# Puzzazz Crossword & Puzzle — Best UI + Sudoku, KenKen, more > Ad-free puzzle app with handwriting recognition and NYT Crossword support. (iPhone/iPad app by Puzzazz.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puzzazz-crossword-and-puzzle/id516440494 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Puzzazz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1658109731) - Category: Games, Books, Puzzle, Word - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 3.80/5 from 122 App Store ratings · 69 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 9.0 · 164 MB - Released: 2012-04-10 - Data updated: 2026-08-23 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puzzazz-crossword-and-puzzle/id516440494/reviews.md ## What is Puzzazz Crossword & Puzzle? Puzzazz’s ad-free bookstore has more FREE puzzles than ever, including new daily KenKen® and hand-crafted Sudoku puzzles. Solve the NYT Crossword¹ in the only app that presents the print edition faithfully—NYT editor Will Shortz says it’s the only app which is “able to handle almost any New York Times crossword trick.” Puzzazz’s award-winning TouchWrite™ handwriting recognition makes solving more fun, especially on small screens, the perfect icing for our unique, optimized user experience designed by puzzle lovers for puzzle lovers. Puzzazz is “snazzy” (says the New York Times), “groundbreaking” (says WIRED), and “TouchWrite is an awesome technology” (says GeekWire). Reviewers think it is “fantastic,” the “best way to do the NYT,” and “Hands down the best crossword puzzle app.” Browse our selection of more than a hundred ebooks of great hand-crafted puzzles of all types. Try the free puzzles in each ebook and then buy the rest if you like what you’ve solved. Puzzle ebook sales not only benefit our authors, but they allow us to keep the app free and ad-free with high-quality puzzles for everyone. ▶ We’ve got oodles of puzzles Browse through thousands of puzzles by world-class authors–some of the best you’ll find anywhere—and solve hundreds of free puzzles. Try before you buy because every ebook starts with free puzzles! From the NYT — Just enter your nytimes.com Crosswords subscription credentials to get started. Puzzles will download automatically each day when they are released. From the web — Open puzzles directly from the web or email to solve in Puzzazz. ▶ The reviews are stellar “The people at Puzzazz have been working hard on cultivating quality puzzles and developing TouchWrite, a groundbreaking new technology for doing puzzles on the screen.” —Wired “Best APP Ever! The TouchWrite technology is perfect, especially when I use it on the phone.” —Jackleroy “Fantastic puzzle app! Some things are actually better than solving on paper.” —Wendell O “Best puzzle experience out there! The TouchWrite software alone puts Puzzazz way ahead of the field. I also love the selection of books—something to satisfy all types of puzzlers.” —puzzlefan1001 “Best way to do the NYT!” —derekallen7 “I specifically subscribed to NYT Premium crosswords because this app supports them.” —hightemp ▶ Our experience is optimized for you Puzzazz is built with an eye toward how you solve puzzles, from our patent-pending TouchWrite handwriting recognition and Bluetooth keyboard support to on-screen keyboards designed specifically for different types of puzzles. Use your Apple Pencil or 3D Touch to quickly switch between “pen” and “pencil” input. If you’re left-handed or color blind, you’ll appreciate that we haven’t ignored you. Plus, Puzzazz supports Split View and Slide Over, allowing you to Google a clue (or watch a movie!) while solving a puzzle. You can always see the complete puzzle, plus both Across and Down clues at the same time, no matter how you orient your device or which options you choose (like showing Answer Boxes). Puzzazz supports all of the tricks authors and editors like to use, like unusual grids or clues. You’ll appreciate automatic clue and cross-reference highlighting, easy rebus (multiple letter) entry, and the built-in hinting (with smart hinting for cryptics). Take notes on a clue or mark a cell. Time yourself if you want (you can compare your times on the puzzle leaderboards). Rate puzzles you solve and see how your ratings compare with others’. Puzzazz’s powerful puzzle engine makes it the best app for all types of puzzles, many previously available only on paper, Puzzle types include crosswords, cryptic and variety crosswords, diagramless crosswords, acrostic, cryptogram, word, Sudoku, KenKen, logic, Mentagy, mystery puzzles, and many more. And check out the spectacular Year of Puzzles, Maze of Games, Cryptic All-Stars, and Variety Show. ¹ NYT Crossword subscription required ## Key features - Ad-free puzzle experience - Daily KenKen and Sudoku puzzles - Faithful NYT Crossword reproduction - TouchWrite handwriting recognition - Hundreds of puzzle ebooks - Supports NYT Crossword subscription - Optimized user interface ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | A Daily Crossword Book One | $2.99 | one-time | | Piece of Cake Crosswords | $2.99 | one-time | | Xwordz 4 Newbs | $2.99 | one-time | | Freewheeling Crosswords | $2.99 | one-time | | Chromatics | $2.99 | one-time | | Crosswords and Variety Puzzle… | $2.99 | one-time | | A Daily Crossword Book Three | $2.99 | one-time | | Fun & Games Crosswords | $2.99 | one-time | | The Book of Spirals | $2.99 | one-time | | Smooth as Silk Crosswords | $2.99 | one-time | | Staycation Cryptics | Free | one-time | | Wide Open Crosswords | $2.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (10 of 69) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puzzazz-crossword-and-puzzle/id516440494/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Great App *2026-01-23, version 6.2.1* The app works great, there's good support, and the stuff for sale is well priced, and not pushed on you. What more can you ask? ### 5/5 — Great support! *2025-12-28* I just reported a server issue, and got a fix in less than 2 hours on a Saturday evening!! I think it's been years since I got that level of support. 🎉 As a new user, I was a bit concerned about the lack of updates. But that's a great thing for folks who can't upgrade their devices to newer iOS versions. The app works great - I love the intuitive TouchWrite entry system. I can keep my eyes on the puzzle at all times. The fact that their app continues to work well across the iOS versions is a clear indicator of the quality of the programming. ### 3/5 — Free Daily Sudoku AND KenKen working again *2025-04-07, version 6.2.1* When this app works, it’s great! The Free Daily Sudoku had been broken, for me, for a very long time. Not sure why it suddenly works again since the app hasn’t been updated in years, but I’ll take it. I’m still hesitant to add any paid subscriptions given the apparent lack of maintenance. ### 1/5 — They send you political emails *2024-11-08, version 6.2.1* If you buy you’re subscribing to them sending exhortations to vote for their candidates. Only company I’ve seen do that. I voted for the candidate they want but hate the idea that companies are going to start sending us political emails. So I deleted this app, unsubscribed from their emails and switched to black ink. It works just as well and is politics free ### 1/5 — Politics with a Puzzle? *2024-10-30, version 6.2.1* I generally liked the app. Used it daily. Then I got a vile political e-mail from the app with partisan puzzles. Not how I like to relax at the end of the day. App deleted. ### 4/5 — Puzzazz *2024-09-02, version 6.2.1* Took me long time to figure out cryptic crosswords, but this app is sooo much fun and highly recommended!! The authors are amazing and really write such quality puzzles!! Like nothing I’ve ever experienced!!! Five stars!! Looking forward to the pleasure and fun this app gives!! Great work!!!! ### 5/5 — Perfect for .puz files *2024-07-16* Needed a app to open crossword competitions. Perfect for the job 👍 ### 3/5 — Free Daily Sudoku AND KenKen broken *2023-07-01* Sudoku hasn’t worked since the end of January; now, the free daily KenKen is defunct as of July 1. Any hope of reviving them? I used to play both of these every day. And the overall app hasn’t been updated in a very long time, which makes me hesitant to add any paid puzzle subscriptions… wish there was any information forthcoming. ### 1/5 — Using an Apple Pencil is an exercise in frustration *2023-06-02* I've set the writing speed to slow, I've read the docs on how I should write the letters (which is a HUGE strike against the app - I have to write letters a specific way?) and it simply doesn't work. No matter what I do, chances are if I need a straight line anywhere in the letter, it's gonna show up as an "I" and if I need something round, it's gonna be either an "O" or an "S". Apps like GoodNotes allow you to lift your pencil from the "page" - ie: normal writing - so it's certainly possible from a technical standpoint. Why we're stuck with something like TouchWrite that simply does not work is beyond me. If the devs want to address this or point out what I might be doing wrong, I'll consider revising my rating but as it stands, the app is literally unusable with an Apple Pencil. ### 5/5 — Enjoy this app *2023-02-06, version 6.2.1* I am glad I can do puzzles daily in retirement. This is budget friendly for me. ## Frequently asked questions about Puzzazz Crossword & Puzzle ### What kind of puzzles can I solve with Puzzazz? Puzzazz offers a wide variety of puzzles, including daily KenKen and hand-crafted Sudoku puzzles. It also provides faithful reproduction of the New York Times Crossword. You can browse and solve hundreds of puzzles from various ebook collections. ### How does the handwriting recognition work? The award-winning TouchWrite™ handwriting recognition technology allows you to solve puzzles by writing directly on your screen. This feature is designed to make solving more enjoyable, especially on smaller devices, and is praised for its accuracy and ease of use. ### Is Puzzazz free to use? The app itself is free and ad-free, offering hundreds of free puzzles to try. You can purchase additional puzzle ebooks if you enjoy the free content. Puzzle ebook sales support the developers and allow them to keep the app free and ad-free. ### Can I use my New York Times Crossword subscription with this app? Yes, if you have a nytimes.com Crosswords subscription, you can enter your credentials into Puzzazz. The app will then automatically download the daily puzzles, allowing you to solve them within the Puzzazz interface. ### What makes Puzzazz different from other puzzle apps? Puzzazz stands out with its ad-free experience, innovative TouchWrite handwriting recognition, and faithful reproduction of the NYT Crossword. It also features an optimized user experience designed by puzzle lovers, with features like Split View support for looking up clues. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 6.2.1 — 2021-09-09 Bug fix release. 6.2: Our popular Free Daily Sudoku puzzles now have a better difficulty ramp up from Monday to the weekend, matching the increasing difficulty of our Free Daily KenKen puzzles. We've improved the puzzle layout on newer iPhones with larger screens, and we adjusted the keyboard layouts to improve usability on all iPhones. We just released some new Sudoku and KenKen books. Check them out! To accommodate more new books, we've reorganized the bookshelf categories slightly. ### 6.2 — 2020-02-21 Our popular Free Daily Sudoku puzzles now have a better difficulty ramp up from Monday to the weekend, matching the increasing difficulty of our Free Daily KenKen puzzles. We've improved the puzzle layout on newer iPhones with larger screens, and we adjusted the keyboard layouts to improve usability on all iPhones. We just released some new Sudoku and KenKen books. Check them out! To accommodate more new books, we've reorganized the bookshelf categories slightly. Bug fixes: Fixed a problem where some completed puzzles were not indicated as completed in the Table of Contents. Fixed some minor problems with diagramless crosswords. Thanks for using Puzzazz! We always appreciate feedback and especially 5-star reviews. ### 6.1.1 — 2019-10-07 Improved iOS and iPadOS 13 compatibility, improved diagramless crosswords, improved support for physical keyboards, color tweaks to improve legibility for color blind people, other bug fixes and improvements. The puzzle answers for The Maze of Games have been released, which means hints may now be used when solving. This release fixes problems with importing downloaded puzzles in .puz and ipuz format into Puzzazz in iOS/iPadOS 13. Note that the way files are downloaded and opened in some applications has changed significantly with iOS/iPadOS 13, and different apps provide different user interfaces for downloading and opening files. Some apps may require you to Download a puzzle and then Open it, while others provide a single operation which both downloads and opens a file. In some applications, you must Save a file to Apple's Files app before you can open it. In Safari, you must download a file and then tap on the downloads icon (a circle with a downward arrow in it at the top of the screen) in order to open the files. The Puzzazz app does not have any control over the process until after you choose to Open a file in Puzzazz (this may be labeled Copy to or Share with in some cases). The Puzzazz choice may be hidden by default. If this happens, there is a More button which will reveal additional choices; you may need to scroll to see it (in most cases, you can promote Puzzazz so it will always appear without having to use the More button). Some applications report that they support ipuz files but do not actually seem to support them. If you choose such an application to open an ipuz file, nothing will happen (and Puzzazz will not open either). 6.1.1 fixes some problems with iOS 9 and iOS 10 that occurred with 6.1. If you are using iOS/iPadOS 13, we recommend you get 13.1.2 Thanks for using Puzzazz! We always appreciate feedback and reviews. ### 6.1 — 2019-09-30 Improved iOS and iPadOS 13 compatibility, improved diagramless crosswords, improved support for physical keyboards, color tweaks to improve legibility for color blind people, other bug fixes and improvements. The puzzle answers for The Maze of Games have been released, which means hints may now be used when solving. This release fixes problems with importing downloaded puzzles in .puz and ipuz format into Puzzazz in iOS/iPadOS 13. Note that the way files are downloaded and opened in some applications has changed significantly with iOS/iPadOS 13, and different apps provide different user interfaces for downloading and opening files. Some apps may require you to Download a puzzle and then Open it, while others provide a single operation which both downloads and opens a file. In some applications, you must Save a file to Apple's Files app before you can open it. In Safari, you must download a file and then tap on the downloads icon (a circle with a downward arrow in it at the top of the screen) in order to open the files. The Puzzazz app does not have any control over the process until after you choose to Open a file in Puzzazz (this may be labeled Copy to or Share with in some cases). The Puzzazz choice may be hidden by default. If this happens, there is a More button which will reveal additional choices; you may need to scroll to see it (in most cases, you can promote Puzzazz so it will always appear without having to use the More button). Some applications report that they support ipuz files but do not actually seem to support them. If you choose such an application to open an ipuz file, nothing will happen (and Puzzazz will not open either). If you are using iOS/iPadOS 13, we recommend you get 13.1.1. Thanks for using Puzzazz! We always appreciate feedback and reviews. ### 6.0.2 — 2018-02-08 iPhone X support, Diagramless crosswords, on-screen cursor keys, improved keyboard, and more. • You might say the iPhone X has an unusual screen shape. We certainly would. It took a bit of twisting, but we now fully support the “notch” and the curved corners. • We’ve added diagramless crosswords! If you’re a New York Times subscriber, they have lots of great diagramless puzzles on their Archives page, and Puzzazz is the only way to solve them on your iOS device. • There have been a lot of requests for on-screen cursor keys, and now they’re here. And, yes, they work for all the crazy puzzle types Puzzazz supports. Turn them on in the Settings menu. • Keyboard keys now highlight when they’re pressed, helping you notice and correct typing mistakes quicker. • We fixed a bunch of bugs, including better handling of puzzles with redacted solutions and resolving issues with some puzzles on small screen iPhones. • 6.0.2 includes minor bug fixes for downloaded puzzles and on-screen keyboards ## Apps similar to Puzzazz Crossword & Puzzle | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Figgerits - Word Puzzle Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/figgerits-word-puzzle-games/id1600880375) | 4.5 (58,218) | Free | Games | | [Word Cross: Zen Crossword Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-cross-zen-crossword-game/id1322257238) | 4.6 (48,539) | Free | Games | | [Acrostics－Daily Crossword Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acrosticsdaily-crossword-game/id1658552058) | 4.7 (8,567) | Free | Games | | [Crossword+](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-plus/id1330947092) | 4.5 (11,316) | Free | Games | | [Daily Themed Crossword Puzzles](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-themed-crossword-puzzles/id1197354394) | 4.7 (131,524) | Free | Games | | [Crossword Puzzle・](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-puzzle/id1507837365) | 4.9 (2,270) | Free | Games | --- *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 2026-08-23.*