# Bewilderword > Word puzzle game finding words within a scrambled 9-letter word. (iPhone/iPad app by Sean O'Connor.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bewilderword/id518006879 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Sean O'Connor](https://appshunter.io/developer/305324345) - Category: Games, Education, Puzzle, Word - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 3.50/5 from 21 App Store ratings · 51 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 10.0 · 19 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2012-04-18 - Data updated: 2026-08-16 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bewilderword/id518006879/reviews.md ## What is Bewilderword? In each Bewilderword puzzle a 9 letter word has been scrambled and all of the words that can be made from those 9 letters have been laid out and hidden in a crossword-like pattern for you to find. The only catch is that each of the hidden words must contain the highlighted red letter tile. Drag the tiles up from the tile rack to form words. Double tap to drop all your placed tiles back on to the tile rack. Shake your device to randomly shuffle the tiles on the tile rack to give you inspiration. If you do get stuck press the "Clue" button to have one of the hidden letters revealed. But the goal is to try and solve 100% of the hidden words without getting any clues! ## Key features - Scrambled 9-letter word puzzles - Crossword-style hidden word grid - Must use highlighted red letter - Drag-and-drop tile interface - Shuffle tiles for inspiration - Clue feature for assistance ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | February 2012 (US) | $0.99 | one-time | | March 2012 (US) | $0.99 | one-time | | April 2012 (US) | $0.99 | one-time | | May 2012 (US) | $0.99 | one-time | | June 2012 (US) | $0.99 | one-time | | July 2012 (US) | $0.99 | one-time | | August 2012 (US) | $0.99 | one-time | | October 2012 (US) | $0.99 | one-time | | January 2013 (US) | $0.99 | one-time | | All months | $5.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (10 of 51) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bewilderword/id518006879/reviews.md ### 5/5 — If you liked Wordstorm, you'll love this *2025-07-24* Simple, engaging game. Just wish the menu was on the bottom like Wordstorm. And maybe a timer option. Great game and well worth the money. ### 5/5 — Keeps my brain & mind active *2025-05-08* I have the Wordstorm game by the same person and wanted to try this one. I love it! The crossword type layout gives you clues at to what other words you can make from the letters ### 2/5 — VERY FRUSTRATING GAME *2023-06-05* Love WordStorm, but not this one. Not a relaxing experience. Not recommended. ### 4/5 — Love it. Maybe add dark theme please? *2022-07-03* Developers only reply to people they know. 00,04/ Weds 24 Feb 21/ Bewilderword is a favourite and we compete when able, although with migraines (me) and cluster headaches (friend) there’s times when one or both of us can’t look at the screen. / 🌷 Sean, could you consider a dark theme option please on opening page & calendar views? Maybe slate grey? It would be the cherry 🍒 on the ice cream. kind regards. ### 1/5 — Bug issues (or user stupidity!) *2022-01-05* I’ve run the game once, played for 30 minutes, shut it down. Now when it loads I can only purchase the back catalog of puzzles for $5.99, no other button responds. I’m sorry but one brief play is not enough to justify turning $6 of a fixed income to the developer. ### 4/5 — I like it but… *2021-11-09* It’s a great time killing game that I feel gives my retired brain a bit of a morning workout. My only gripe is that sometimes foreign words are allowed and sometimes not. Otherwise I’d have given it 5 stars. Well worth the small fee, especially as it goes right back to Jan 2012 so plenty of games to work through. ### 5/5 — iOS 15 issue *2021-09-24* Quick fix, Thank you❗️ Doesn’t seem to work with the new OS! Hope it is updated soon… ### 3/5 — Fails to Load on iOS 15 *2021-09-21* Good game but crashes immediately when trying to open the app after the recent iOS update. Please fix asap. ### 3/5 — Weird English rules *2021-08-27* Doesn’t accept “binge” but “amigo” is fine?! ### 4/5 — Fix the jerkiness! *2020-12-31* This is my absolute favorite game and has been for a long time, but I wish you could make the letters move more smoothly. The jerkiness is distracting. ## Frequently asked questions about Bewilderword ### What is Bewilderword? Bewilderword is a word puzzle game where you are given a 9-letter word that has been scrambled. Your goal is to find all the possible words that can be made from those letters, which are hidden in a crossword-like grid. The unique challenge is that every word you find must contain a specific highlighted red letter. ### How do I play Bewilderword? You play by dragging tiles from the tile rack to form words. Double-tapping will return placed tiles to the rack. Shaking your device shuffles the tiles on the rack. The objective is to find all hidden words, ideally without using any clues. ### Is Bewilderword free to play? The app is free to download and play. It offers in-app purchases, which may be used for features like hints or other game enhancements. There are no advertisements within the game. ### What are the main features of Bewilderword? Key features include solving puzzles based on a scrambled 9-letter word, finding hidden words in a crossword grid, a mandatory red letter requirement for found words, intuitive tile dragging and shuffling, and a clue system to help when you get stuck. ### Who is Bewilderword designed for? This app is designed for players who enjoy word games, logic puzzles, and vocabulary challenges. It's suitable for anyone looking for a mentally stimulating game that can be played on the go. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.6.4 — 2022-06-24 - more random initial letter positioning ### 2.6.3 — 2021-09-23 - fix for problems with iOS 15 ### 2.6.2 — 2021-09-16 - wasn't showing the correct best year in US mode ### 2.6.1 — 2020-12-15 - fix for bug in calculating your best month ### 2.6.0 — 2020-07-31 - your best ever score and best average monthly score are displayed ## Apps similar to Bewilderword | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Quad Word](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quad-word/id1620532537) | 4.8 (13,322) | Free | Games | | [Monkey Wrench - Word Search](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monkey-wrench-word-search/id999022137) | 4.8 (29,612) | Free | Games | | [Moxie - Word Traveler](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/moxie-word-traveler/id1599592274) | 4.7 (2,136) | Free | Games | | [Word Seek HD: Fun Word Search](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-seek-hd-fun-word-search/id403045577) | 4.5 (9,774) | Free | Games | | [Red Herring](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-herring/id663596265) | 4.7 (47,725) | Free | Games | | [Stress Free Jigsaw Puzzles](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stress-free-jigsaw-puzzles/id898285634) | 4.7 (38,463) | Free | Games | ## More apps by Sean O'Connor - [Slay](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slay/id305324342) - [Conquest (+ all maps)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/conquest-plus-all-maps/id307662507) - [The General](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-general/id310914488) - [Rats!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rats/id320729279) - [Four Tribes](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/four-tribes/id366798640) - [Topple!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topple/id378123895) All apps by Sean O'Connor: https://appshunter.io/developer/305324345 --- *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 2026-08-16.*