Comparison

Missing Digits vs Shelf Clues

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

Head to head
About

Missing Digits

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Guessing won't fill the blanks. Logic will. Follow the carry from the ones column, and every hidden digit narrows to a single answer. Missing-digit arithmetic and classic cryptarithms, in one quiet app. • Free to start. No subscription • No third-party ads • Your records stay on this device ■ Your first puzzle Your first puzzle walks you through it, one column at a time. No need to know the rules. You can replay it anytime from How to Play in Settings. ■ Missing digits Part of a written sum is hidden. Fill in the blanks so the arithmetic works. • Easy: column addition • Normal: addition and single-digit multiplication, chosen so you can't just subtract your way through • Hard: long multiplication with partial products • Oni: 4×3-digit and 5×2-digit long multiplication Puzzles are generated on your device, so you never run out. ■ Cryptarithms Letters stand for digits, as in SEND + MORE = MONEY. Same letter, same digit; different letters, different digits. 119 puzzles built from everyday English words. ■ Exactly one answer Each puzzle starts as a completed sum, and digits are hidden only while a single answer remains. Every cryptarithm was chosen because it has one solution. ■ Today's puzzle and ranks One puzzle a day, the same for everyone. Weekdays are Normal; weekends are Hard long multiplication. Earn points as you solve and climb from 10th Kyu to Master. Your streak and a calendar keep your history visible. ■ Quiet help • Columns that can't work out are gently tinted (you can turn this off) • If you're truly stuck, a hint reveals a single cell ■ Chalk on a blackboard Deep green board, chalk-white digits, set vertically the way you'd write by hand. The board lights up gold when you solve it. On iPhone and iPad, the board grows to fit your screen. ■ Great for • Sudoku and crossword fans who want puzzles that actually use arithmetic • Anyone who'd rather deduce than drill • Kids preparing for entrance exams, and their parents • Building a small daily brain-training habit • Playing on planes and trains with no signal ■ Privacy • No account required • Puzzles are created inside the app; no connection needed to play • No tracking • To show other apps by the same developer, the app reads public App Store listings only. None of your data is sent

About

Shelf Clues

A logic puzzle game where you deduce the correct placement of books on a shelf using clues about their colors, patterns, and positions. Swap books to solve increasingly complex arrangements and enjoy an endless stream of unique puzzles.

Highlights
  • Deduce book placement using clues
  • Swap books to rearrange shelves
  • Solve increasingly complex puzzles
  • Endless, procedurally generated levels
  • Simple controls, deep logic
  • Track clue satisfaction in real-time
Features
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Put every book back where it belongs by following the clues. Shelf Clues is a logic puzzle game where you combine clues about each book’s color, pattern, and position to figure out the correct arrangement on the bookshelf. Select two books one after another to swap their positions. Read the clues, work out where each book belongs, and satisfy every condition to complete the puzzle. You’ll start with a simple bookshelf, but as you progress, more books, different shelf layouts, and increasingly complex combinations of clues will challenge your reasoning skills. ■ Follow the clues to find the right place for every book Each puzzle includes a variety of clues. Which shelf a certain book belongs on Whether a book should be on the far left or far right Which of two books should be farther to the left Whether two books should be directly next to each other Whether a certain book belongs between other books Whether two books should be on the same shelf Above and below relationships The distance between books At first, a single clue may be enough to find the answer. As the puzzles become more challenging, you’ll need to combine several clues to determine the correct arrangement. Solve each condition one by one, and even the most complicated bookshelf will gradually begin to make sense. ■ Simple controls, deeper deduction No complicated controls are required. Select the book you want to move, then select another book to swap their positions. Whenever you move a book, the number of currently satisfied clues is updated immediately, allowing you to see how each move changes the puzzle. ■ Check the clues only when you need them The game screen is designed to keep your focus on the bookshelf itself. Tap the clue button to view all clues for the current puzzle. Select an individual clue, and the books related to that clue will be highlighted briefly. Even when the bookshelf becomes crowded, you can quickly identify which books a clue refers to and continue solving the puzzle. ■ Start with one shelf and work your way up You’ll begin with a small bookshelf where you can learn the basic rules. As you progress, you’ll encounter more books and multi-level bookshelves. Puzzles gradually evolve from simple left-and-right positioning into challenges that require you to consider the order and relationships between several books. New rules are introduced step by step, so there’s no need to memorize everything from the beginning. ■ Endless bookshelf puzzles There is no final level. Each time you take on a new level, a new puzzle is generated according to the game’s rules, so there will always be another bookshelf waiting for you. Rather than repeating the same puzzle, each level features different book arrangements and combinations of clues. How many bookshelves can you organize today? ■ Take your time and think it through Shelf Clues is more about observation and logical thinking than quick reactions. Made a mistake? Simply swap the books again. Want to rethink the puzzle from the beginning? You can restart the current level at any time. Your progress is saved on your device, so you can continue where you left off the next time you play.

Screenshots

Missing Digits4 screens
Shelf Clues4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shelf Clues at none against Missing Digits's 1. Shelf Clues also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Missing Digits sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Shelf Clues asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Missing Digits ships an update monthly, Shelf Clues every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 5 level
Missing Digits versus Shelf Clues: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMissing DigitsShelf Clues
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developertorankiritehackyeon kim

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Missing Digits

One-time1
  • Premium$4.99
None

Shelf Clues

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Missing Digits free?
Missing Digits is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shelf Clues free?
Shelf Clues is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Missing Digits or Shelf Clues have ads?
Neither Missing Digits nor Shelf Clues shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Missing Digits or Shelf Clues?
Missing Digits ships an update monthly, and Shelf Clues every 2 weeks. Most recently, Missing Digits was updated on October 25, 2026 and Shelf Clues on October 8, 2026.

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