Cracking the Cryptic vs Daily Killer Sudoku
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Handcrafted Sudoku puzzles
- Curated by expert constructors
- Classic and unique variants
- Regularly released puzzle packs
- Free introductory puzzle pack
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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!
Daily Killer Sudoku
Experience a unique twist on classic Sudoku with mathematical cage puzzles. Strategically place numbers 1-9 to solve logic and numerical challenges on a 9x9 grid. Offers daily puzzles and varying difficulty levels for endless brain-teasing entertainment.
- Killer Sudoku puzzles
- Mathematical cage challenges
- Logic and numerical skill testing
- Daily new puzzles
- Varying difficulty levels
- Intuitive controls
- Sleek design
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Dive into the ultimate Sudoku challenge with our Killer Sudoku game! Immerse yourself in a captivating blend of traditional Sudoku and mind-bending mathematical puzzles. Exercise your brain as you strategically place numbers 1 through 9 across a 9x9 grid, ensuring each row, column, and 3x3 subgrid adheres to Sudoku rules. But that's not all – brace yourself for the thrilling twist of Killer Sudoku! Navigate through bold-lined cages, each with a unique target number and mathematical operation. Your mission is to decipher the perfect combination of digits to satisfy both the Sudoku and mathematical requirements. It's a test of logic, strategy, and numerical skill. Whether you're a Sudoku enthusiast or a puzzle aficionado looking for a fresh challenge, our Killer Sudoku game provides endless hours of brain-teasing entertainment. With intuitive controls, a sleek design, and varying difficulty levels, it's suitable for players of all skill levels. Challenge yourself daily with new puzzles, track your progress, and compete against the clock. Sharpen your mind and enhance your problem-solving abilities with every game. Are you ready to become a Killer Sudoku master? Download now and experience the next level of Sudoku excitement on your mobile device. Unleash the power of numbers and conquer the ultimate Sudoku challenge!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Daily Killer Sudoku at 5.0 against Cracking the Cryptic's 4.4. Daily Killer Sudoku also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 72%). Cracking the Cryptic's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (210 vs 2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Cracking the Cryptic sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Daily Killer Sudoku sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Daily Killer Sudoku 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 210 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Cracking the Cryptic's written reviews are positive against 100% of Daily Killer Sudoku's.
Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, Daily Killer Sudoku every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cracking the Cryptic | Daily Killer Sudoku |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (210 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 72.1% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 210 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 234 MB | 94 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nick Carney | Puzzle Rocket LLC |
Customer experience
Cracking the Cryptic
Daily Killer Sudoku
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
Daily Killer Sudoku
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Cracking the Cryptic
- CTC Worms - James Sinclair$0.99
- CTC Worms - Marty Sears$0.99
- CTC Worms - Zetamath$1.99
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- 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
Daily Killer Sudoku
- Remove Ads$9.99
Questions
Is Cracking the Cryptic free?
Is Daily Killer Sudoku free?
Which has better reviews, Cracking the Cryptic or Daily Killer Sudoku?
Do Cracking the Cryptic or Daily Killer Sudoku have ads?
Which is updated more often, Cracking the Cryptic or Daily Killer Sudoku?
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