# Cracking the Cryptic vs Spellist

The clearest difference is price: Cracking the Cryptic at Free against Spellist's $1.99. Cracking the Cryptic also leads on rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (208 vs 1). Spellist's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and review sentiment (100% vs 72%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Cracking the Cryptic is free to download; Spellist costs $1.99 up front. Cracking the Cryptic sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Spellist asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cracking the Cryptic holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cracking the Cryptic has 208 ratings behind it against 1, 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 100% of Spellist's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, Spellist every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cracking the Cryptic | Spellist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | **[4.4 (208 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cracking-the-cryptic/id1629992934/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellist/id6758681504/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **208** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 72.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 234 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Nick Carney](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434235673) | [Oori Data LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1874420433) |

## 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


### Spellist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellist/id6758681504)

Engage in a vibrant word puzzle game with hundreds of offline boards and competitive multiplayer challenges. Test your vocabulary and strategic thinking in this fast-paced twist on classic word searches.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of offline word puzzle boards, Quick-fire 4x4 to complex 6x6 grids, Global real-time PvP multiplayer, Leaderboards for competitive ranking, Live event feed for real-time action, Scheduled live multiplayer rounds

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cracking the Cryptic free?

Cracking the Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Spellist free?

Spellist costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Cracking the Cryptic or Spellist?

Cracking the Cryptic is rated higher. Cracking the Cryptic averages 4.4 out of 5 from 208 ratings, while Spellist averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Cracking the Cryptic or Spellist have ads?

Neither Cracking the Cryptic nor Spellist shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cracking the Cryptic or Spellist?

Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, and Spellist every 5 days. Most recently, Cracking the Cryptic was updated on October 14, 2026 and Spellist on October 8, 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.*