# Sumaddle vs Cracking the Cryptic

The clearest difference is rating: Sumaddle at 4.9 against Cracking the Cryptic's 4.4. Sumaddle also leads on review sentiment (95% vs 72%) and ratings volume (767 vs 208). Cracking the Cryptic's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sumaddle sells 15 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.

Sumaddle holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 767 and 208 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of Sumaddle's written reviews are positive against 72% of Cracking the Cryptic's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sumaddle | Cracking the Cryptic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (767 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sumaddle/id1552172214/reviews)** | [4.4 (208 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cracking-the-cryptic/id1629992934/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **767** | 208 |
| Positive reviews | **94.9% of reviews** | 72.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 30 MB | 234 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jonathan Buchanan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1540556286) | [Nick Carney](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434235673) |

## What reviewers say

### Sumaddle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sumaddle/id1552172214)

This logic puzzle game transforms pencil-and-paper challenges into interactive brain teasers. Fit number combinations to clues using pure logic, with no mental arithmetic required. Enjoy over 150 free puzzles of varying difficulty, with built-in help and offline play.

**Highlights:** Interactive logic puzzles, Number combination fitting, Pure logic solving, Built-in help and mistake correction, Over 150 free puzzles, Offline play, Ad-free experience

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quirky, Pack 5 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Very Difficult Puzzles | $0.99 | one-time |
| Quirky, Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium 9x9 Puzzles, Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Crafty, Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Crafty, Pack 2 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Crafty, Pack 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sneaky, Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sneaky, Pack 2 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sneaky, Pack 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tricky, Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tricky, Pack 2 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tricky, Pack 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Assorted Puzzles | $0.99 | one-time |
| Puzzle Generator | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and challenging game
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 👍 Helpful hint system
- 🚀 No ads or data collection
- 💡 Unique puzzle concept

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Automatic hints can be intrusive
- 🐛 Inability to replay completed puzzles
- 💡 Need more free/sample puzzles
- 💡 Difficulty progression could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- Losing progress when minimizing the app
- Inconsistent difficulty ratings

**Requested features**

- Ability to selectively pencil in notes
- More difficult puzzle options
- Synced progress across devices
- Detailed statistics and leaderboard


### 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 Sumaddle free?

Sumaddle 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, Sumaddle or Cracking the Cryptic?

Sumaddle is rated higher. Sumaddle averages 4.9 out of 5 from 767 ratings, while Cracking the Cryptic averages 4.4 from 208 ratings.

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

Neither Sumaddle nor Cracking the Cryptic shows ads.

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

Sumaddle ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cracking the Cryptic every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sumaddle was updated on September 21, 2026 and Cracking the Cryptic on September 21, 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.*