Sven's SudokuPad finally lets you play your own Sudoku puzzles in the same app as used by Cracking the Cryptic in their videos. Created by Sven, the same developer who has created and improved the Cracking the Cryptic Sudoku webapp over the past year.
It also includes a few brand new classic Sudokus created by Simon and Mark exclusively for Sven's SudokuPad.
Signals: version bump ≤ 7 days + review velocity ≥ 1.5× the 7-day median. Both ⇒ Active event; version only ⇒ Recent update; spike only ⇒ High engagement.
Update History
v1.3.1.1
Apple
released 12/9/2021
Release notesHide notes
Various bug fixes and improvements
Option to paste link inside app
Versions observed by AppWolf's store pollers · newest first · up to 50 shown. History begins when an app enters our catalog - earlier versions aren't retroactively visible.
Reviews
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50 of 50 loaded reviews
Apple
2mo ago
Gameplay disadvantages. Better to use webpage.
I currently live in a very remote area and very much appreciate being able to save variant sudoku puzzles to my device; this app is wonderful for that. However, often with the variant sudokus I enjoy (ones with Fog or that require you to draw out lines) there is no feature to do that. All but one Fog sudoku I’ve played on this app shows the cleared game board which defeats the purpose. There’s also only one set of colors which doesn’t help when using them to differentiate digits and solve the sudokus. Overall, a decent app but lackluster. Would love to see improvements. Not worth the price in my opinion.
- Bottombunkteens · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3mo ago
Skip it and use the web app
Not quite to the level of asking for a return of my 3 bucks, but I won’t use it unless/until it’s updated. The web app has more features.
- SJaustin · v1.3.1.1
Apple
4mo ago
Cannot save a puzzle I am working on in the app!
I have lost a few in progress puzzles because there isn’t a save function on the app! I like the app, but now looking for an app that lets me save a puzzle for later!
- Wilcutroyal · v1.3.1.1
Apple
7mo ago
Almost perfect app!
Would love to see the line drawing tool added and the ability to play fog sudoku puzzles from the website. Other than that great app that I love!
- gahdkabwincne · v1.3.1.1
Apple
7mo ago
Can’t wait to try this out!
I really like the CTC web interface, my problem is that those puzzles are a bit too hard for me. This interface is by far the best for working sudokus that I’ve found on the App Store, and it works really well on a phone.
- Elijah P98 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
9mo ago
Desperately needs update
Rules never transfer over to app; And fog sudoku is not supported in the app. I just wouldn’t use this over the webpage.
- BushE679 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
9mo ago
Favorite Sudoku App
Obviously if you have this app, you know cracking the cryptic. I find that most of the complaints are that there is only a limited set of puzzles (true) but since its more of an importer app for cracking the cryptic + a few puzzles, this isn’t really a problem. I’ve solved hundreds of puzzles because the UI for this app is just simply perfect. The fact that you have two versions of notes, you can color the boxes, you can highlight multiple numbers at the same time.. to die for! I’ve genuinely ely had no regrets buying this and have been using it for years lol. This is also my first app review (at least from what I remember) but I feel the need to review because I love love this app so much.
- ktvia · v1.3.1.1
Apple
11mo ago
Great when it opens, but has trouble opening
Very good app for adding and solving puzzles, BUT the app freezes most of the time on the loading screen, and I have to close/reopen many times or start it and then leave it for several minutes before it will open.
- 98cafe · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Uh, Oh!
I started using this puzzle at the beginning level. My first puzzle had 8 numbers already added to one square. When I added the only number possible and clicked the check mark button, I get “Uh, Oh! That doesn’t look quite right”. That is a REAL PROBLEM.
- SC Badger Fan · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Doesn’t work on Mac
This shows as an option to install on a Mac from the store so I tried it after seeing some cool puzzles on YouTube that linked to this app. However it is VERY buggy on Mac and the controls just go crazy sometimes. Most recently I couldn’t click in a cell no matter what I tried even after restarting the app.
- Chris_bct · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Great Sudoku app, but DESPERATELY needs an update
This is a great app for creating and solving hand-crafted puzzles. Puzzles are stored locally, offline, and completion times are stored, so you can build up a nice library of puzzles, abandon a puzzle and pick up where you left off weeks or months later, and compete against your best times.
The app offers three kinds of in-cell notes, one using color and two different ways of notating numbers.
However, this iOS app has fallen far behind the web app in features, and some of the puzzles available for download into the app are much harder to solve in this version. Additionally, some features appear to be broken. Most seriously, the feature that shows the defined rules for a particular puzzle rarely transfer over to the app, leaving the user guessing what the correct rules is.
Unfortunately, the web app does not scale nicely to mobile touch interfaces and provides no mechanism for saving puzzles.
This app needs an update.
- tjh · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Fantastic
It supports Snyder notation and cell notation. I was getting stuck using the NYT games app, which doesn’t let you have do both.
- Braque12 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
No Rules for Variants!
You can upload puzzles from the website to play, which is super-cool, but the rules specific to each puzzle don’t follow. It’s a bummer.
- 215Jesssssss · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Instructions are bugged
Quite often when opening a puzzle from the web into the app, the instructions/rules are lost and revert to a default. Please please fix this if you can.
- Ben5445 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Puzzle names don’t always import
Sometimes puzzles lose the name and description when you import them into the app, and there is no way to change the name of puzzles that you didn’t create.
- PeterFitch5 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Missing a Key Feature
I saw the reviews, decided to try anyway because it’s the only Sudoku app I’ve seen that lets you create games. The problem is that with ever other Sudoku app, they let you mark down all possible numbers for any given spot. This is usually why I like Sudoku apps over pen and paper because I’m not marking up my pages just to keep track.
This one, for whatever reason, doesn’t seem to have that? I don’t know if I just can’t find it or if it’s just not there, but I’m going to assume if they aren’t going to make it obvious how to find it, then it’s likely not there. If it’s added, then I would be all for it, buuut it somehow feels incredibly lacking for an app with a price point.
- Raccooninyourtrash · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Terrible
As others have said I wanted to like this app but it just barely better than writing by hand. Very disappointing. Hopefully someday this is resurrected and improved.
- GrumpyAPMech · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
MAC
Can’t click in cells so can’t enter numbers or do anything in the Mac app. The online and iPhone work as far as I can tell, but the Mac app …. Nothing.
- dwilsonlee · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Horrible
Big fan of cracking the cryptic and wanted to use this to play the same sudoku puzzles they play and feature on the channel.
Trust me when I say, I really really want to like this app! But I can’t! It’s so bad!
The UX of solving puzzles in this app is atrocious. Falls LEAGUES behind other sudoku apps, such as logic wiz.
Examples of missing basic functionality:
- can’t save progress of one puzzle and start another puzzle
- can’t convert from corner pencil marks to center pencil marks. Leads to wild amounts of repetition and key presses and wasted mental cycles
- can’t draw lines or do any advanced coloring or marking at all
- no way to highlight all digits/pencil marks of a certain digit to help with scanning
The list of missing functions goes on and on. Think of any function you would want a sudoku app to have and it’s almost guaranteed to be missing in this app.
If the app gets these missing features I would happily rate 5 stars. Please update.
- animatedgif · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Terrible Mac app
Completely unusable on Mac, to the point that I’m surprised it got through app review. Just use the website.
- Gurudāsa · v1.3.1.1
Apple
1y ago
Don’t waist your money on this.
It only creates basic sudoku puzzles and nothing like you see on the internet. A total waste of money.
- mrbilonel · v1.3.1.1
Apple
2y ago
Great Sudoku App but…
This is a great app to do Sudoku on. Just wish it was easier to get more puzzles on here. It’s $3, but after we finish the puzzles on there we have to put in the work to add more puzzles. Another feature that would also be nice to have, is when you put in a number in a cell, all the pencil marks either in that row/column or box for that number disappear. Just an idea. But overall, great app!!
- Uniquephenom · v1.3.1.1
Apple
2y ago
Very outdated compared to web version
Very disappointed to see this app missing so many features available on the web version. I downloaded this app to use on planes when I don’t have internet access, but it’s not really usable for some of the puzzles with newer mechanics like ”fog“. I emailed the developer but never got a response.
- Chanpory · v1.3.1.1
Apple
2y ago
does not work on mac.
I downloaded it and it works on 20% of the clicks. idk whats wrong with it but there is no way to use it.
- Ninboy · v1.3.1.1
Apple
2y ago
Incomplete
Great little app, but missing features compared to the web version, such as fog
- XenoSmiley · v1.3.1.1
Apple
2y ago
Needs Fog and Web Features
I bought this app so I could follow along with the puzzles on the channel. I kept getting kicked off on my web browser and it would reset the puzzle, deleting all my work. I got the app to try to resolve this issue, but then realized that I can’t do any of the fog of war puzzles on the app. This was very disappointing as those are my favorite puzzles so I still end up using the web browser and risk getting reset. There are other features on the web version that would be very useful in the app.
- havoc171 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
2y ago
Erasing my progress now
I've never had this happen before. It happened on the DUNE 2 puzzle. Extremely frustrating.
- cable729 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
2y ago
Import broke
If the import feature still worked it would get 5 stars, since I bought it for that feature, it’s worthless to me.
- Intoper · v1.3.1.1
Apple
2y ago
Bugs
Please fix the cage bug - cage color is being changed from black to white, so cages are invisible. This bug has been in the app for a long time. Please fix!
- kdjsiejsn · v1.3.1.1
Apple
2y ago
Worse than the free webapp
I appreciate all the work which went into the webapp, and I don’t mind supporting the developer with a monetary donation. But my honest review of this app is that I wouldn’t keep it even if it were free. I hope they can improve on this app, which would be fantastic with more features. In particular, I was hoping for an index of puzzles. Something to differentiate from the webapp without handicapping the webapp’s features either. Best of luck!
- someone12345251 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
2y ago
NO VARIATIONS!!!
From going through the website for this app, I was under the impression that variations (such as are on Cracking the Cryptic) cloud be made on this. WELL THEY CAN’T! I wanted to make sandwich sudoku. NOPE. Vanilla sudoku only. I can find that at plenty of sites online for free, but I bought it here for the variations. I have made no puzzles and solved no puzzles, and still can’t get a refund for the purchase. Regret regret regret. If you just want to play puzzles others have made, or make vanilla puzzles, you might like this. I wouldn’t know, because I haven’t solved any.
- time2space · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
Just use the web app
The web app works great. This app is missing features, and has a broken undo/redo. Sadly after I bought it I’m still using the web app.
- Selvek · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
Loved this, but needs an update.
This is by far, the best sudoku app out there, but it is in desperate need of an update. I don’t even use it anymore, just the web app. I wish Sven would update this and the one in Steam.
- AMcCoy0109 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
Great app for Cracking the Cryptic fans but needs better Mac support
It is a great companion app for Cracking the Cryptic fans. However, compare to Cracking the Cryptic app, Mac support fo this app is dismal. I can't even use keypad to enter numbers. Cracking the Cryptic app (written by the same person) at least has some support for Mac but this one needs the same level of care.
- Kevlar1 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
No fog :’(
There is no fog in the fog of war puzzles and as simon would say… that’s cheating!
- OrgnizedChaos · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
A little disappointed
I thought it’d be a copy of the CTC web app. And the puzzles I’d create, I’ll be able to share it as link of the web app. Turns out it’s its own thing! The other party has to own the app as well to be able to play the puzzles I created.
- TariqPonir · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
Not as full features as the web version
There’s no question that Sven’s app is the best Sudoku app available to download. But unfortunately it’s not the best Sudoku app available. That would be Sven’s web version of the app. Over the past year, that app has consistently received more and more improvements, enhancements, and features, while those of us who downloaded the iOS version have been left behind. It’s gotten to the point where I no longer even bother opening the app any longer to play CTC puzzles, because playing on the web is such a better experience.
- MrItty · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
Great App - Would Love the New Updates
This continues to be, by far, my favorite method for solving sudokus. The newer features of the web version (e.g., letter tool, enhanced pen features, killer cage calculator) make it even better and I wish some of these made it to the iOS version as well.
- Great app, worth it · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
Excellent, but outdated
This is a wonderful app to solve the puzzles featured on the channel, however, there's some key features in the web app that are missing from this. Notably, the letter function, the extra colors, diagonal lines on the line tool, and the new fog of war mechanic are missing. The latter is, albeit, quite new, but seeing as this hasn't been updated in 11 months, adding at least some of the new things would be great. Additionally, the ability to detect if a solution is correct for irregular or otherwise "non-normal" sudoku puzzles would be most welcome. When I do complete one of those, it is often marked as wrong and therefore incomplete, so I usually just delete it from the app.
Overall though, it works superbly well for almost every puzzle!
- Ian Denker · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
Broken
Deleted puzzles keep coming back. Puzzles I’ve started but don’t finish vanish completely. Basically unusable. Even tried deleting and reinstalling.
- Andrewivo · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
Best-of-class sudoku user interface, but app has problems
I absolutely adore SudokuPad, it is the best user interface for solving sudokus bar none. The app itself has some problems though:
1. The last release was 10 months ago. A couple of killer features from the web version are missing: the letter tool and the new extended color palettes, among others. Please give us an update, Sven!
2. It appears like there is a limit to how many puzzles the app can save: after a couple of months of use, new puzzles stopped getting saved. (Lost progress can be very frustrating!) I’ve worked around this by deleting and reinstalling the app, but at the cost of loosing all my favourite puzzles and their solutions.
3. Under iOS, MacOS and iPadOS, the UI doesn’t work as well as it does on a windows machine. In Safari in particular, some keybindings clash with app shortcuts, making things like the letter tool unusable.
4. The number of clicks to go through from a CTC youtube video to opening and saving a puzzle is far too many
5. Opening a puzzle link twice can lead to an infinite save dialog loop
Rating 4 stars anyway, because when it works, it’s excellent.
- cozmic72 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
3y ago
Phenomenal app! Hopefully more features from the web version are implemented!
I've had a lot of fun using this app, it makes solving sudokus much easier. However the web version still has more features that I hope will be implemented like being able to use letters, and cage sums calculators etc. Also please add more colors!
- Rsaesha · v1.3.1.1
Apple
4y ago
Love it!
Terrific app. Such a great experience for such a tricky situation— solving sudoku variants on your phone. I’ve gotten hundreds of hours of enjoyment out of it with no end in sight.
I only wish this app had the letter option that the webapp has! Sven? Any chance?
Thank you for a really great app!
- Reviewforanitem · v1.3.1.1
Apple
4y ago
Defective app
I fill in the right numbers and it keeps telling me that I made a mistake. I want my money back.
- Jthiii · v1.3.1.1
Apple
4y ago
Very good in two ways
Very easy to enter classic sudoku puzzles and solve them, and to solve any sudoku puzzle that has been entered into it that you have a link for, including variants. I love the way the solve interface works, too. Outstanding.
- FrogLoverNC · v1.3.1.1
Apple
4y ago
Not perfect, but unique
This app allows you to upload hand crafted puzzles from all over the internet, especially those from Cracking the Cryptic. It’s still evolving, though, so some older puzzles won’t check quite right, or the rules for variants won’t be complete. But the ability to load up and try truly unusual variant puzzles is great, and the interface is solid, with options for how to mark that should satisfy most solvers. A great supplement to Cracking the Cryptic’s other collections.
- Ajhgcahjf · v1.3.1.1
Apple
4y ago
Started good but is deteriorating
This app started as a great idea and I immediately bought it when it came out. But over time it has started drifting from the web app and is slowly becoming unusable because the author isn’t updating it. For example Killer Cages don’t render visibly anymore and every time I report a bug to the author they always say it is fixed in the web app but don’t ever port the fox to this app.
Don’t buy this until the author starts supporting it with updates.
- Hadryian · v1.3.1.1
Apple
4y ago
CtC Fan
Downloaded the app as a way of supporting Sven and the CtC channel since I can’t afford a Patreon commitment or anything else.
The app itself is obviously great, and as others have said, it’s pretty much the best interface I’ve come across for solving sudokus.
I wish the feature to input your own puzzles allowed for variations like arrows, killer cages, etc since those things are supported by the app (whenever you import a puzzle from CtC, it has all those features).
I’m someone who is interested in learning to set puzzles, and I would love it if this app were my tool for doing so.
(Also, pen tool plz. >.<)
Thanks for the app regardless! It’s great to have the chance to solve some of the crazy puzzles you see on CtC.
- Underscore Your World · v1.3.1.1
Apple
4y ago
Almost perfect
Great app for solving sudokus. I wish the timer would automatically pause when exiting the app or locking your phone though.
- Dylan273747 · v1.3.1.1
Apple
4y ago
Selection button doesnt seem to work
When you select a square, it stays selected, you have to unselect it to choose the next square
- Kntisteer · v1.3.1.1
Player Voice for this app
Complaint themes, feature requests, churn signals, and CSV export - on the Pro and Agency plans.
