Cracking the Cryptic vs Rithmo
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Handcrafted Sudoku puzzles
- Curated by expert constructors
- Classic and unique variants
- Regularly released puzzle packs
- Free introductory puzzle pack
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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!
Rithmo
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Rithmo brings back rithmomachia, the legendary "Philosophers' Game": a strategy duel born in 10th-century monasteries, where pieces are captured by the power of numbers. Evens on one side, odds on the other. Every piece carries a number; to capture, line up an equality, a sum, a product… or trap your opponent in an arithmetic, geometric or harmonic progression. Easy to learn, dizzying to master: rithmomachia fascinated mathematicians and philosophers for seven centuries, and was long considered the great rival of chess. PLAY YOUR WAY • Solo against the AI, two levels (800 and 1200) • Two players on the same device • Online with friends: turn-based games, get notified when it's your move • Blind matchmaking with Elo rating • One-tap rematch at the end of every game LEARN AS YOU PLAY • Guided tutorial: eight progressive exercises to master every type of capture • Complete illustrated rules, available even mid-game • Visual move hints (can be turned off) • Simple mode to get started, expert mode to control everything: victory conditions, allowed captures BUILT FOR MOBILE • Smooth 3D board, optional 2D view • Replay every move of a game at any time • Elo history and tracking of your ongoing games • English and French • No ads Born a thousand years ago to teach Boethius's arithmetic, codified in print in the 16th century, rithmomachia deserved to live again. Now it fits in your pocket. Your move.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Rithmo at none against Cracking the Cryptic's 10. Rithmo also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). Cracking the Cryptic's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. Cracking the Cryptic sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Rithmo asks for nothing beyond the download.
Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, Rithmo every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cracking the Cryptic | Rithmo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (211 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 72.1% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 211 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 234 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nick Carney | rithmo.app |
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
Rithmo
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Cracking the Cryptic
- CTC Worms - James Sinclair$0.99
- CTC Worms - Marty Sears$0.99
- CTC Worms - Michael Lefkowitz$1.99
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- 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
Rithmo
No in-app purchases









