Comparison

Best Cryptic Crosswords vs Cryptical

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Best Cryptic Crosswords

Engage with 300 professionally crafted cryptic crosswords designed for accessibility. Enjoy a smooth puzzle experience on your devices with features like zooming, landscape mode, and helpful tools.

Highlights
  • 300 professional cryptic crosswords
  • 12 free puzzles
  • Pinch and zooming grid
  • Landscape mode with clue list
  • Cheats and answer checking
  • British style puzzles
Features
Read full description

300 professional cryptic crosswords puzzles set by Michael Curl from www.bestforpuzzles.com. 12 free puzzles with all features enabled and no ads. These are accessible cryptic puzzles set by a top setter. Features: - great for iPads and iPhones - pinch and zooming grid - landscape mode with clue list - cheats and answer checking - Resume button - British style puzzles - no ads - great value

About

Cryptical

Features
Read full description

Want a fiendish cryptic crossword? Purchase crosswords by professional setters and use the simple, expertly designed interface to solve. Subscribe to get three crosswords free a month plus much more. Need a simpler entry to cryptics? The Cryptical Community has recent single daily clues for free. Look out for the pro submissions! Fancy yourself as a crossword setter? User the Creator to construct your own clues and crosswords. Subscribe and you can share your own creations with the Cryptical Community. You might even feature on the daily clue! Stuck on a really tough clue? Get incremental hints to get you moving again. Use the anagram helper to make hidden words stand out. If you still don't understand the wordplay after all the hints get a clear explanation of how the clue works and level up your solving. Want to collaborate on a crossword? Invite another crossword fan to join in and solve in real-time together. Use the Brainstorm in-app messaging to discuss wordplay and get in-grid notifications badges on clues. Want to get help on your daily cryptic before the answers are released? Easily capture and upload printed newspaper or magazine crosswords, with or without answers, to use the app's solving tools and generated hints. Need a break from the cryptic clues? Get an easy or challenging themed non-cryptic crossword to test your general knowledge! Download the app and get solving! Privacy Policy: www.crypticalcrosswords.com/privacy Terms of Use: www.crypticalcrosswords.com/terms

Screenshots

Best Cryptic Crosswords4 screens
Cryptical4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Cryptical at weekly against Best Cryptic Crosswords's every 7 months. Best Cryptic Crosswords's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Best Cryptic Crosswords sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Cryptical sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Best Cryptic Crosswords ships an update every 7 months, Cryptical weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Best Cryptic Crosswords versus Cryptical: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBest Cryptic CrosswordsCryptical
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (315 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews83.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings315 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS10.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTeazelBenjamin Law Smith

Bugs and requests

Best Cryptic Crosswords

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Purchases disappearing after device change
  • App crashing issues
  • Anticipatory cursor movement causing unintended letter changes

Requested features

4 requests
  • Clue explanation feature
  • More varied and challenging clues
  • Ability to track completed clues
  • Regular updates with new puzzle packs

Cryptical

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Best Cryptic Crosswords

One-time3
  • pack of cryptic crosswords$0.99
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords5 variants$0.99
  • get all 6 cryptic packs$3.99
10 purchases

Cryptical

One-time10
  • Puzzle by CatnipFree
  • Sloggers & Betters York 2026Free
  • Puzzle by ExitFree
Show 7 more
  • Await Further Instructions by HenriFree
  • Puzzle by InvictaFree
  • Puzzle by MajorFree
  • Bad Postman by NoBadWeatherFree
  • Puzzle by OuroborosFree
  • Puzzle by tpgFree
  • Phiday #1 by Phi$0.49

Questions

Is Best Cryptic Crosswords free?
Best Cryptic Crosswords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cryptical free?
Cryptical is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Best Cryptic Crosswords or Cryptical have ads?
Neither Best Cryptic Crosswords nor Cryptical shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Best Cryptic Crosswords or Cryptical?
Best Cryptic Crosswords ships an update every 7 months, and Cryptical weekly. Most recently, Best Cryptic Crosswords was updated on November 6, 2026 and Cryptical on November 8, 2026.

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