Comparison

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.

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

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.

Highlights
  • Killer Sudoku puzzles
  • Mathematical cage challenges
  • Logic and numerical skill testing
  • Daily new puzzles
  • Varying difficulty levels
  • Intuitive controls
  • Sleek design
Features
Read full description

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

Cracking the Cryptic4 screens
Daily Killer Sudoku4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Cracking the Cryptic versus Daily Killer Sudoku: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCracking the CrypticDaily Killer Sudoku
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (210 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings210 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size234 MB94 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNick CarneyPuzzle Rocket LLC

Customer experience

Cracking the Cryptic

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

Daily Killer Sudoku

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

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

Daily Killer Sudoku

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$9.99

Questions

Is Cracking the Cryptic free?
Cracking the Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Daily Killer Sudoku free?
Daily Killer Sudoku is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cracking the Cryptic or Daily Killer Sudoku?
Daily Killer Sudoku is rated higher. Cracking the Cryptic averages 4.4 out of 5 from 210 ratings, while Daily Killer Sudoku averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Cracking the Cryptic or Daily Killer Sudoku have ads?
Daily Killer Sudoku shows ads; Cracking the Cryptic does not.
Which is updated more often, Cracking the Cryptic or Daily Killer Sudoku?
Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, and Daily Killer Sudoku every 5 weeks. Most recently, Cracking the Cryptic was updated on October 25, 2026 and Daily Killer Sudoku on September 21, 2026.

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