Comparison

Cracking the Cryptic vs OneUpPuzzle

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

OneUpPuzzle

Engage your mind with a number puzzle experience featuring a vast collection of meticulously crafted puzzles. Enjoy a variety of difficulty levels and grid sizes, with unique solutions for each challenge. Play anytime, anywhere, even offline.

Highlights
  • 210 unique puzzles
  • Single solution per puzzle
  • Multiple difficulty levels
  • Various grid sizes (5x5 to 10x10)
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

Unlock Your Logic Potential with OneUpPuzzle Immerse yourself in the art of deduction with OneUpPuzzle, the ultimate number puzzle experience! Explore a world of intricate puzzles designed to engage your mind and provide hours of enjoyable problem-solving. Features: 210 Thought-Provoking Puzzles: Access the first 150 daily puzzles from the popular OneUpPuzzle site, plus 60 brand-new, original puzzles exclusive to the app. Unique Solutions: Each puzzle is meticulously crafted with a single solution, ensuring a satisfying and fair challenge every time. Variety of Difficulty Levels: Tackle puzzles of varying sizes, including 5x5, 6x6, 7x7, 8x8, 9x9, and 10x10 grids, offering challenges that range from beginner-friendly to highly complex. Offline Play: Enjoy solving puzzles at your own pace, anytime and anywhere, even without an internet connection. Perfect for those who relish the process of logical reasoning, OneUpPuzzle is designed to captivate and entertain number puzzle enthusiasts of all levels. Download now and experience the pleasure of solving elegantly crafted puzzles. Download OneUpPuzzle Today and Savor the Deduction Process!

Screenshots

Cracking the Cryptic4 screens
OneUpPuzzle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Cracking the Cryptic at Free against OneUpPuzzle's $4.99. Cracking the Cryptic also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (208 vs 21). OneUpPuzzle's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13). On review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

Cracking the Cryptic is free to download; OneUpPuzzle costs $4.99 up front. Cracking the Cryptic sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. OneUpPuzzle asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cracking the Cryptic holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cracking the Cryptic has 208 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Cracking the Cryptic's written reviews are positive against 73% of OneUpPuzzle's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Cracking the Cryptic versus OneUpPuzzle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCracking the CrypticOneUpPuzzle
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating4.4 (208 ratings) — better3.8 (21 ratings)
Positive reviews72.1% of reviews73.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings208 — better21
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size234 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNick CarneyKoolUncle

Customer experience

Cracking the Cryptic

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

OneUpPuzzle

All ratings21 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral4.8%
Negative28.6%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive73.3%
Neutral10.0%
Negative16.7%

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

OneUpPuzzle

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
None

OneUpPuzzle

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cracking the Cryptic free?
Cracking the Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is OneUpPuzzle free?
OneUpPuzzle costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Cracking the Cryptic or OneUpPuzzle?
Cracking the Cryptic is rated higher. Cracking the Cryptic averages 4.4 out of 5 from 208 ratings, while OneUpPuzzle averages 3.8 from 21 ratings.
Do Cracking the Cryptic or OneUpPuzzle have ads?
Neither Cracking the Cryptic nor OneUpPuzzle shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cracking the Cryptic or OneUpPuzzle?
Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, and OneUpPuzzle every 3 weeks. Most recently, Cracking the Cryptic was updated on October 14, 2026 and OneUpPuzzle on October 15, 2026.

Other comparisons