Cracking the Cryptic vs Tsuidoku
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!
Tsuidoku
This logic puzzle expands on classic Sudoku with an additional color constraint. Solve daily challenges, master unique techniques, and compete with friends. It offers a fresh take on number and color pairing puzzles.
- Number and color constraints
- Daily global challenges
- Streak tracking and medals
- Rainbow and Color Wheel techniques
- Friend comparisons and chat
- Detailed player profiles
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Tsuidoku is a logic puzzle for players who have mastered classic Sudoku. The 9×9 grid remains, but a fourth constraint changes everything. THE 4 RULES Each row, column, and 3×3 region must contain the numbers 1 through 9 AND the 9 colors. The twist: each color must also contain all 9 numbers. The result: 81 unique number-color pairs. Place a "Red 5," and it cannot appear anywhere else. DAILY CHALLENGE A unique global grid every day—the same one for the whole world. Maintain your streak, earn monthly medals, and check the daily rankings. MASTER THE TECHNIQUES - Rainbow Technique: Track a single number across all nine colors. - Color Wheel: Track a single color across all nine numbers. Tap a cell to cycle through highlight modes and see the logic light up. PLAY TOGETHER Add friends, compare stats, and chat directly within the app. A detailed profile tracks your records across every difficulty level. Think you’ve mastered Sudoku? The real game starts here. Download now and create your first 81 perfect pairs.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Tsuidoku at 5.0 against Cracking the Cryptic's 4.4. Tsuidoku also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 13) and review sentiment (100% vs 72%). Cracking the Cryptic's advantage is ratings volume (210 vs 1) and 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 13 one-off in-app purchases. Tsuidoku asks for nothing beyond the download.
Tsuidoku holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cracking the Cryptic has 210 ratings behind it against 1, 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 Tsuidoku's.
Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, Tsuidoku every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cracking the Cryptic | Tsuidoku |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (210 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 72.1% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 210 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 234 MB | 101 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Nick Carney | Jordan MAIRE |
Customer experience
Cracking the Cryptic
Tsuidoku
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
Tsuidoku
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 - Zetamath$1.99
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- 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
Tsuidoku
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Cracking the Cryptic free?
Is Tsuidoku free?
Which has better reviews, Cracking the Cryptic or Tsuidoku?
Do Cracking the Cryptic or Tsuidoku have ads?
Which is updated more often, Cracking the Cryptic or Tsuidoku?
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