Comparison

Cracking the Cryptic vs Dots and Boxes

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

Dots and Boxes

Features
Read full description

The timeless pen-and-paper duel, reimagined against a smart AI. Draw lines between dots, close boxes, and capture more than your opponent. HOW TO PLAY - Tap between dots to draw a line - Close a box to claim it — and play again - Own more boxes than the AI to win FEATURES - 200 duels vs AI with rising difficulty - Easy, medium and hard opponents - Chain-aware hard AI for a real challenge - Three board sizes (3x3 to 5x5) - Clean dark design, smooth animations Dots and boxes, squares, pang[counter — whatever you call it, this is the definitive version. Download now and draw your first line! Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Cracking the Cryptic4 screens
Dots and Boxes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Dots and Boxes at weekly against Cracking the Cryptic's every 3 weeks. Cracking the Cryptic's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Cracking the Cryptic sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Dots and Boxes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, Dots and Boxes weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Cracking the Cryptic versus Dots and Boxes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCracking the CrypticDots and Boxes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (208 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews72.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings208 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size234 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNick CarneyDIJITAL PILOT REKLAM SANAYI TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI

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

Dots and Boxes

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
2 purchases

Dots and Boxes

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium3 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium3 Days trial$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Cracking the Cryptic free?
Cracking the Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dots and Boxes free?
Dots and Boxes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Cracking the Cryptic or Dots and Boxes have ads?
Neither Cracking the Cryptic nor Dots and Boxes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cracking the Cryptic or Dots and Boxes?
Cracking the Cryptic ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dots and Boxes weekly. Most recently, Cracking the Cryptic was updated on October 18, 2026 and Dots and Boxes on October 8, 2026.

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