# Countdown Game & Solver vs Minute Cryptic

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 (#96 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.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Game & Solver | Minute Cryptic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-game-and-solver/id1394219228/reviews)** | [4.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minute-cryptic/id6751253828/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **40** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **85.7% of reviews** | 57.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#96** |
| Size | 19 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Lawrence Anthony](https://appshunter.io/developer/1064198829) | [minute cryptic pty ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771490830) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown Game & Solver

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-game-and-solver/id1394219228)

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:** macOS Compatibility, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Minute Cryptic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minute-cryptic/id6751253828)

**Currently charting:** #96 Top Grossing · Word, #104 Top Free · Word (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*