Comparison

Mathdoku Challenge! vs Cracking the Cryptic

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Mathdoku Challenge!

This game combines Sudoku logic with mathematical operations. Solve puzzles by filling cells with numbers that satisfy row, column, and cage constraints. Offers daily puzzles and purchasable packs to challenge your mind.

Highlights
  • Sudoku-style number placement
  • Mathematical cage operations
  • Logic-based puzzle solving
  • Daily new puzzles
  • Purchasable puzzle packs
  • Varying puzzle sizes
Features
Read full description

Do you like Sudoku? How about KenKen (or is it Ken Ken)? Or simply looking for that next game to get you brain going? Then give Mathdoku a try! Mathdoku Challenge! brings an exciting new twist to Sudoku. Step up to the plate and solve problems with your math skills. Face challenging puzzles of varying sizes, leverage the hints you are given, and use logic to find the solution. Mathdoku will stretch your mind, wake you up, and keep you on your toes. Play as many puzzles as you want! Each day, you get even more puzzles to play. Or purchase a puzzle pack to keep the fun going. Puzzles are divided into cages by grouping cells together. Hints for a cage are composed of a target number and an operation. Combining the cells in the cage using the mathematical operation must reach the target number. A number can only be used once per row and column. Use this limitation, hints, and unit cells to find the solution to the puzzles.

About

Cracking the Cryptic

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
Read full description

OUR NEWEST PACK – CLASSIC VOLUME #2! Classic sudoku is where it all began, and there is still lots of skill to be deployed to solve classic puzzles, and new techniques to be explored. Nikoli, the Japanese puzzle house, named and popularised sudoku from 1984, and we have commissioned 20 puzzles from them for this Classic Sudoku 2 app. We have also created 20 ourselves, and sourced 20 more from Sam Cappleman-Lynes, the brilliant British sudoku expert. The result is a wonderful 60-puzzle pack which will delight and challenge you. -------------------- Welcome to the brand new Sudoku app from the most popular Sudoku channel, Cracking The Cryptic. Unlike other Sudoku apps, we feature handcrafted and curated puzzles from the world’s best Sudoku constructors. Each collection features puzzles made by various authors that are now familiar names to those who follow the channel. Authors like Phistomefel, Clover, Sam Cappleman-Lynes, Christoph Seeliger, Richard Stolk, jovi_al, Qodec, Prasanna Seshadri and of course, Simon and Mark! Downloading Cracking the Cryptic will give you access to our first free collection – a variety pack by Prasanna Seshadri featuring 7 puzzles inspired from our previous Sudoku apps; Sandwich, Classic, Chess, Thermo, Miracle, Killer and Arrow Sudoku. We also have purchasable packs designed for all skill levels and featuring many unique variants not seen previously. We’ll be releasing more free and paid packs in the future so keep an eye on the app for more Sudoku content from Cracking The Cryptic!

Screenshots

Mathdoku Challenge!4 screens
Cracking the Cryptic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Mathdoku Challenge! at 5.0 against Cracking the Cryptic's 4.4. Mathdoku Challenge! also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 72%) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks). Cracking the Cryptic's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (208 vs 13). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mathdoku Challenge! sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Cracking the Cryptic sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mathdoku Challenge! holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cracking the Cryptic has 208 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Mathdoku Challenge!'s written reviews are positive against 72% of Cracking the Cryptic's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mathdoku Challenge! ships an update every 8 days, Cracking the Cryptic every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Mathdoku Challenge! versus Cracking the Cryptic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMathdoku Challenge!Cracking the Cryptic
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (13 ratings) — better4.4 (208 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better72.1% of reviews
Number of ratings13208 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB234 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTaylor GeisseNick Carney

Customer experience

Mathdoku Challenge!

All ratings13 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Cracking the Cryptic

All ratings208 ratings
Positive84.1%
Neutral6.3%
Negative9.6%
Written reviews147 reviews
Positive72.1%
Neutral13.6%
Negative14.3%

Bugs and requests

Mathdoku Challenge!

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Cracking the Cryptic

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Mathdoku Challenge!

One-time4
  • 100 Puzzles$0.99
  • 250 Puzzles$1.99
  • 500 Puzzles$3.99
Show 1 more
  • 1000 Puzzles$6.99
13 purchases

Cracking the Cryptic

One-time13
  • CTC Worms - James Sinclair$0.99
  • CTC Worms - Marty Sears$0.99
  • CTC Worms - Zetamath$1.99
Show 10 more
  • CTC Worms - Blobz$1.99
  • CTC Worms - Michael Lefkowitz$1.99
  • CTC Worms - Phistomefel$1.99
  • GAS Volume #1$2.99
  • GAS Volume #2$2.99
  • CTC Approachable Sudoku #1$2.99
  • Domino Sudoku Pack$4.99
  • Lines Variety Pack$4.99
  • Classic Volume #2$4.99
  • CTC Fog Pack #1$4.99

Questions

Is Mathdoku Challenge! free?
Mathdoku Challenge! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cracking the Cryptic free?
Cracking the Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Mathdoku Challenge! or Cracking the Cryptic?
Mathdoku Challenge! is rated higher. Mathdoku Challenge! averages 5.0 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Cracking the Cryptic averages 4.4 from 208 ratings.
Do Mathdoku Challenge! or Cracking the Cryptic have ads?
Mathdoku Challenge! shows ads; Cracking the Cryptic does not.
Which is updated more often, Mathdoku Challenge! or Cracking the Cryptic?
Mathdoku Challenge! ships an update every 8 days, and Cracking the Cryptic every 3 weeks. Most recently, Mathdoku Challenge! was updated on June 1, 2026 and Cracking the Cryptic on September 21, 2026.

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