6;
+  color: hsl(var(--hue), 87%, 68%);
 }
 
 .app.dark .num-btn-count {
@@ -761,12 +771,12 @@ body {
 }
 
 .app.dark .btn-primary {
-  background: #1565c0;
-  box-shadow: 0 2px 6px rgba(21, 101, 192, 0.4);
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 72%, 42%);
+  box-shadow: 0 2px 6px hsla(var(--hue), 72%, 42%, 0.4);
 }
 
 .app.dark .btn-primary:hover:not(:disabled) {
-  background: #1976d2;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 69%, 48%);
 }
 
 .app.dark .difficulty-select {
@@ -776,8 +786,8 @@ body {
 }
 
 .app.dark .difficulty-select:focus {
-  border-color: #64b5f6;
-  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(100, 181, 246, 0.15);
+  border-color: hsl(var(--hue), 87%, 68%);
+  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px hsla(var(--hue), 87%, 68%, 0.15);
 }
 
 .app.dark .action-btn {
@@ -791,7 +801,7 @@ body {
 }
 
 .app.dark .action-btn.active {
-  background: #1565c0;
+  background: hsl(var(--hue), 72%, 42%);
   color: #fff;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/App.jsx b/src/App.jsx
index e31ddcf..fd53d49 100644
--- a/src/App.jsx
+++ b/src/App.jsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ function App() {
     numberCounts,
     newGame,
     selectCell,
+    deselect,
     setNumber,
     clearCell,
     toggleNotes,
@@ -25,13 +26,32 @@ function App() {
   } = useGame()
 
   const [showSettings, setShowSettings] = useState(false)
+  const [hue, setHue] = useState(() => {
+    const saved = parseInt(localStorage.getItem('sudoku-hue'), 10)
+    return isNaN(saved) ? 211 : saved
+  })
 
   useEffect(() => {
     document.body.style.background = state.darkMode ? '#1a1a2e' : '#f8f9fa'
   }, [state.darkMode])
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    localStorage.setItem('sudoku-hue', hue)
+  }, [hue])
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    function handleKeyDown(e) {
+      if (e.key === ' ' && !e.ctrlKey && !e.metaKey && !e.altKey) {
+        e.preventDefault()
+        setHue(Math.floor(Math.random() * 360))
+      }
+    }
+    window.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown)
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown)
+  }, [])
+
   return (
-    <div className={`app${state.darkMode ? ' dark' : ''}`}>
+    <div className={`app${state.darkMode ? ' dark' : ''}`} style={{ '--hue': hue }}>
       <header className="app-header">
         <h1>Sudoku</h1>
       </header>
@@ -50,14 +70,17 @@ function App() {
           solution={state.solution}
           notes={state.notes}
           selected={state.selected}
+          highlightedNumber={state.highlightedNumber}
           showErrors={state.showErrors}
           celebrating={state.showEffects ? state.celebrating : new Set()}
           selectCell={selectCell}
+          deselect={deselect}
         />
 
         <NumberPad
           onNumber={setNumber}
           numberCounts={numberCounts}
+          highlightedNumber={state.selected ? null : state.highlightedNumber}
         />
 
         <GameControls
diff --git a/src/components/Board.jsx b/src/components/Board.jsx
index 4cee104..348e4a5 100644
--- a/src/components/Board.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Board.jsx
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ import React from 'react'
 import Cell from './Cell'
 import { checkValue } from '../utils/sudoku'
 
-function Board({ board, puzzle, solution, notes, selected, showErrors, celebrating, selectCell }) {
+function Board({ board, puzzle, solution, notes, selected, highlightedNumber, showErrors, celebrating, selectCell, deselect }) {
   const selectedValue = selected && board[selected.row][selected.col]
+  const activeNumber = selected ? selectedValue : highlightedNumber
 
   return (
     <div className="board">
@@ -20,9 +21,10 @@ function Board({ board, puzzle, solution, notes, selected, showErrors, celebrati
             Math.floor(selected.col / 3) === Math.floor(c / 3)
           const isSameNumber =
             !isSelected &&
-            selectedValue !== 0 &&
             value !== 0 &&
-            value === selectedValue
+            activeNumber !== null &&
+            activeNumber !== 0 &&
+            value === activeNumber
           const isError =
             showErrors &&
             !isGiven &&
@@ -43,7 +45,7 @@ function Board({ board, puzzle, solution, notes, selected, showErrors, celebrati
               isSameNumber={isSameNumber}
               isError={isError}
               isCelebrating={isCelebrating}
-              onClick={() => selectCell(r, c)}
+              onClick={(e) => e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey ? deselect() : selectCell(r, c)}
             />
           )
         })
diff --git a/src/components/NumberPad.jsx b/src/components/NumberPad.jsx
index 6fcc756..7c5d4b0 100644
--- a/src/components/NumberPad.jsx
+++ b/src/components/NumberPad.jsx
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 import React from 'react'
 
-function NumberPad({ onNumber, numberCounts }) {
+function NumberPad({ onNumber, numberCounts, highlightedNumber }) {
   return (
     <div className="number-pad">
       <div className="number-buttons">
         {[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9].map(n => {
           const remaining = 9 - numberCounts[n]
           const disabled = remaining <= 0
+          const isHighlighted = highlightedNumber === n
           return (
             <button
               key={n}
-              className={`num-btn${disabled ? ' disabled' : ''}`}
-              onClick={() => !disabled && onNumber(n)}
+              className={`num-btn${disabled ? ' disabled' : ''}${isHighlighted ? ' highlighted' : ''}`}
+              onClick={() => onNumber(n)}
               disabled={disabled}
             >
               <span className="num-btn-value">{n}</span>
diff --git a/src/hooks/useGame.js b/src/hooks/useGame.js
index 4eb0da9..99011aa 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useGame.js
+++ b/src/hooks/useGame.js
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ function loadSavedState() {
       ...parsed,
       notes: deserializeNotes(parsed.notes),
       selected: null,
+      highlightedNumber: null,
       showErrors: parsed.showErrors || false,
       showEffects: parsed.showEffects !== undefined ? parsed.showEffects : true,
       darkMode: parsed.darkMode || false,
@@ -130,6 +131,7 @@ function createNewGameState(difficulty) {
     board: cloneBoard(puzzle),
     notes: createInitialNotes(),
     selected: null,
+    highlightedNumber: null,
     difficulty,
     errors: 0,
     timer: 0,
@@ -165,11 +167,20 @@ function reducer(state, action) {
     }
 
     case 'SELECT_CELL': {
-      return { ...state, selected: { row: action.row, col: action.col } }
+      return { ...state, selected: { row: action.row, col: action.col }, highlightedNumber: null }
+    }
+
+    case 'DESELECT': {
+      return { ...state, selected: null }
     }
 
     case 'SET_NUMBER': {
-      if (!state.selected || state.isComplete) return state
+      if (state.isComplete) return state
+
+      if (!state.selected) {
+        const newHighlight = state.highlightedNumber === action.number ? null : action.number
+        return { ...state, highlightedNumber: newHighlight }
+      }
       const { row, col } = state.selected
       if (state.puzzle[row][col] !== 0) return state
 
@@ -383,6 +394,10 @@ export function useGame() {
     dispatch({ type: 'MOVE_SELECTION', dr, dc })
   }, [])
 
+  const deselect = useCallback(() => {
+    dispatch({ type: 'DESELECT' })
+  }, [])
+
   // Keyboard support
   useEffect(() => {
     function handleKeyDown(e) {
@@ -393,6 +408,10 @@ export function useGame() {
         return
       }
       switch (e.key) {
+        case 'Escape':
+          e.preventDefault()
+          deselect()
+          break
         case 'Backspace':
         case 'Delete':
           e.preventDefault()
@@ -436,7 +455,7 @@ export function useGame() {
     }
     window.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown)
     return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown)
-  }, [setNumber, clearCell, moveSelection, toggleNotes, undo, redo])
+  }, [setNumber, clearCell, moveSelection, toggleNotes, undo, redo, deselect])
 
   // Count how many of each number are placed
   const numberCounts = Array(10).fill(0)
@@ -453,6 +472,7 @@ export function useGame() {
     numberCounts,
     newGame,
     selectCell,
+    deselect,
     setNumber,
     clearCell,
     toggleNotes,