Comparison

Astraware CodeWords vs Clean Crosswords

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Astraware CodeWords

This word puzzle game challenges you to crack a secret code by substituting numbers for letters in a crossword-style grid. Use logic and vocabulary to decipher words and climb the global leaderboard.

Highlights
  • Number-to-letter substitution puzzles
  • Daily and Weekender puzzles
  • 50 built-in puzzles
  • Extra puzzle streams
  • Intuitive interface
  • Highlighting for letter consistency
  • Manual and auto-fill options
Features
Read full description

Can you crack the code? Astraware CodeWords is an addictive word puzzle game with a difference! You start with a crosswords style grid but instead of words, each letter has been substituted with a number from 1 to 26. It is up to you to figure out which number stands for each letter! There are no clues but 3 letters are already in place to help you get started and each letter of the alphabet is used at least once. You start by guessing possible words and matching numbers with letters, until you've fully cracked the code - and your vocabulary and logical reasoning will be stretched along the way! Did you know that the letter 'e' is the most commonly used letter in English? Did you know that 'th' is the most common pair of letters to be seen together? You'll use this knowledge and more as you make your guesses and work out the words! Astraware CodeWords gives you access to play our free Daily puzzles - top the global leaderboard by completing the puzzle in the fastest time! For an extra challenge there is a Weekender puzzle available each Friday with a trickier grid and more unusual words. Great features include: - Unlimited access to our two Daily puzzles and Weekender puzzle. - A collection of 50 built-in puzzles in various sizes and difficulties, perfect for beginners and avid players - Extra puzzle streams for endless play - Intuitive interface - Highlighting to show where you've chosen the same letter for different numbers - Option to fill in letters manually, or choose auto to fill in all occurrences of that letter at once - Save slots available to have several puzzles on the go at once, so you can stop for a break and come back to a puzzle later - Option to purchase extra value puzzle packs for offline play - Puzzles Plus subscription for unlimited puzzles Puzzles Plus Subscription Terms and Details Puzzles Plus is our optional subscription for CodeWords which entitles you to play all of the available Daily, Weekender and Stream puzzles as soon as they are available, without in-game adverts or any requirement to earn tokens. Subscribers can also choose to highlight their high scores with a choice of badges. Subscriptions are available with renewal periods of either monthly, quarterly (every 3 months), or yearly. The price shown is the cost of the renewal, with the saving value for longer subscription periods as a comparison to the monthly option. After you confirm a subscription, you will have a free trial period of seven days. Your iTunes Account will be charged as soon as the free trial is over. If you cancel the subscription at any time before the free trial is over, you will not be billed. The subscriptions are automatically renewing, and you will be charged again at the end of your current subscription period. Your subscription will automatically renew unless you turn this off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. The renewal cost will be the same for each subscription period, and will be charged within the 24 hours before the end of your current subscription. You can manage the subscriptions at any time by going to the Account Settings in the Settings App after purchase. There are options to either change to a different renewal period (which will be at a different price) or to cancel your subscription completely. If you cancel the renewal you will still have access to the Puzzles Plus features until the full subscription period is complete. If you confirm the purchase of a subscription before the free trial is complete, any unused portion of the free trial will be lost. These terms are listed at the Astraware site at : https://www.astraware.com/about/puzzlesplus/ For more information on Data and Privacy, please view the Astraware Privacy page at http://www.astraware.com/privacy

About

Clean Crosswords

Enjoy a classic crossword experience designed for iOS devices. This app offers 1,800 puzzles with clues directly in the grid for easy viewing and play. It provides weeks of challenging fun in a clean, British English format.

Highlights
  • 1,800 crossword puzzles
  • Clues in puzzle grid
  • Classic British English
  • Designed for iPhone and iPad
  • Challenging fun
Features
Read full description

Designed for iPhone and iPad and the new iOS and written in classic British English, Clean Crossword is different and possibly the best crossword ever published for iOS devices. The clues are shown right in the puzzle grid, making puzzles easy to view and play for weeks of challenging fun.

Screenshots

Astraware CodeWords4 screens
Clean Crosswords4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Astraware CodeWords at 87% against Clean Crosswords's 66%. Astraware CodeWords also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Clean Crosswords's advantage is ratings volume (1.9K vs 162). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Astraware CodeWords sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Clean Crosswords sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Astraware CodeWords holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Clean Crosswords has 1.9K ratings behind it against 162, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Astraware CodeWords's written reviews are positive against 66% of Clean Crosswords's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Astraware CodeWords ships an update every 6 weeks, Clean Crosswords every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Astraware CodeWords versus Clean Crosswords: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAstraware CodeWordsClean Crosswords
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (162 ratings) — better4.5 (1.9K ratings)
Positive reviews87.4% of reviews — better65.8% of reviews
Number of ratings1621.9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB229 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAstraware Limitedthe binary family

Customer experience

Astraware CodeWords

All ratings162 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral1.9%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews167 reviews
Positive87.4%
Neutral4.2%
Negative8.4%

Clean Crosswords

All ratings1,926 ratings
Positive88.8%
Neutral6.4%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews243 reviews
Positive65.8%
Neutral14.0%
Negative20.2%

User reviews

Astraware CodeWords

From 162 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Enjoyable and mentally stimulating
  • 🚀 Well-designed online puzzle
  • 👍 Challenging but always enjoyable
  • 👍 Great way to stimulate the brain
  • 👍 Excellent puzzles, fun and addictive

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inappropriate words in puzzles
  • 🔋 Increased ads and longer durations
  • 👎 Mandatory commercials ruin the experience
  • 👎 Repetitive long words make it too easy
  • 👎 Glitches and issues with latest update

Clean Crosswords

From 1.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Challenging puzzles
  • 🧠 Helps improve vocabulary and memory
  • 🗓️ Lots of puzzles available
  • 🎨 Clean and intuitive interface
  • 💰 Free app with optional ad-free version

Room to improve

  • 🇬🇧 Too many British-centric references and spellings
  • 🔁 Repetitive clues and answers
  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 📢 Intrusive ads in free version
  • 🕹️ Navigation and layout issues on larger screens

Bugs and requests

Astraware CodeWords

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Hints not adding correctly to time
  • Game no longer loads after recent update
  • Purchased puzzles and packs not available

Requested features

4 requests
  • More free puzzles made available daily
  • Flashing empty space indicator for last letter
  • Theme-based puzzles and more daily challenges
  • Ability to opt-out of competitive leaderboard

Clean Crosswords

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Incorrect word definitions or answers
  • Arrows pointing to wrong cells
  • Puzzle progress not saving properly
  • Ads causing app crashes or freezes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Progress tracking and statistics
  • Ability to replay completed puzzles
  • More variety in puzzle difficulty levels
  • Better integration of American English

In-app purchases

13 purchases

Astraware CodeWords

Subscriptions3
  • Puzzles Plus7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Puzzles Plus7 Days trial$2.993 Months
  • Puzzles Plus7 Days trial$7.991 Year
One-time10
  • Fun-size Pack$0.99
  • Family Pack$1.99
  • Tough Pack$1.99
Show 7 more
  • Easy Pack$1.99
  • Tough Pack 2$1.99
  • Vacation Pack$3.99
  • Ad-Free Daily Puzzles$4.99
  • Deluxe Pack$4.99
  • Deluxe Pack 2$4.99
  • Calendar Pack 2017$4.99
1 purchases

Clean Crosswords

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$7.99

Questions

Is Astraware CodeWords free?
Astraware CodeWords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Clean Crosswords free?
Clean Crosswords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Astraware CodeWords or Clean Crosswords?
Astraware CodeWords is rated higher. Astraware CodeWords averages 4.7 out of 5 from 162 ratings, while Clean Crosswords averages 4.5 from 1.9K ratings.
Do Astraware CodeWords or Clean Crosswords have ads?
Both Astraware CodeWords and Clean Crosswords show ads.
Which is updated more often, Astraware CodeWords or Clean Crosswords?
Astraware CodeWords ships an update every 6 weeks, and Clean Crosswords every 4 months. Most recently, Astraware CodeWords was updated on October 11, 2026 and Clean Crosswords on October 14, 2026.

Other comparisons