Cruciverbalist vs TangledString
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Cruciverbalist
Design and build your own crossword puzzles with customizable grid sizes and word lists. Get suggestions for words and phrases to complete your puzzles, then export them in various formats for sharing or submission.
- Customizable grid sizes
- Black square and letter placement
- Word and phrase suggestions
- Import custom word lists
- Export to PDF (blank or formatted)
- No ads or subscriptions
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Write your own crossword puzzles! No ads and no subscriptions. CREATE - Pick a grid size: 5x5, 9x9, 15x15, or 21x21 - Fill in black squares and letters - Receive suggestions for valid words and phrases to complete partially filled rows and columns - A 550,000+ word list of English words, names, and phrases is included to make suggestions, but you can also import your own word list to augment or replace this dictionary SHARE - Export completed puzzles to PDF, either blank with clues to share with friends, or formatted to submit to the New York Times
TangledString
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The left and right edges of the screen are tied with 10 strings. Apply the right end that is connected to the left end. The game is over when you can hit as many as 10.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Cruciverbalist at every 3 weeks against TangledString's every 42 months. Cruciverbalist also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Cruciverbalist ships an update every 3 weeks, TangledString every 42 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cruciverbalist | TangledString |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (33 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 72.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 33 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 42 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Miranda Strand | Yukihiro Shioya |
In-app purchases
Cruciverbalist
No in-app purchases
TangledString
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Cruciverbalist free?
Is TangledString free?
Do Cruciverbalist or TangledString have ads?
Which is updated more often, Cruciverbalist or TangledString?
Other comparisons
