Comparison

KenKen Classic vs Cracking the Cryptic

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

KenKen Classic

Engage your mind with this addictive logic and math puzzle game. It offers a virtually unlimited supply of challenges with adjustable difficulty and grid sizes. Enjoy a fun way to train your brain with a trusted source of daily puzzles.

Highlights
  • Unlimited puzzles
  • Adjustable difficulty and grid size
  • Multiple input modes
  • Hints, Undo, Redo, Reset
  • Online leaderboards
  • Color schemes and music options
Features
Read full description

KenKen® - Brain Training Puzzle Train your brain with KenKen®, the unbelievably fun, exciting and addictive logic and math puzzle! KenKen is an amazing puzzle that is frequently described as “sudoku on steroids.” If you like other brain games such as sudoku, 2048, Threes, Kakuro, Unblock Me, Tricky Test, Tetris, Flow, jigsaw puzzles, word search puzzles, or crossword puzzles, then you will LOVE KenKen! This is the ONE-AND-ONLY Original KenKen app, created by acclaimed Japanese mathematics educator Tetsuya Miyamoto. Don’t be fooled by unauthorized versions such as mathdoku and calcudoku, and don't get stuck in a sudoku rut. Play KenKen math puzzles today! KenKen appears daily in the New York Times and hundreds of other publications around the globe. NY Times puzzle editor, Will Shortz, calls KenKen "the most addictive puzzle since sudoku." There are virtually unlimited KenKen puzzles available to you on this app. The first 50 are included FREE with the download. If you need more...no problem! Just order them and they'll appear immediately. YOU select the size, difficulty level, and operations. KenKen Classic includes: - 50 FREE fun math puzzles of every size and difficulty level - Unlimited FREE 3x3 size puzzles to learn from and enjoy - Virtually unlimited puzzles, ranging from 3x3 to 9x9 grids, from Easy to Expert - A variety of color schemes and music (you can even set your own music to play in the background) - 3 input modes for digits and notes - Great extra features such as Hints, Check, Undo, Redo, Reset, Pause, and Timer - Online leaderboards - Ability to post results directly to Twitter - Ability to email results and invite friends

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!

Screenshots

KenKen Classic2 screens
Cracking the Cryptic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Cracking the Cryptic at none against KenKen Classic's shown. Cracking the Cryptic also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). KenKen Classic's advantage is ratings volume (3.2K vs 208). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases 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. KenKen Classic sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year and Cracking the Cryptic sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

KenKen Classic holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KenKen Classic has 3.2K ratings behind it against 208, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 72% and 72% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

KenKen Classic ships an update every 4 months, Cracking the Cryptic every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
KenKen Classic versus Cracking the Cryptic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKenKen ClassicCracking the Cryptic
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (3.2K ratings) — better4.4 (208 ratings)
Positive reviews72.3% of reviews — better72.1% of reviews
Number of ratings3.2K — better208
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.1 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB234 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKenKen PuzzleNick Carney

Customer experience

KenKen Classic

All ratings3,172 ratings
Positive92.7%
Neutral2.6%
Negative4.6%
Written reviews311 reviews
Positive72.3%
Neutral9.6%
Negative18.0%

Cracking the Cryptic

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

User reviews

KenKen Classic

From 3.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fun and challenging puzzles
  • 🧠 Helps improve math and logic skills
  • ⭐ Great variety of puzzle sizes and difficulties
  • 🏆 Satisfying to solve puzzles
  • 💻 Clean and intuitive user interface

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Limited number of free puzzles
  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases for more puzzles
  • 🐛 Buggy undo/redo functionality
  • 🔀 Cursor/selection issues when switching between note-taking and number entry
  • 📢 Intrusive ads

Cracking the Cryptic

From 208 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Best sudoku app
  • 👍 Great variety of puzzles
  • 👍 Excellent user interface
  • 👍 Challenging and fun puzzles
  • 👍 Constant updates with new puzzles

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Hints are often incorrect or unhelpful
  • 🐛 Bugs and crashes, especially after updates
  • 🔋 Battery draining issues
  • 🔒 Too many in-app purchases required to access content

Bugs and requests

KenKen Classic

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Puzzles disappearing after device reset or upgrade
  • Purchased puzzles not syncing across devices
  • App crashing or freezing

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to save and revert puzzle progress
  • No-op puzzles for advanced players
  • Improved puzzle loading and syncing across devices

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

In-app purchases

6 purchases

KenKen Classic

Subscriptions1
  • Full Year Subscription NO ADS!$19.991 Year
One-time5
  • 500 KenKen toKENs$0.99
  • 31 Puzzles PLUS removal of all ads!$1.99
  • 250 Puzzles PLUS removal of all ads!$7.99
Show 2 more
  • 1000 Puzzles PLUS removal of all ads!$14.99
  • Annual Unlimited Subscription - Ad Free$19.99
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

Questions

Is KenKen Classic free?
KenKen Classic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cracking the Cryptic free?
Cracking the Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, KenKen Classic or Cracking the Cryptic?
KenKen Classic is rated higher. KenKen Classic averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Cracking the Cryptic averages 4.4 from 208 ratings.
Do KenKen Classic or Cracking the Cryptic have ads?
KenKen Classic shows ads; Cracking the Cryptic does not.
Which is updated more often, KenKen Classic or Cracking the Cryptic?
KenKen Classic ships an update every 4 months, and Cracking the Cryptic every 3 weeks. Most recently, KenKen Classic was updated on September 22, 2026 and Cracking the Cryptic on September 21, 2026.

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