CrossAbout vs Doublet
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CrossAbout
Build unique crossword puzzles by solving clues with multiple answers. Arrange words around challenges, earn stars, and unlock new content. A daily free puzzle keeps the wordplay fresh.
- Build puzzles in reverse
- Clues with multiple answers
- Earn stars for solving
- Unlock themed packs
- Daily free puzzle
- Challenging grid layouts
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CrossAbout is an indie puzzle game where players build their own crossword puzzles in reverse using clues with multiple answers. Given a set of crossword clues with multiple correct answers, players craft different layouts and combinations of words that satisfy the puzzle. Earn stars by solving levels and by finding combinations with the most or fewest squares filled. A new, free puzzle is featured daily, while creatively-themed packs and monthly archives are unlocked using stars you earn along the way. Some puzzles involve higher challenges such as blocked or prefilled squares. Arrange answers around the blocks in a traditional crossword format. Correlate words which use the prefilled letters. Move or rotate your answers, and spend stars to get hints. Choose from an assortment of CrossAbout packs from simple to sudoku-style to difficult single solutions. Purchase stars in-game by donating to our non-profit, Cinq-Mars Media, a 501(c)(3) organization. Sales support our mission of developing educational games and technology. CrossAbout was developed by the creator of the award-winning puzzle games Synonymy, Anagraphs, and The Devil's Calculator. Dedicated to and inspired by Will Shortz, NYT Crossword Editor. Whether you are a crossword lover or a casual gamer, CrossAbout creates wordplay enjoyment. Have fun creating grids, and see how flexible your mind can be!
Doublet
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Doublet is a quiet word-ladder puzzle inspired by Lewis Carroll's 1879 invention. Start with one word at the top of the ladder. Reach the target word at the bottom. Along the way, fill each empty step with a word that changes exactly one letter from the line above. Every intermediate must be a real word in your chosen language. Every word you fill in pairs with its dictionary entry — the app teaches you what each one means as you go. • 200 hand-picked ladders across 10 themed worlds • Plays in English, French, and German — switch any time in Settings • Every step pairs with its dictionary definition (Wiktionary, cached on-device once seen) • 4-tier hint system: the meaning first, then the changing letter position, then the letter, then the whole word • Tap any completed word to see its full dictionary entry — multiple senses, example sentences • Light, dark, and auto themes • Statistics page: ladders solved per world, unique words seen per language Three worlds are free forever — Threshold, Garden, and Kitchen (60 ladders per language). Unlock the remaining seven — Library, Workshop, Coffee, Studio, Constellation, Atelier, and Doublet — for a one-time USD $0.99. No subscriptions. No advertising. No daily streaks. No streak-shame loops. Doublet is for thoughtful evenings, slow afternoons, train rides without WiFi (after the first definition fetch caches), and the moment you'd otherwise reach for a doom-scroll. Quiet Paper Studio — same family as Tessera and Lattice. Carroll invented the puzzle in 1879 in Vanity Fair magazine; the mechanic is in the public domain. The implementation, content, hint flow, dictionary integration, and quiet-paper design are by Quiet Paper Studio.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: CrossAbout at 11.0 against Doublet's 15.0. 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. CrossAbout sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Doublet sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | CrossAbout | Doublet |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 26 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cinq-Mars Media | Nirmal Acharya |
In-app purchases
CrossAbout
- 30 Stars$1.99
- 100 Stars$4.99
- 300 Stars$8.99
Doublet
- Pro Unlock — All 10 Worlds$0.99









