Comparison

Cracking the Cryptic vs Color 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

Color Sudoku

This logic puzzle game challenges you to fill color regions with numbers 1-N without adjacent repeats, even diagonally. It offers smart notes, hints, and adjustable difficulty levels from Easy to Expert, with daily challenges and customizable themes.

Highlights
  • Color region number filling
  • No adjacent or diagonal repeats
  • Smart notes and hints
  • Multiple difficulty levels
  • Daily challenges
  • Customizable themes
Features
Read full description

A fresh Sudoku-style logic game: fill each color region with 1–N and no adjacent repeats (even diagonally). Clean design, smart notes, hints, and difficulty from Easy to Expert. Highlights: Color regions: each region uses numbers 1–N once. No repeats: adjacent cells (incl. diagonals) can’t match. Play your way: Notes, Undo/Redo, and Hints when stuck. Progression: Easy → Expert with daily challenges. Custom themes: pick palettes that match your mood. How to play: Tap a cell and place a number. Use notes to track candidates. Complete every region with 1–N, with no matching neighbors.

Screenshots

Cracking the Cryptic4 screens
Color Sudoku4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Cracking the Cryptic at none against Color Sudoku's shown. Cracking the Cryptic also leads on ratings volume (210 vs 10). Color Sudoku's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (100% vs 72%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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 Color Sudoku sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Color Sudoku holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cracking the Cryptic has 210 ratings behind it against 10, 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 Color Sudoku's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, Color Sudoku every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Cracking the Cryptic versus Color Sudoku: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCracking the CrypticColor Sudoku
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (210 ratings)4.9 (10 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings210 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size234 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNick CarneyMigoApps, LLC

Customer experience

Cracking the Cryptic

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

Color Sudoku

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 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

Color 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
5 purchases

Color Sudoku

One-time5
  • 10 Hints$0.99
  • 25 Hints$1.99
  • Remove ads$1.99
Show 2 more
  • 50 Hints$2.99
  • 125 Hints$4.99

Questions

Is Cracking the Cryptic free?
Cracking the Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Color Sudoku free?
Color Sudoku is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cracking the Cryptic or Color Sudoku?
Color Sudoku is rated higher. Cracking the Cryptic averages 4.4 out of 5 from 210 ratings, while Color Sudoku averages 4.9 from 10 ratings.
Do Cracking the Cryptic or Color Sudoku have ads?
Color Sudoku shows ads; Cracking the Cryptic does not.
Which is updated more often, Cracking the Cryptic or Color Sudoku?
Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, and Color Sudoku every 9 days. Most recently, Cracking the Cryptic was updated on October 25, 2026 and Color Sudoku on October 24, 2026.

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