# Across Crossword Trainer — user reviews > 93 indexed App Store user reviews of Across Crossword Trainer by Literate Software, rated 4.70/5 from 129 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/across-crossword-trainer/id390989290/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/across-crossword-trainer/id390989290.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 105 · 4★ 20 · 3★ 1 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 2 ## What do users think of Across Crossword Trainer? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 📚 Excellent progressive learning structure from beginner to advanced - 👍 User-friendly interface that's intuitive and easy to navigate - 🧠 Effective teaching methodology with helpful hints and tips - 🎯 Clear cumulative puzzles with step-by-step guidance - 💰 Great value and reasonable pricing - 🏆 Comprehensive puzzle collection with multiple difficulty levels - 📖 Teaches crossword-solving strategies and vocabulary building - 🎮 Engaging and addictive gameplay experience - ⚙️ Customizable settings and layout options - ✅ Real-time feedback on incorrect letters - 🧩 Smart puzzle construction with interconnected clues - 🏥 Beneficial for cognitive recovery and mental stimulation **Cons** - ⌨️ Unconventional split-keyboard letter entry system is awkward - 🎯 Inconsistent letter input responsiveness, requires multiple taps - 🇺🇸 Heavy American bias in clues and references - 📝 Weak puzzle construction with excessive whitespace - 🔄 Repetitive clues and answers across puzzles - 📚 Lacks dictionary definitions for solved words - 🔧 Letter input on left side of screen sometimes unresponsive - ⏱️ Tips and hints dole out slowly during progression **Commonly reported bugs** - Split keyboard letter input is unreliable and requires excessive tapping - Letters on left side of screen don't always respond to first tap - App occasionally jumps to other squares unexpectedly - Accidental letter taps count as errors against user - Inconsistent tap detection requiring edge-of-key tapping **Most requested features** - More puzzles and expanded content library - In-game dictionary or definition lookup for educational value - Traditional keyboard option for letter entry - Horizontal puzzle orientation support - Better international/non-American clue options - Improved letter entry responsiveness and accuracy ## Newest reviews (14 of 93) ### 5/5 — Across Crossword Trainer *2019-03-28, version 4.0.3* Excellent excessive for my brain and memory for my recovery from a stroke over a year ago. It helps me recover some of the memory I lost. Great fun as well. AlexT. ### 5/5 — Just right *2018-09-28, version 4.0.3* Love this app only thing that bothers me is after the last updates ,you have to click different ways to get the letter in the box ,other than that just the right amount of easy,medium and hard puzzles for your every mood ### 5/5 — Long Standing Favorite *2018-09-23, version 4.0.3* This is one of the first apps I downloaded years ago. I played it a lot back then and really enjoyed it. I recently started playing again and it’s just as great! I hope the developer keeps it simple and basic. That’s the appeal to me. ### 5/5 — Across word trainer *2018-08-27, version 4.0.3* Love it! ### 5/5 — Great app *2018-08-23, version 4.0.3* I like the options available to set the layout on the page the way it works best for each individual. ### 5/5 — Great *2018-07-02, version 4.0.3* I have been tinkering for years. This is really helping me become a pro ### 5/5 — Great *2018-05-25, version 4.0.3* Great app, helps you if you get stuck, I bought all the packs at the beginning, it's a lot cheaper that way. ### 5/5 — One of the best *2017-12-10, version 4.0.1* Not just a lot of crosswords, but also hints and strategies at how to work through them. ### 5/5 — Addicting *2017-12-07, version 4.0.1* Love this app. Play it every night. Expect to become addicted. ### 5/5 — Across Trainer the best way to spend an hour using your brain *2017-12-05, version 4.0.1* So intuitive and pleasing a way to use your brain on a digital device. Much better than the simple chance games ### 5/5 — HOORAY! UPDATED! *2017-09-29, version 4.0* So thankful the developers updated their apps. As challenging as you want or as easy as you need it to be! Thank you devs! Don’t miss out on a great crossword app! ### 5/5 — Amazing *2017-09-27, version 4.0* I bought this app to improve and learn, and I have not been disappointed. ### 5/5 — Better than expected *2017-08-15, version 3.1.0* As a tool to learn crosswords, it's great. As a guide after a stroke as you re-learn words, even better. The boost to confidence as you rapidly get better is wonderful, certainly better than using newspapers as these are constructed so that the short words feed into the longer words, etc. Not cheap, but if you have the need, it's a great choice! ### 5/5 — Play it again *2017-02-07, version 3.1.0* I am not a skilled crossword puzzle player but this app is teaching me how and to enjoy the game as well. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 2/5 — Great *2014-11-18, version 3.1.0* My comfort I trying crosswords is much improved. I like the progressive difficulty and explanations. It keeps me pleasantly busy and no it asking for more money all the time! ### 2/5 — weak crosswords *2010-12-23, version 1.1.1* The crosswords are quite weakly constructed, with too much whitespace and a lot of repetition, sometimes even within the same crossword. If I have to fill in eta for “Greek vowel” again I think I might scream. The user interface is not bad once you get used to it. ### 3/5 — This would be a great app *2019-01-28, version 4.0.3* This would be a great app except for all the American sports clues. It needs a dictionary to give meaning to the words after you solve the problem. Crosswords can be extremely educational. ### 3/5 — Just OK *2015-09-25, version 3.1.0* It's okay but not great IMO. I really don't like the keyboard being split down the sides, that slows me way down & I really get irritated that if I tap right on the key/letter it doesn't fill in the space, you have to tap out toward the edges of the keys to get them to respond. This makes me have to double tap a lot, so that slows me down more. ### 4/5 — Great *2018-01-07, version 4.0.3* The only criticism I have so far is that when I poke an incorrect letter accidentally it counts against me. That may not be a real error! ### 4/5 — Cross Trainer *2017-12-26, version 4.0.2* Nice and easy to learn how to work crossword puzzles ### 4/5 — Two thumbs up. *2017-11-29, version 4.0.1* Great fun ### 4/5 — Great...... *2017-08-09, version 3.1.0* I truly like the hints and learning process, but I was looking for a great puzzle setup and, like some other reviewers, I find the split keyboard off putting. I am adept at puzzles, yet I cannot seem to complete a puzzle without hitting an incorrect key.....for that reason I cannot give five stars. Frankly, I do not know how long I can enjoy these puzzles before the annoyance caused by the keyboard causes me to stop using it. ### 4/5 — Enjoyable *2017-03-22, version 3.1.0* Challenging for the seasoned and beginners as well. I prefer a keyboard and find the letter entry awkward but still using this app. Surprised no one has recently reviewed. ### 4/5 — A-OK *2016-02-16, version 3.1.0* A lot of fun, but the letter input is a little clumsy. I also would like to be able to work the puzzle horizontally. Overall, a very nice app.😊 ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great Trainer *2026-02-05, version 4.1.2* Solid interface with cumulative puzzles with clear steps along the way. Great price with solid resources. Recommend. 👍 ### 5/5 — Fabulous *2025-03-12, version 4.1.2* I have had this app for years and I always enjoy the challenges. I need no other crossword puzzle on my iPad. This is the one! ### 5/5 — Always first-rate! *2024-11-19, version 4.1.2* Far and away, the best crossword apps extant. Thank you! ### 5/5 — Love This App! *2024-03-15, version 4.1.2* This is the perfect app for learning how to work crossword puzzles. It gently guides you from beginner to advanced with enough material to feel comfortable doing more advanced puzzles. ### 5/5 — Enjoyable App *2024-03-14, version 4.1.2* An easy to use app that gets your brain thinking. If you aren’t sure of a word it’s easy to select a letter and try and find the correct one. ### 5/5 — Excellent Crossword App! *2024-02-16, version 4.1.2* This is a great app for crossword lovers! And the training is very helpful for new solvers! Now I just need more puzzles! ### 5/5 — Good app *2024-02-03, version 4.1.2* Skip a letter feature is a little unpredictable, but I've enjoyed working the puzzles and learning crosswordese. The application is easy to use and more puzzles are available through in-app store. Plenty to get started with in the initial product. Definitely good for vocabulary building and word association skills. ### 5/5 — Helpful for a beginner *2023-02-01, version 4.1.1* I had tried easy crossword puzzles since I had never done them but just found them boring. This app is helping me learn how to solve them and that’s what I need. ### 5/5 — Well Made... *2020-04-13, version 4.1.1* app. I especially appreciate that there are easy ones for this neophyte. ### 5/5 — Absolutely love this game *2019-10-14, version 4.0.3* Teaches you alot. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-09.*