# Freeways vs Cracking the Cryptic

The clearest difference is price: Cracking the Cryptic at Free against Freeways's $2.99. Cracking the Cryptic also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.7) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Freeways's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and chart position (#187 vs unranked). On ratings volume, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Cracking the Cryptic is free to download; Freeways costs $2.99 up front. Cracking the Cryptic sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Freeways asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cracking the Cryptic holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 503 and 208 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Freeways's written reviews are positive against 72% of Cracking the Cryptic's.

Freeways ships an update every 2 months, Cracking the Cryptic every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Freeways | Cracking the Cryptic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.7 (503 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freeways/id1203896014/reviews) | **[4.4 (208 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cracking-the-cryptic/id1629992934/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **503** | 208 |
| Positive reviews | 62.3% of reviews | **72.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#187** | — |
| Size | 20 MB | 234 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Captain Games Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1446968123) | [Nick Carney](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434235673) |

## What reviewers say

### Freeways

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freeways/id1203896014)

**Currently charting:** #187 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Design and simulate freeway interchanges using intuitive finger-drawing controls. Optimize traffic flow and prevent congestion by strategically planning road layouts. Experience the role of a freeway engineer in a hands-on simulation.

**Highlights:** Draw freeway interchanges, Finger-based controls, Optimize for efficiency, Avoid traffic jams, Freeway engineering simulation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Awesome
- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Great concept
- 👍 Fun and challenging
- 👍 Worth the money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 No undo button
- 🐛 Difficult to draw precise roads
- 🐛 Frustrating when making mistakes
- 🐛 Lack of features like delete/erase
- 🐛 Notification center issues on iPhone

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to change levels after completing
- Map button not working
- Cursor jumping to wrong location
- Levels not registering as complete

**Requested features**

- Undo button
- Eraser/delete tool
- More levels
- Leaderboards/scoring system
- Sandbox/freeplay mode


### Cracking the Cryptic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cracking-the-cryptic/id1629992934)

This app offers a curated collection of handcrafted Sudoku puzzles from world-renowned constructors. Explore classic and unique variants, with new puzzle packs released regularly. A free introductory pack is included with download.

**Highlights:** Handcrafted Sudoku puzzles, Curated by expert constructors, Classic and unique variants, Regularly released puzzle packs, Free introductory puzzle pack

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CTC Worms - James Sinclair | $0.99 | one-time |
| CTC Worms - Marty Sears | $0.99 | one-time |
| CTC Worms - Zetamath | $1.99 | one-time |
| CTC Worms - Blobz | $1.99 | one-time |
| CTC Worms - Michael Lefkowitz | $1.99 | one-time |
| CTC Worms - Phistomefel | $1.99 | one-time |
| GAS Volume #1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| GAS Volume #2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| CTC Approachable Sudoku #1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Domino Sudoku Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lines Variety Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Classic Volume #2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| CTC Fog Pack #1 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best sudoku app
- 👍 Great variety of puzzles
- 👍 Excellent user interface
- 👍 Challenging and fun puzzles
- 👍 Constant updates with new puzzles

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Hints are often incorrect or unhelpful
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes, especially after updates
- 🔋 Battery draining issues
- 🔒 Too many in-app purchases required to access content

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzle progress and purchases disappearing after updates
- Incorrect rules or hints in certain puzzles
- Crashes and freezes, especially on older devices or Macs
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between portrait and landscape modes

**Requested features**

- Add more color options for pencil marking and highlighting
- Implement a way to clear progress or start puzzles from scratch
- Integrate all CTC apps into a single app for better organization
- Add keyboard support, especially on Mac
- Improve the quality and clarity of hints


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Freeways free?

Freeways costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Cracking the Cryptic free?

Cracking the Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Freeways or Cracking the Cryptic?

Cracking the Cryptic is rated higher. Freeways averages 3.7 out of 5 from 503 ratings, while Cracking the Cryptic averages 4.4 from 208 ratings.

### Do Freeways or Cracking the Cryptic have ads?

Neither Freeways nor Cracking the Cryptic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Freeways or Cracking the Cryptic?

Freeways ships an update every 2 months, and Cracking the Cryptic every 3 weeks. Most recently, Freeways was updated on October 13, 2026 and Cracking the Cryptic on October 14, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*