# ContraBee — user reviews > 21 indexed App Store user reviews of ContraBee by Lexi Games LLC, rated 4.00/5 from 4 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contrabee/id6478916549/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contrabee/id6478916549.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 3 · 4★ 0 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 1 ## Newest reviews (3 of 21) ### 2/5 — Ok but lacking *2024-11-06, version 1.0.5* This is OK to play while the Times workers are on strike, but unless you add a grid like the original Bee has I won’t stick with it. ### 2/5 — Stopped working *2024-08-10, version 1.0.2* Was fine for a few weeks, then it posted old game (I.e. not based on current day’s NYT Spelling Bee letters), and now it is just frozen. Tried removing and downloading fresh twice but still totally frozen. ### 2/5 — Want to like this but it quit working! *2024-07-13, version 1.0.2* I was using it just a few hours ago but it just quit working! It opens but nothing makes the Continue button go, so I don’t get past the yellow screen. Deleted & reloaded but nothing happens. Sad ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Memory button *2025-06-05, version 2.0* The new memory button completely wrecks the game. Otherwise it was good! The button becomes activated and I don’t want it too. Not good, needs fixing. ### 1/5 — Too many bugs *2025-05-31, version 2.0* The app really is poorly coded. I eliminates words that I have entered and it accepts. It scores incorrectly. It absolutely provides more frustration than entertainment. I had 25/42 points with 13/16 words. There are no hexagrams. Numerically impossible to get to 42. ### 1/5 — Who makes this word list *2024-08-31, version 1.0.2* Today was my last day playing this. Not sure what is used to create the word list but the number of words “not in the word list” today was really irritating. ### 2/5 — Doesn’t always open - STILL *2026-01-16, version 2.1* Can’t understand why this game doesn’t open some days????? New update - as of yesterday, it’s not opening again. It was working great, but now - nothing. Several forced closes haven’t worked, even restarted my phone, but no luck. Update - it was working great for a few weeks, but now it won’t open, even after a forced close. Can’t understand why this happens when every other app I use works every time. It’s nice when it opens, but lately it’s too unresponsive. I have to force close it several times most days but often can’t get it to launch at all. It’s not really worth keeping if it won’t open. ### 2/5 — Doesn’t always open *2025-12-14* New update - as of yesterday, it’s not opening again. It was working great, but now - nothing. Several forced closes haven’t worked, even restarted my phone, but no luck. Update - it was working great for a few weeks, but now it won’t open, even after a forced close. Can’t understand why this happens when every other app I use works every time. It’s nice when it opens, but lately it’s too unresponsive. I have to force close it several times most days but often can’t get it to launch at all. It’s not really worth keeping if it won’t open. ### 2/5 — Doesn’t always open *2025-11-08* Update - it was working great for a few weeks, but now it won’t open, even after a forced close. Can’t understand why this happens when every other app I use works every time. It’s nice when it opens, but lately it’s too unresponsive. I have to force close it several times most days but often can’t get it to launch at all. It’s not really worth keeping if it won’t open. ### 2/5 — Doesn’t always open *2025-10-22* It’s nice when it opens, but lately it’s too unresponsive. I have to force close it several times most days but often can’t get it to launch at all. It’s not really worth keeping if it won’t open. ### 2/5 — Frustrating and not Consistent *2025-03-24, version 1.0.5* Enjoyed this App when I first started playing but the App itself is NOT consistent. I’d be playing it and take a break and come back and it wouldn’t allow me to open it; or it wouldn’t allow me to shrink the game on my screen so I could play it. At other times it just would not accept any words and I had to stop altogether. Hope it gets fixed. It’s a fun concept but not worth playing if you can’t count on it!!! ### 2/5 — Needs Improvement *2025-03-13, version 1.0.5* Lots of legit words not recognized. So frustrating and will delete app. ### 2/5 — Good game but very buggy *2024-12-26, version 1.0.5* Would be a fun game if it worked. Once again, I cannot open the app on my ipad. This happened before but seem to be fixed after a day. ## Most praised reviews (8 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Another great spelling game *2026-05-03, version 2.1* I love playing ContraBee after I’ve played Spelling Bee. It’s so satisfying to get to use all the words I could have used in Spelling Bee if not for that darn center letter. 🤣 It also helps trigger new words for Spelling Bee. 😃 ### 5/5 — Favorite Word Game *2025-06-16, version 2.1* ContraBee is the best compliment to Spelling Bee. I love working through the daily puzzles and often find them more challenging that those on other apps. I find the playing experience very soothing. There are no crazy colors, animations or sounds (thank you!). Developer feedback has been super responsive, and each iteration has made the playing experience even better. ### 5/5 — A fun game for after QB *2025-06-06, version 2.0* Hi- I haven’t had these issues with loading and freezing. Now while I’m doing QB I look for donut words. Sometimes the missing letter makes its QB awesome and others not. ### 5/5 — Love this but….. *2024-11-25, version 1.0.5* I love spelling bee so seeing contra bee really made me happy. I wish it had some hints ,however small , for when you need just one more word and you can’t think of it no matter what you do. I love this game it just needs a tiny bit of work but still is a 5 star for me. ### 4/5 — Great, but stopped working *2024-08-11, version 1.0.2* Was a nice way to augment the NYT Spelling Bee with a responsive interface, except the “Start” page pops up every time you multitask out and back in, and also when you switch from yesterday’s puzzle to today’s puzzle. That’s annoying, and now the start page doesn’t go away at all, so I can’t get into the app. I noticed that the 08/09/24 puzzle never propagated to the app and neither did the 08/10. Now I am locked out. I get that this app is probably created by one person, but I’m sad that it isn’t working. ### 3/5 — Teething problem Memory button *2025-05-25, version 2.0* The new Memory Button is a problem. I don’t want to use it but somehow it activates. I think am indirectly pressing this button on and off while I’m playing. I can’t tell though as deductions aren’t included in the score card. I do a challenge with my partner each day so know our scores are different but we have the same words. I think the button may be slightly too big. ### 3/5 — Love it…when it works *2024-08-21, version 1.0.2* This is the buggiest app. I love playing but it only works about half the time. ### 3/5 — Buggy still *2024-08-10, version 1.0.2* Didn’t get a new puzzle today. Also some days I put in right answers but they’re not credited the next day. --- *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 2026-07-05.*