# Crossword Explorer+ — user reviews > 384 indexed App Store user reviews of Crossword Explorer+ by PlaySimple Games Pte Ltd, rated 4.90/5 from 2,320 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-explorer-plus/id1551764376/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-explorer-plus/id1551764376.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 2,183 · 4★ 63 · 3★ 14 · 2★ 18 · 1★ 42 ## What do users think of Crossword Explorer+? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 👍 Relaxing and fun gameplay - 🚀 Smooth and intuitive controls - 💡 Bite-sized crossword puzzles **Cons** - 🤔 Puzzles too easy and repetitive - 📍 Heavily US-centric content - 🔍 Lack of difficulty options or progression - 🐛 Bugs and crashes reported **Commonly reported bugs** - Black screen on startup - Incorrect answers and spelling errors - Syncing issues between devices **Most requested features** - Add difficulty settings or skip easy levels - Improve crossword variety and reduce repetition - Optimize for landscape mode on iPad - Implement cloud save/sync across devices ## Newest reviews (16 of 384) ### 3/5 — Lacking Variety *2026-07-29, version 1.32.0* This could easily be a 5 Star game, but due to a lack of word variety it leaves much to be desired. There are times where words like “STY” and “EMO” show up in several puzzles in a row, and that’s just two examples. Because of this, the puzzles get boring quickly. Additionally, the UI feels cheap. You only see the “map” if you back out of the puzzle. Also, other game modes exist, but getting to them is confusing. I feel like a dedicated home page would make this experience much better. Overall, I enjoy playing as a way to kill time, but I don’t often hang around for long because of the issues I mentioned. ### 2/5 — For kids *2026-07-16, version 1.32.0* I don’t understand this. I’m on level 180, waiting for it to jump up in difficulty. No jump. It gives dignity-insulting clues like “not NO, but ____” (hypothetical, but really not an exaggeration). You don’t even need to look at the down clues. You whip through five across clues in 10 seconds. I’m kind of embarrassed that I went through 180 levels of this. The app ads even show much larger puzzles, but I have no idea how to get to that. If I have played this many puzzles and it’s still as easy as the very first one, I can’t imagine how many it takes to get to the bigger puzzles. ### 3/5 — Nice puzzle but needs more *2026-07-05, version 1.32.0* This is a nice crossword puzzle game but the words are repetitive. I have reached a level where the words are the same every 3rd puzzle or so. Same clues and answers. Please get something new…Soon ### 2/5 — Way too easy *2026-07-04, version 1.32.0* I was hoping the puzzles would get more challenging, but it’s not happening…. Zzzzz ### 2/5 — Stopped working after a flight *2026-06-23, version 1.32.0* I tried using it in airplane mode and it got stuck on the initial loading screen. Then once I landed it still never got past the loading screen. I thought Apple tested and enforced NSNetwork etc error handling in app submissions. My other complaint is it uses an audio session that prevents me from listening to music or podcasts. I’d rather turn off the public domain bleeps and blips and listen to Carpenter Brut while I do crosswords. ### 2/5 — Fake pay to play *2026-06-18, version 1.32.0* Why do you now have to pay to see the wrong letters? And why does it cost more than you win for completing a puzzle? ### 3/5 — Very USA focused *2026-06-17, version 1.32.0* Could be good but it is so focused on the USA it isn't really useful for anyone else ### 2/5 — Way too gamified *2026-05-23, version 1.32.0* Gimmicks and awards and totally unnecessary nudges to play. I think this game is an unhealthy version of crosswords. Avoid!! ### 2/5 — Way too easy *2026-05-06, version 1.32.0* So easy to the point of boredom. I wish there was different levels with different difficulty levels ### 2/5 — Too easy *2026-04-20, version 1.32.0* I love crosswords and when I saw the images with the large crossword puzzles in the App Store I thought this would be the perfect blend of challenge and fun. So far, the puzzles have been way too simple and there is no obvious way to skip ahead and start with puzzles that aren’t rated easy. ### 4/5 — Sooooo many repeats, jesus christ. *2026-03-31, version 1.32.0* The game is truly fun and something you can grind out for hours. The only irk I have, and this is a very picky one, but the consistent repeat clues make it less challenging. I have gotten multiple variations of Nebraska’s capital (Omaha) or the actor who played Snape (Alan Rickman). It truly is worth downloading it, but that’s the only thing I truly have an issue with ### 3/5 — Recent change, makes it difficult to play *2026-02-24, version 1.32.0* I used to love this game. It was my go to in the morning when I was just trying to get going. However, recently, they’ve added all sorts of extra things to the app. They make it difficult to use, slow it down and require me to restart it often. ### 4/5 — Incorrect Answer *2026-02-08, version 1.32.0* One of the clues is Photoshop creator. The answer you have is Adobe. It was created by the Knoll brothers who Adobe later bought it from. ### 2/5 — Just let me play *2026-02-07, version 1.32.0* No, I don't care about daily puzzles, quests, the money you give etc. Just let me play uninterrupted, I don't care about those. ### 2/5 — Stop the nagging! *2026-01-24, version 1.32.0* Why can’t you add a “leave me alone” option? I don’t care about daily goals and prizes or where I stand against other players. I just want to peacefully solve the puzzles. For those who want those things, great. But leave the rest of us alone and allow us to opt out. You’re just as bad as apps that constantly throw ads at us. ### 3/5 — Very fun *2025-12-24, version 1.32.0* I like this because the difficulty doesn’t ramp up so quickly that I feel like a moron. I’m not a professional crosswords player. I’m just a dude that likes the occasional fun game on my phone. Edit: December 2025 What happened? My beloved chill out app to slow down and relax with now has popups during each game, and more than one. It’s annoying. At first I thought what the heck I’ll try it, and I got lost in what game I’m even playing. You leave the current board, then the next on and so on. It’s disorienting. Now I just dismiss all that noise so I can get back to relaxing. I don’t want engagement bait. This isn’t TikTok and that’s what I like. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — I contacted through the in-game help center *2026-06-11, version 1.32.0* Little more to say that other critics have said. This, for years and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of levels, was so much fun. Now it’s 80% mobile game slop and 20% game that I’m actually here for. It’s like having 40 minutes of ads in a 45 minute movie. I contacted in-game help but I can’t believe it will change anything about the newest direction the game has taken. 5 star down to 1. If you’re reading this as a new or curious potential player, I’d avoid it for the most part unless you enjoy wading through a slew of pop-ups, in-game currency nonsense and “greedy mobile game goofery”.it truly feels like a large out of touch company bought out the original developers and changed the game in almost every way you would be frustrated with. ### 1/5 — Solo ingles *2026-05-08, version 1.32.0* No hay version en mas idiomas ### 1/5 — Not the best crossword *2026-02-15, version 1.32.0* I don't much care for it. Every game is far too simple to complete. Would love tougher levels but they only gave me one "tough" level and I finished it just as quickly as the "easier" levels. Just not challenging enough. ### 1/5 — Recycling clues ruins the game *2026-01-26, version 1.32.0* Was fun the first day or two but then you start to see the same clues over and over, completely ruins it. Game deleted. ### 1/5 — Fallen Far *2026-01-24, version 1.32.0* As others have stated, this game used to be good (around a 3.5-4 star game), but an update took out all the fun and replaced it with the kind of mobile game BS I’d expect from things not on Apple Arcade. Half my time is now spent trying to click past popups and that I don’t care about. Guess it’s time to find a new game for commutes. ### 1/5 — Ruined by Constant Nagging *2025-11-22, version 1.30.0* This used to be a fun, chill, and casual crossword game; perfect when you have a few minutes. I don’t know what came over the devs in the past few months, but they opted to throw all that out the window for what I can only describe as “typical modern mobile game-isms.” Daily gifts! Pointless in-game currencies! Random achievement popups! Unnecessary gacha elements (lucky spinner, anyone)! Weird, poorly explained, and ultimately pointless competitive modes! Why?! I just want to solve a few silly little puzzles when I have a few free minutes. Why is that so hard for mobile developers nowadays to grasp? ### 1/5 — Crossword fan? Don’t play. *2025-11-11, version 1.30.0* I love crosswords. This game is so boring. If you’re a crossword fan, don’t even bother. ### 1/5 — Not for anyone with true thinking ability. *2025-10-26, version 1.30.0* If you enjoy crossword puzzles you will hate this. Childish and lacking in any ability to stimulate the mind. If you have successfully completed Kindergarten this will not interest you at all. ### 1/5 — Bugs *2025-10-20, version 1.30.0* Letters are sticking/and daily rewards of coins are not being deposited/screen is frozen ### 1/5 — No difficulty level setting *2025-10-19, version 1.30.0* An elderly person with dementia could really benefit from this game. Or rather they can until there is a single word they do not get right which is not flagged as wrong and can’t be identified because there are no coins. At that point frustrations begin and gameplay is finished apparently forevermore. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Really nice *2026-06-28, version 1.32.0* Just relaxing ### 5/5 — Français please *2026-05-15* J’adore les mots croisés le problèmes c’est que je suis pas très forte en anglais alors ça me complique la tâche.. serait il possible qu’un patch français sois fait ? ### 5/5 — Why I voted 5 ⭐️’s *2026-05-09, version 1.32.0* Some clues are hard to find the word but overall really good game. No adds. ### 5/5 — Fun Game *2026-04-09, version 1.32.0* I love this game. Challenging but options for hints. ### 5/5 — Variety *2026-04-09, version 1.32.0* So many different games!!!! 😊😊 ### 5/5 — Amazing *2026-01-15, version 1.32.0* Amazing amazing amazing ### 5/5 — Better than anti-social media *2025-12-30, version 1.32.0* Great little time filler, highly recommend ### 5/5 — Crossword Explorer Player *2025-12-25, version 1.32.0* I find this game very enjoyable, entertaining, and challenging. ### 5/5 — Game is great too play *2025-12-24, version 1.32.0* It’s just that good ### 5/5 — Super fun😁 *2025-12-05, version 1.30.0* This is a very good game to play for fun 🤩 I think it has a lot of mentality love it and no ads that’s a really good perk --- *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 2026-08-27.*