# Crossword Explorer+ vs Crossword Jam+

Crossword Explorer+ and Crossword Jam+ both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 59% of Crossword Jam+'s written reviews are positive against 22% of Crossword Explorer+'s. Crossword Jam+ also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (18K vs 2.3K). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 — 4.9 for Crossword Explorer+ against 4.8 for Crossword Jam+. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Crossword Jam+ has 18K ratings behind it against 2.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 22% of Crossword Explorer+'s written reviews are positive against 59% of Crossword Jam+'s.

Crossword Explorer+ ships an update every 3 months, Crossword Jam+ every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crossword Explorer+ | Crossword Jam+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-explorer-plus/id1551764376/reviews)** | [4.8 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-jam-plus/id6448909510/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2.3K | **18K** |
| Positive reviews | 22.4% of reviews | **58.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 266 MB | 218 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PlaySimple Games Pte Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1189416142) | [PlaySimple Games Pte Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1189416142) |

## What reviewers say

### Crossword Explorer+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-explorer-plus/id1551764376)

Engage your mind with daily crossword puzzles and trivia. Access thousands of puzzles with new themes each day to expand your vocabulary and general knowledge. Play anytime, anywhere on your iOS device.

**Highlights:** Daily new puzzles, Thousands of puzzles available, Variety of daily themes, Hints for difficult words, Vocabulary and general knowledge improvement

**Features:** With Apple Arcade

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Relaxing and fun gameplay
- 🚀 Smooth and intuitive controls
- 💡 Bite-sized crossword puzzles

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Puzzles too easy and repetitive
- 📍 Heavily US-centric content
- 🔍 Lack of difficulty options or progression
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes reported

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen on startup
- Incorrect answers and spelling errors
- Syncing issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Add difficulty settings or skip easy levels
- Improve crossword variety and reduce repetition
- Optimize for landscape mode on iPad
- Implement cloud save/sync across devices


### Crossword Jam+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-jam-plus/id6448909510)

Engage your mind with a word search and crossword-style puzzle game. Connect letters to form words, discover new vocabulary, and enjoy beautiful scenic backgrounds. Daily challenges and progressive difficulty keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.

**Highlights:** Crossword-style word puzzles, Daily word challenges, Vocabulary improvement, Stunning background scenery, Offline play, Sync game progress

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 No ads or in-app purchases
- 📚 Educational and improves vocabulary
- 🕹️ Fun way to pass time

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔁 Repetitive word choices
- 🤔 Inconsistent dictionary
- 🤯 Frustrating daily challenges
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches in recent updates

**Reported bugs**

- Spinner/wheel feature not working
- Dictionary lookup not functioning
- Daily challenge progress not saving
- Audio issues when opening the app

**Requested features**

- Difficulty settings to increase challenge
- Ability to report missing words
- Improved sync across devices
- Option to listen to own music while playing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crossword Explorer+ free?

Crossword Explorer+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Crossword Jam+ free?

Crossword Jam+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Crossword Explorer+ or Crossword Jam+?

Crossword Explorer+ is rated higher. Crossword Explorer+ averages 4.9 out of 5 from 2.3K ratings, while Crossword Jam+ averages 4.8 from 18K ratings.

### Do Crossword Explorer+ or Crossword Jam+ have ads?

Neither Crossword Explorer+ nor Crossword Jam+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Crossword Explorer+ or Crossword Jam+?

Crossword Explorer+ ships an update every 3 months, and Crossword Jam+ every 5 weeks. Most recently, Crossword Explorer+ was updated on September 23, 2026 and Crossword Jam+ on September 25, 2026.

---

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