Comparison

Cracking the Cryptic vs Oxytone

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

Head to head
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!

About

Oxytone

Embark on a unique puzzle adventure designed for relaxation and mental exploration. Master strategic tile placement to create long paths and impressive combinations, with 99 challenges and unlockable themes for a deep, engaging experience.

Highlights
  • Unique puzzle adventure
  • Tranquil escape
  • 99 challenges
  • Unlockable colorful themes
  • 12 meticulously designed maps
  • Strategic tile placement
  • Immersive sound design
Features
Read full description

Are you ready for a unique adventure like no other? Oxytone invites you to explore the depths of your mind while offering a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life for those seeking relaxation. For more determined players, there are 99 challenges, colorful themes to unlock, and 12 meticulously designed maps. Oxytone is the ultimate puzzle game, equally easy to learn and challenging to master. Strive for the highest scores by creating the longest paths and achieving impressive combinations. Every move matters, and success depends on strategy and planning. You can discard tiles that don't fit your plan, but this reduces your pool of available tiles. To refresh it, you must fill tiles by guiding paths through them six times, deepening the mechanics further. Sound is an integral part of Oxytone, so I recommend playing with headphones. This will immerse you even deeper into the game. The sound design has been crafted with great care to create a unique and relaxing atmosphere, yet it can also deliver powerful moments when needed.

Screenshots

Cracking the Cryptic4 screens
Oxytone4 screens

Verdict

The call

Cracking the Cryptic and Oxytone are too close to call on the numbers: across 10 compared parameters — price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Cracking the Cryptic sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Oxytone sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Cracking the Cryptic against 4.5 for Oxytone. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 208 and 72 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 72% of Cracking the Cryptic's written reviews are positive against 75% of Oxytone's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Cracking the Cryptic versus Oxytone: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCracking the CrypticOxytone
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (208 ratings)4.5 (72 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.1% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings208 — better72
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size234 MB157 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNick CarneyOxGames Kamil Wdowczyk

Customer experience

Cracking the Cryptic

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

Oxytone

All ratings72 ratings
Positive86.1%
Neutral6.9%
Negative6.9%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral11.8%
Negative13.2%

User reviews

Cracking the Cryptic

From 208 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Oxytone

From 72 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎨 Beautiful graphics and visual design
  • 🎵 Soothing music and sound effects
  • 😌 Relaxing and meditative gameplay
  • 🧩 Engaging puzzle mechanics requiring strategy
  • 🚫 No ads or intrusive monetization

Room to improve

  • ❓ Unclear game objectives and lack of instructions
  • 🔄 Game progress lost when switching apps
  • 👁️ Strains eyesight during extended play
  • ⏱️ Excessive menu navigation between games
  • 📸 Cannot screenshot or view completed puzzles

Bugs and 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

Oxytone

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Game crashes and refuses to reopen
  • Progress lost when leaving app mid-game
  • Achievement unlock not triggering (Quick Mode)
  • Trophy not awarded for completed challenges
  • Freezing on iPad Pro, especially with Apple Pencil
Show 2 more
  • Camera reset toggle not functioning
  • Save feature unreliable

Requested features

12 requests
  • Tutorial or instructional videos explaining gameplay
  • Ability to save mid-game progress
  • Quick replay/restart button without menu navigation
  • Zoom out feature to see more of the board
  • Replay functionality to review completed puzzles
Show 7 more
  • Community connection feature for sharing hints
  • Preview colors before unlocking
  • Select which unlocked colors appear in rotation
  • More levels and challenges
  • Relax/free-play mode without move limits
  • Faster load times between games
  • Cross-device purchase synchronization

In-app purchases

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
1 purchases

Oxytone

One-time1
  • Full version$5.99

Questions

Is Cracking the Cryptic free?
Cracking the Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Oxytone free?
Oxytone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cracking the Cryptic or Oxytone?
Oxytone is rated higher. Cracking the Cryptic averages 4.4 out of 5 from 208 ratings, while Oxytone averages 4.5 from 72 ratings.
Do Cracking the Cryptic or Oxytone have ads?
Neither Cracking the Cryptic nor Oxytone shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cracking the Cryptic or Oxytone?
Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, and Oxytone every 3 weeks. Most recently, Cracking the Cryptic was updated on September 21, 2026 and Oxytone on September 23, 2026.

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