Comparison

Countdown Game & Solver vs Minute Cryptic

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

Head to head
About

Countdown Game & Solver

Experience the "Numbers" round of a popular TV game show as a tile-based puzzle game. Solve arithmetic challenges by combining numbered tiles to reach a target number. Includes a powerful solver to find all possible solutions and share your progress with friends.

Highlights
  • Numbers game show rounds
  • Tile-based arithmetic puzzle
  • Universal solution solver
  • Millions of starting configurations
  • Share accomplishments via Messages
  • Runs on iPhone and iPad
Features
Read full description

Countdown is a game show on British television (French original: Des chiffres et des lettres). This app reworks the “Numbers” portion of the game show as a Scrabble®-like tile game for your iPhone or iPad. It includes a Universal Solver that finds all possible solutions to any Numbers puzzle you care to throw at it. Feature List: • The “Numbers” rounds of the Countdown game show, reworked as a Scrabble®-like tile game. • More than 11 million unique starting configurations at your disposal. (The precise figure is 11 918 700.) • Play the game by dragging numbered tiles onto the game board and progressively building up arithmetic expressions to a final result that matches the target number (or comes within ten of it). • Includes a Universal Solver that finds, within a few seconds, all possible solutions for a given initial configuration. Furthermore, if no solution is found, you can be sure that no solution exists. • In generating the list of solutions, the Universal Solver recognizes new solutions that are near-duplicates of pre-existing solutions — e.g., with minor variations in the order of the arithmetic expressions — and culls such new solutions in order to the keep the list of solutions manageable. • Fully integrated with Apple’s Messages app, so you can share your accomplishments with your friends and issue challenges to them. • A single universal app which runs on all your iOS devices: iPhone, iPad, and/or iPod touch.

About

Minute Cryptic

Learn cryptic crosswords with a daily, handcrafted clue and a short video explanation. Features a hint system, progress tracking, and a beginner-friendly guide. Offers an optional membership for access to past clues, mini crosswords, and clue creation.

Highlights
  • Daily cryptic clues
  • Bite-sized video explanations
  • Hint system and letter reveals
  • Stats and streak tracking
  • Beginner-friendly 'How to Solve' guide
  • Access to past clue archive (membership)
  • Mini cryptic crosswords (membership)
Features
Read full description

A daily cryptic clue you can actually solve. Learn cryptic crosswords one clue at a time - fun, fast, and free. Minute Cryptic started on TikTok and Instagram, with one clue a day and a short video explaining it. Our fan-base exploded and kept asking for a game to play, so we made it! Now, with the Minute Cryptic app, you get one handcrafted clue each day, drawn from community feedback, playtested with solvers, and paired with a bite-sized video explanation. You can adjust the difficulty with hints or letter reveals, and track your stats as you build confidence and skill. Minute Cryptic is designed to make cryptic crosswords more accessible, playful and fun - one clue at a time. What you get: - A new cryptic clue every day - Friendly hint system to guide you through - Video walkthroughs that actually explain the clue - A “How to Solve” guide built for beginners - Stats and streak tracking to follow your progress - A welcoming community of solvers on TikTok, Instagram, Youtube and beyond Upgrade to membership to unlock: - The full archive of past daily clues - Mini cryptic crosswords for a longer challenge - Create-a-Cryptic mode, where you can write and share your own clues Membership is an auto-renewing subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase, and the subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple ID settings at any time. Terms of Use: https://minutecryptic.com/tcs Privacy Policy: https://minutecryptic.com/privacy

Screenshots

Countdown Game & Solver4 screens
Minute Cryptic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Minute Cryptic at none against Countdown Game & Solver's shown. Minute Cryptic also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#87 vs unranked). Countdown Game & Solver's advantage is review sentiment (86% vs 57%) and monetization model (ad-supported vs freemium). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Countdown Game & Solver against 4.7 for Minute Cryptic. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 40 and 12 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Countdown Game & Solver's written reviews are positive against 57% of Minute Cryptic's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Countdown Game & Solver ships an update every 3 weeks, Minute Cryptic every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Countdown Game & Solver versus Minute Cryptic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCountdown Game & SolverMinute Cryptic
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (40 ratings) — better4.7 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews — better57.1% of reviews
Number of ratings40 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFreemium
Best chart rank—#87 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB55 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperLawrence Anthonyminute cryptic pty ltd

Customer experience

Countdown Game & Solver

All ratings40 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral2.5%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral4.8%
Negative9.5%

Minute Cryptic

All ratings12 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%

In-app purchases

None

Countdown Game & Solver

No in-app purchases

None

Minute Cryptic

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Countdown Game & Solver free?
Countdown Game & Solver is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Minute Cryptic free?
Minute Cryptic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Countdown Game & Solver or Minute Cryptic?
Countdown Game & Solver is rated higher. Countdown Game & Solver averages 4.7 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Minute Cryptic averages 4.7 from 12 ratings.
Do Countdown Game & Solver or Minute Cryptic have ads?
Countdown Game & Solver shows ads; Minute Cryptic does not.
Which is updated more often, Countdown Game & Solver or Minute Cryptic?
Countdown Game & Solver ships an update every 3 weeks, and Minute Cryptic every 5 days. Most recently, Countdown Game & Solver was updated on October 15, 2026 and Minute Cryptic on October 13, 2026.

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