Last updated on November 30th, 2025 at 06:22 pm
Kakuro: Number Crossword – Puzzle Game Review
Kakuro: Number Crossword is a Puzzle/Entertainment/Board game from Conceptis Ltd., first launched in 25th May 2017.
It’s rated 4+ and currently has 1,653+ ratings on the App Store.
What Makes Kakuro: Number Crossword Stand Out
Fill empty squares so each block sums up to the number on its left or on its top. Each puzzle consists of a blank grid with sum-clues in various places. The object is to fill all empty squares using numbers 1 to 9 so the sum of each horizontal block equals the clue on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on its top. In addition, no number may be used in the same block more than once.
Kakuro are addictive logic puzzles best described as number-crosswords. Using pure logic and simple add/subtract calculations, these fascinating puzzles offer endless fun and intellectual entertainment to puzzle fans of all skills and ages.
The game includes zoom for easier solving of large puzzles, as well as helpful features such as showing possible sum combinations in a block, showing the sum remainder of a block, and using pencilmarks to make temporary placement of numbers in the grid.
To help see the puzzle progress, graphic previews in the puzzle list show the progress of all puzzles in a volume as they are being solved. A Gallery view option provides these previews in a larger format.
For more fun, Kakuro contains no ads and includes a Weekly Bonus section providing an extra free puzzle each week.
PUZZLE FEATURES
• 200 free Kakuro puzzle samples
• Extra bonus puzzle published free each week
• Multiple difficulty levels from very easy to extremely hard
• Grid sizes up to 22×22
• Also includes 5-grid Samurai Kakuro
• Puzzle library continuously updates with new content
• Manually selected, top quality puzzles
• Unique solution for each puzzle
• Hours of intellectual challenge and fun
• Sharpens logic and improves cognitive skills
GAMING FEATURES
• No ads
• Unlimited check puzzle
• Unlimited hints
• Show errors during gameplay
• Unlimited Undo and Redo
• Pencilmarks feature for solving hard puzzles
• Autofill pencilmarks mode
• Show Sum Combinations feature
• Show Sum Remainder feature
• Concurrently playing and saving multiple puzzles
• Puzzle filtering, sorting and archiving options
• Dark Mode support
• Graphic previews showing puzzles progress as they are being solved
• Enlarge, reduce, move puzzle for easy viewing
• Portrait and landscape screen support (iPad only)
• Track puzzle solving times
• Backup & restore puzzle progress to iCloud
ABOUT
Kakuro have also become popular under other names such as Kakkuro, Cross Sums and Tashizan Cross. Similar to Sudoku, Hashi and Slitherlink, the puzzles are solved using logic alone. All puzzles in this app are produced by Conceptis Ltd. – the leading supplier of logic puzzles to printed and electronic gaming media all over the world. On average, more than 20 million Conceptis puzzles are solved each day in newspapers, magazines, books and online as well as on smartphones and tablets across the world.
This Puzzle game offers engaging gameplay and regular updates for mobile players.
Player Feedback
As a newer release, Kakuro: Number Crossword is building its player community. Early feedback suggests .
Recent Updates & Development
Latest Update: 8th October 2025
Recent improvements include:
This version improves performance and stability.
Download & Availability
Kakuro: Number Crossword is available through the official App Store for iOS devices.
Get Kakuro: Number Crossword on App Store
Requirements: Requires iPhone 5s / iPad Air / iPad Air (Cellular) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina, Cellular) / iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus / iPad Air 2 / iPad Air 2 (Cellular) / iPad Mini 3 or later.
Compatible with iPhone and iPad devices.
Player Experience Highlights
Community Insight:
We love playing this game, and this app makes it so good! The UI is very easy, and not cluttered. You just focus on the game, not on ads and crazy distractions.
Difficult but doable, lots of fun.
We truly enjoy this app. The only improvement we would like to see would be a help feature where we could learn some more advanced solving techniques. This would be a huge undertaking. The skills included in the app are the standard ones, but where there are many options for learning advanced sudoko techniques, we find very limited options for advanced Kakuro techniques. We can solve the hard level with time but sometimes get stuck on the hard plus level. We need new techniques before we try the truly challenging puzzles. Update! We love being able to use hints when we are truly stuck! Thank you. We would like a few tweaks. Once Ive filled in lol the pencil marks on our own, if we turn on auto fill it adds possibilities we have already eliminated. Since we cant use the hints unless it is on, we then have to remove lots of options we have a lady eliminated.
We are enjoying this new-to-us type of puzzle but we cant tell you how many times Ive solved a puzzle and satisfied all the sums just for the app to tell us Im wrong, and then we have to guess which of the multiple valid solutions the app actually wants us to enter. Please fix it so that all valid solutions are accepted.
We love Kakuro puzzles and this app is wonderful. Each puzzle offers a challenge but is solvable. Never too hard or too easy.
If you like Sudoku and want to stretch your logic skills, this game is for you. Dont be intimidated, there are hints and help until you get the hang of it. The controls are well done and easy to use.
Great puzzle game, lots of replay, available offline.
Truly no ads, help when and where you want it, good ui, and challenging levels for every range of the skill spectrum. 10/10, there is no way to do better.
We love it. Its perfect. We cant think of any way to improve it.
Just wish they priced additional puzzles a little lower. Maybe bundle a package for a discount. To offer dozens of packs at $2-3 a pop is a little over our price point.
We literally love this game. The fact that it has no ads is, like, . Plus its free. Download this game! Its amazing! Plus it makes you smarter. Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Just found out about kakuro today, and its much more fun than sudoku! This game also doesnt have any ads, which is amazing. Everything runs smoothly, and its everything you could ask for in an app. They also give you some quick instructions in the beginning on how to play There are free starter packs, free weekly puzzles, and you can purchase more packs too. Lots of variety. Im absolutely hooked on this game.
First, Kakuro is a great puzzle game in its own right, much more fun than Sudoku in our opinion. We like it because it is a number and logic puzzle, whereas Sudoku is strictly a logic puzzle. Second, Conceptis has combined quality puzzles that are accurately graded for difficulty with a flawless user interface and a never ending supply of new puzzles to produce the best Kakuro app available. Conceptis began publishing great Kakuro books in 2006 and with this app has continued with the same quality and grading system digitally. Beware, once you develop some skill, Kakuro is very entertaining and you can easily get hooked and waste an incredible amount of time. Highly recommended. We did suggest a couple of improvements, one of which we have seen in another app. It would be helpful in solving if you could either enter color coded pencil marks, or if you had the option to place pencil marks in the order in which they are entered. So far, they dont seem inclined to implement either of these suggestions.
We want right to the hard levels. We started Kakuro as soon as Dell came out with the written ones and have been addicted ever since! We wish there were more out there.
Love playing this game. Makes use our mind.
Logic and basic arithmetic combined, good interphase,.
Game is challenging . We love it but wish it would give you statistics on how many solved without help.
Puzzles are properly rated and there are always new ones available. Best number puzzles out there.
No frills game. Buy your puzzles and enjoy. We play every day. One of our faves.
Love all the options. Could use a few more free ones.
Game is challenging . We love it but wish it would give you statistics on how many solved without help.
No bugs.Helpful note features. Lots of free puzzles. Even more challenging puzzles for a small fee. Peacefully play the easy levels or pull your hair out on the hard levels. No guessing, pure logical powers of deduction. AWESOME.
Conceptis just keeps getting better and better. Excellent puzzles across the board. We have downloaded and played many of their games and have been quite pleased with them all. Ive never been disappointed. Keep on going Conceptis. You ALWAYS deliver a superior product. A Grateful Puzzle Addict.
Love it. It keeps our brain sharp.
What better way to start the day than a good cup of coffee and a mental jump start with Kakuro.
Easy to play hard enough to be interesting.
Much more interesting than sudoko. Great to teach logic and simple adding for kids. Games on upper levels can be tough, but game is user friendly.
We enjoy this game every day to stretch our problem solving. Great design for a great game! Update: Been playing this for years – our favorite game and our favorite app.
Extremely varied difficulties, convenient to use; very well designed. Great to have options & no ads for a nominal fee. Well worth it. Extremely relaxing activity for those of us who love simple math logic. Thanks.
We truly enjoy this app. The only improvement we would like to see would be a help feature where we could learn some more advanced solving techniques. This would be a huge undertaking. The skills included in the app are the standard ones, but where there are many options for learning advanced sudoko techniques, we find very limited options for advanced Kakuro techniques. We can solve the hard level with time but sometimes get stuck on the hard plus level. We need new techniques before we try the truly challenging puzzles.
If you want something more challenging than Sudoku look no further. This is an excellent app with endless games to keep you entertained for YEARS.
We play a game a day to make sure we dont forget how to add.
This is the best Kakuro game we have played.
First the nitpick: There is a learning curve to a point, especially if mental math is not your forte. Learning the Kakuro block combinations will help immensely if youre a new player. Other than that, if you are a fan of these things, run, do not walk, to this app. Not only are the puzzles appropriately graded for difficulty, but you get a huge array of starter puzzles to help you figure out the difficulty thats right for you. There is also a new bonus puzzle each week and new content, all reasonably priced, is added regularly. Being able to check your grid as many times as you want to is also very helpful. The quality of this is a close second to famed Japanese puzzle makers Nikoli for puzzles that are challenging but fair no matter what your skill level. There are many other Conceptis apps, so there is a good chance that you will find the kind of logic puzzle that suits your fancy. Recommended on all counts.
Having used most, this is the best. The extra puzzles one can buy are good values and a wide selection. Excellent job.
Ive always loved kakuro! This has a lot of free games – cant ask for more than that. If youre new to cross sums/kakuro, but you enjoy logic games, try the easy ones to help you find the patterns. Enjoy.
Easy to use, great play, fun game.
We enjoy the logic challenge of the game. We also appreciate being able to just buy a batch of puzzles when Im ready, rather than a subscription or dealing with ads. The game works smoothly with lots of helpful features. Thanks for the hours of fun puzzling.
We love this app. Great if you want a challenge. Easy to use.
Very easy to use! It allows to to choose multiple numbers for an unknown box to revisit later. It also has a tab to show you all the number calculations available for that row. Just in case you are unsure, there is a tab to show you if you have any mistakes. It comes with a limited amount of free puzzles but they can be erased and revisited again. Purchasing puzzles is reasonable.
Ive been very happy with this game. It helped save our sanity through some tough times, providing challenges to sharpen our concentration. Sometimes it claims that our entries are correct when they are not, which is the only drawback that we can see.
Love it but we would like to be able to get a clue or be able to check the solution.
Thanks. Edit: please stop. Edit: Please? Edit: Please.
What a super version of Kakuro! Its very smooth. On an iPad we dont have to toggle between pencil or regular marks. They are both available on the screen. We love that. We highly recommend this game.
Better than crossword puzzles and Suduko put together. The Best.
Keeps the mind sharp. We love how the weekly free puzzles have all skill levels.
Very clean and functional. Only wish there were more difficult puzzles to buy.
We enjoy the tough ones!! We like the way it seems impossible but you start figuring out what you can and bit by bit you work it out.
Well designed and challenging. We are addicted. When will more be available? Sooo much fun.
This application has a feature that drove us nuts with other versions. The automatic erasure of chosen values in associated rows and columns makes it easier to figure combinations. This application can test you severely if you dont use all the available tools. As a starter we appreciate the Check capability to find errors early on. Excellent time killer. Keeps the mind sharp. (3-1-2023) Still with it and loving it as a great mind exercise and time killer.
User feedback from Apple App Store
App Details
- Version: 3.4
- Size: 10.95 MB
- iOS: 12.0 or later
- Languages: EN, JA, KO, ZH
- Content Advisory:
- Developer: Conceptis Ltd.
Last updated: 8th October 2025 | Genre: Puzzle, Entertainment | Developer: Conceptis Ltd.