# Cracking the Cryptic vs Daily Killer Sudoku

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cracking the Cryptic | Daily Killer Sudoku |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (210 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cracking-the-cryptic/id1629992934/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-killer-sudoku/id6472809546/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **210** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 72.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 234 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nick Carney](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434235673) | [Puzzle Rocket LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688417735) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Daily Killer Sudoku

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-killer-sudoku/id6472809546)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*