# Cracking the Cryptic vs Color Sudoku

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cracking the Cryptic | Color Sudoku |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (210 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cracking-the-cryptic/id1629992934/reviews) | **[4.9 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-sudoku-logic-blocks/id6499296812/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **210** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 72.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 234 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nick Carney](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434235673) | [MigoApps, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/441790439) |

## 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


### Color Sudoku

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-sudoku-logic-blocks/id6499296812)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 Hints | $0.99 | one-time |
| 25 Hints | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Hints | $2.99 | one-time |
| 125 Hints | $4.99 | one-time |


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