# Black Ink Crosswords vs [the Sequence]

The clearest difference is price: Black Ink Crosswords at Free against [the Sequence]'s $2.99. Black Ink Crosswords also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 4 weeks). [the Sequence]'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (4.9 vs 4.4). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Black Ink Crosswords is free to download; [the Sequence] costs $2.99 up front. Black Ink Crosswords sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. [the Sequence] asks for nothing beyond the download.

[the Sequence] holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: [the Sequence] has 244 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Black Ink Crosswords's written reviews are positive against 96% of [the Sequence]'s.

Black Ink Crosswords ships an update every 11 days, [the Sequence] every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Black Ink Crosswords | [the Sequence] |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.4 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-ink-crosswords/id312142427/reviews) | **[4.9 (244 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-sequence/id1035217840/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 21 | **244** |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **96.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 27 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Red Sweater Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/289939919) | [Maxim Urusov](https://appshunter.io/developer/827886412) |

## What reviewers say

### Black Ink Crosswords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-ink-crosswords/id312142427)

Solve crosswords with elegant mechanics and beautiful grids on your iOS device. Access free web puzzles and purchase premium ones from popular sources like the New York Times.

**Highlights:** Elegant solving mechanics, Beautiful grid designs, Supports free web puzzles, In-app purchases for premium puzzles, New York Times crossword integration

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Features | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual Premium Features | $19.99 | per year |
| One-Time Purchase | $99.99 | one-time |


### [the Sequence]

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-sequence/id1035217840)

Engage in a unique puzzle game where you construct sequences using special modules to transfer binary cells. Solve 72 levels with varying complexity, offering a challenge for both puzzle enthusiasts and casual players.

**Highlights:** Build sequences with special modules, Transfer binary cells, Solve 72 challenging levels, Variety of levels and modules, Sandbox mode, Minimalistic graphics, Futuristic sound and ambient music

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Awesome game
- 🚀 Challenging and engaging puzzles
- 💡 Unique and innovative gameplay
- 👍 Clean and polished design
- 👍 Great value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional compatibility issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💡 Could use more levels/content
- 💡 Hint system could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- Initialization errors on some devices
- Inability to drag and drop movements in build mode on certain devices

**Requested features**

- Sandbox mode to create custom puzzles
- More background music options
- Single-step mode for better understanding of solutions
- Option to reset save data


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Black Ink Crosswords free?

Black Ink Crosswords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is [the Sequence] free?

[the Sequence] costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Black Ink Crosswords or [the Sequence]?

[the Sequence] is rated higher. Black Ink Crosswords averages 4.4 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while [the Sequence] averages 4.9 from 244 ratings.

### Do Black Ink Crosswords or [the Sequence] have ads?

Neither Black Ink Crosswords nor [the Sequence] shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Black Ink Crosswords or [the Sequence]?

Black Ink Crosswords ships an update every 11 days, and [the Sequence] every 4 weeks. Most recently, Black Ink Crosswords was updated on October 23, 2026 and [the Sequence] on October 24, 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.*