# Midsomer Murders vs Cryptogram Detective Puzzle

The clearest difference is rating: Cryptogram Detective Puzzle at 4.9 against Midsomer Murders's 4.3. Cryptogram Detective Puzzle also leads on chart position (#140 vs unranked). Midsomer Murders's advantage is ratings volume (3.9K vs 588) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Midsomer Murders sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Cryptogram Detective Puzzle sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cryptogram Detective Puzzle holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Midsomer Murders has 3.9K ratings behind it against 588, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 62% of Midsomer Murders's written reviews are positive against 55% of Cryptogram Detective Puzzle's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Midsomer Murders ships an update every 3 weeks, Cryptogram Detective Puzzle fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Midsomer Murders | Cryptogram Detective Puzzle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midsomer-murders/id1543195735/reviews) | **[4.9 (588 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptogram-detective-puzzle/id6740774549/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.9K** | 588 |
| Positive reviews | **62.4% of reviews** | 54.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#140** |
| Size | 321 MB | 194 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Qiiwi Games AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/495572903) | [Digigo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1281475071) |

## What reviewers say

### Midsomer Murders

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midsomer-murders/id1543195735)

Engage in a captivating crossword puzzle and mystery game set in the famously dangerous Midsomer County. Solve puzzles to uncover clues, investigate crime scenes, and interrogate suspects to bring murderers to justice.

**Highlights:** Solve crossword puzzles, Investigate crime scenes, Uncover hidden clues, Interrogate suspects, Analyze evidence, Meet new characters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Small Pack of Butterflies | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ad free | $2.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Piggy Bank | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Piggy Bank | $6.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable game
- 👍 Good combination of word puzzles and mysteries
- 👍 Interesting storylines
- 👍 Nice bonus points and boosters
- 👍 Familiar Midsomer Murders setting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Inconsistent word recognition
- ⏱️ Slow progression due to high badge requirements
- 💰 Aggressive monetization with too many ads
- 🔍 Lack of variety in gameplay (mostly word puzzles)

**Reported bugs**

- Losing progress/energy when the game crashes
- Ads causing the game to freeze or crash
- Inconsistent behavior of the Apple Pencil
- Incorrect word recognition (e.g., 'has' not accepted)

**Requested features**

- More varied puzzles and mini-games
- Ability to skip dialogue and word puzzles
- Faster energy/badge replenishment
- Romantic storylines for the main character
- Ability to choose/guess the killer


### Cryptogram Detective Puzzle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptogram-detective-puzzle/id6740774549)

**Currently charting:** #140 Top Free · Word (US App Store)

Step into the role of a crime investigation detective to solve mysteries using cryptograms and clues. Unravel over 160 unique criminal cases by decoding ciphers, gathering evidence, and making critical decisions to identify the culprit.

**Highlights:** Solve cryptograms, Investigate crime scenes, 160+ criminal cases, Daily challenges, Gather evidence, Decode ciphers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 60 Gems | $2.99 | one-time |
| 130 Gems | $5.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $7.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| 450 Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1200 Gems | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Midsomer Murders free?

Midsomer Murders is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Cryptogram Detective Puzzle free?

Cryptogram Detective Puzzle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Midsomer Murders or Cryptogram Detective Puzzle?

Cryptogram Detective Puzzle is rated higher. Midsomer Murders averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while Cryptogram Detective Puzzle averages 4.9 from 588 ratings.

### Do Midsomer Murders or Cryptogram Detective Puzzle have ads?

Both Midsomer Murders and Cryptogram Detective Puzzle show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Midsomer Murders or Cryptogram Detective Puzzle?

Midsomer Murders ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cryptogram Detective Puzzle fortnightly. Most recently, Midsomer Murders was updated on November 11, 2026 and Cryptogram Detective Puzzle on November 8, 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.*