# USA TODAY PLAY Crosswords — user reviews > 243 indexed App Store user reviews of USA TODAY PLAY Crosswords by USA TODAY, rated 4.50/5 from 9,314 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usa-today-play-crosswords/id1445478723/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usa-today-play-crosswords/id1445478723.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 7,199 · 4★ 935 · 3★ 324 · 2★ 208 · 1★ 648 ## What do users think of USA TODAY PLAY Crosswords? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Easy to use - 🧠 Maintains mental acuity - ⏱️ Quick to complete **Cons** - 🐛 Buggy navigation - 🔍 Difficult to find unplayed puzzles - 🔍 Clues hard to see - 💰 Paywall for full access **Commonly reported bugs** - Cursor jumps to second letter - Puzzle randomly flashes and blocks input - Streak not tracking properly - App crashes or won't load - Puzzle archive not working **Most requested features** - Dark mode option - Better puzzle navigation - Filter for unplayed puzzles ## Newest reviews (17 of 243) ### 2/5 — Disappointed *2026-08-15, version 4.0.0* It won’t recognize my login after numerous attempts and work arounds. Even as a subscriber I am still prompted that I need to subscribe to access beyond the 2 free crosswords. With years of stats that I’d like to keep, forced to find something that works. ### 3/5 — Ads *2026-08-13, version 4.0.0* I have paid an annual fee to plan without ads. But the ads continue to roll in between each game. I have reported in the past without results. Payment was for yearly amount. Feel like I am stuck seeing ads. USA needs to stop tricking customers. ### 2/5 — Update is awful *2026-08-05, version 3.0.0* The crossword interface is now broken. It’s not at all as user friendly as it was before this ugly update. Switch it back please ### 1/5 — Unplayable *2026-07-31, version 3.0.0* The new update is terrible! I’ve been a subscriber for years, but now I plan to cancel. The puzzle doesn’t even fit on the screen. Terrible layout ### 1/5 — Terrible *2026-07-30, version 3.0.0* I find this the most difficult crossword. It can’t be opened most of the time. Please bring back the previous crossword format. ### 1/5 — Worst Ever *2026-07-30, version 3.0.0* It blows my mind that a company can put out something this deficient. It shows a total lack of integrity and concern for the user. This app is an absolute joke! Very difficult to navigate, very difficult to get to the puzzle. When you do get to the puzzle, they’ve moved the clue to the top which is not a natural place to look. They don’t have buttons to navigate to the next word. If you hit the space bar it’ll change either up or down, but it doesn’t take you to the next word. This app is so lacking. It is just disgusts me. You would think they would have some quality control and serious testing before releasing a new app. Supposedly they’re aware of the problems and they’re going to come out with a classic version that corrects the problems. I’ll be holding my breath. ### 1/5 — Update *2026-07-30, version 3.0.0* The latest update is awful. I hate it. I was a subscriber but am going to cancel my subscription. Give us the option to revert back to the old layout at the very least. ### 1/5 — Unplayable *2026-07-29, version 3.0.0* Revert back asap! ### 1/5 — New update is terrible *2026-07-28, version 3.0.0* The new update is terrible. Please revert. ### 1/5 — Totally Ruined *2026-07-28, version 3.0.0* New update has made the app impossible to use in flight. ### 2/5 — So much worse *2026-07-27, version 3.0.0* The look of the new app is so much worse. The field of the puzzle is so much smaller. I understand that the app is free because you have to look at ads, but most free games wait until you finish a game to throw you the ads. This one has shortened the window of the game to make room for ads right on the screen while you’re playing the game. They’ve changed the button to start playing. What was wrong with the old Crossword? ### 1/5 — New format is terrible *2026-07-27, version 3.0.0* You have to scroll through countless ads to access the crossword and then you can’t even see the clue and space at the same time when you get to the bottom half of the puzzle. ### 1/5 — Bring back the old app *2026-07-26, version 3.0.0* It was so much easier to use and enjoy before the update. Now games don’t fit on the screen and it takes longer to access all of them. I’m so disappointed. ### 2/5 — Hate the new interface *2026-07-26, version 3.0.0* I loved this app prior to recent updates. I can’t even view the full puzzle on my phone. Just not a fan and planning to cancel my subscription. ### 2/5 — Latest update *2026-07-26, version 3.0.0* This last update makes it difficult to use because it is no longer formatted to fit the screen without scrolling up and down to see the blanks or to see the clue when you get to the bottom of the puzzle. It’s really a pain. ### 1/5 — Update *2026-07-26, version 3.0.0* The new update stinks. I used to play everyday and now the puzzles time out and some don’t even appear. It’s not reliable. Very disappointing. ### 1/5 — New version sucks. *2026-07-25, version 3.0.0* Change it back to old layout. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Puzzles Don’t Open *2026-08-23, version 4.0.0* Waste of time and aggregation when puzzles won’t open. ### 1/5 — New layout *2026-08-06, version 3.0.0* Update: have they really not fixed this issue yet? I canceled my subscription 2 weeks ago due to the horrendous new update, and I keep coming back, assuming the developers would have realized by now and read one of the many, many recent reviews, but apparently not! ### 1/5 — Terrible app design *2026-08-05, version 3.0.0* The latest app redesign is awful. You have to pan and pinch and zoom to see the crossword, and the keyboard overlaps it. The old version the keyboard stopped under the crossword. Additionally, you can no longer jump to the next clue from the keyboard, you can only do it from the top of the crossword. This is so bad I’m not convinced it wasn’t vibe coded by a chimpanzee. I will be canceling my subscription. ### 1/5 — Woof *2026-08-04, version 3.0.0* I never leave reviews but they ruined something good here. Know your audience, know who you are appealing too. No need for the crazy layout and shoving ads down our throats ad nauseam. Simple is best sometimes. Remember that ### 1/5 — new update makes everything unplayable *2026-08-02, version 3.0.0* I will 100% be cancelling my subscription since it’s basically unusable now. ### 1/5 — New design is awful *2026-08-01, version 3.0.0* Unplayable. How this new design got approved is astonishing. ### 1/5 — Ruined *2026-08-01, version 3.0.0* Completely unplayable on iPad as of the latest update. When you hit "Start playing," you get nothing. Reinstalled and same thing happens. Didn't anyone test this before release? ### 1/5 — New Format *2026-08-01, version 3.0.0* I had been doing crosswords on my iPhone for a long time and loved it. Am really unhappy with the new format so I cancelled my subscription. Hoping they go back to the previous one. If so, I will resubscribe. ### 1/5 — Update is terrible *2026-08-01, version 3.0.0* This new update to the app has made it unusable. I was playing regularly and now I’ve deleted the app. ### 1/5 — New design is AWFUL *2026-07-31, version 3.0.0* Who designed this awful new version? It’s not user friendly at all. When you try to type in letters for the crossword, you have to jump up to the top of the screen to move to the next space. I’m bummed my year renewal kicked in last month. Had I known this was the design I would have canceled it beforehand. Please change it back. I will not be renewing next year if it’s still this awful. I am old and can revert back to paper crosswords for the next 50 years of my life. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Original *2026-08-23, version 4.0.0* I'm glad you went back to original format ### 5/5 — App Change *2026-08-14, version 4.0.0* Glad you went back to the previous version ### 5/5 — Changes *2026-08-13, version 4.0.0* UPDATE: ITS BACK! Thank you for listening to your players and changing it back! The changes they just made to a different format suck! Please please please change it back. Went from 5 stars to 1 star real fast. ### 5/5 — Was fine, now impossible to use *2026-07-24, version 3.0.0* The update ruined what was once a good app. I don’t understand why they thought this was an acceptable release, unless they’re intentionally making it miserable to force you to pay for the premium app. Terrible changes, very clunky, crossword doesn’t fit on one screen and you have to scroll down to read the clues then scroll up to type. ### 5/5 — Just right *2026-06-29, version 2.21.0* Puzzles are the right level of challenge for me. I am a purr speller. ### 5/5 — USA crossword puzzle *2026-05-08, version 2.21.0* My puzzle keeps freezing up!!!! I get half way through it and it just freezes. Nothing seems to work !! HELP ### 5/5 — Free Crosswards *2026-05-06, version 2.21.0* The app says I can have three free crosswords each week, but after two crosswords, it says I have no more available. This is after completing puzzles on Monday’s and Tuesdays, so I am well within the weekly timeframe. I have been a subscriber in the past, but went to free version due to time constraints. ### 5/5 — USA crossword puzzle *2026-04-30, version 2.21.0* My puzzle keeps freezing up!!!! ### 5/5 — This is a great app. *2026-04-16, version 2.21.0* I like the crosswords. ### 5/5 — USA crossword puzzle *2026-01-20, version 2.18.0* My puzzle keeps freezing up!!!! --- *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 2026-08-28.*