NYT Crossplay vs Shiftogram
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NYT Crossplay
Engage in a strategic 2-player word game that combines social interaction with competitive play. Build words using letter tiles, improve your vocabulary, and track your progress. Enjoy distraction-free gameplay with friends or against the computer.
- 2-player word game
- Play with friends and family
- In-game chat
- Leaderboard competition
- Cross Bot tips
- Word of the day
- Game history tracking
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Play with friends, compete and connect in Crossplay, the first 2-player word game from NYT Games that blends socializing and strategy. Play distraction-free and build words with letter tiles. Use built-in tools to learn, improve and win, or simply enjoy the challenge of this multiplayer game. App Features: PLAY • Take turns placing letter tiles on a shared word game board. • Build words and rack up points with easy-to-play, focused gameplay. • No in-app ads. Focus on your word game strategy. CONNECT • Easily play word games with friends and family. • Share strategies and friendly banter with in-game chats. • Grab your letter tiles and go word-to-word in this multiplayer game. COMPETE • Start a friendly competition and climb the leaderboard. • Play multiple word games against friends or random opponents simultaneously. • Get matched up with equal opponents. IMPROVE • Get tips from Cross Bot after every 2-player game and computer game. • Spell and sharpen your word game skills against the computer. LEARN • Expand your vocabulary with the word of the day and a built-in dictionary. • Check your game history and review your thewords you made on the game board. STATS • Track your progress and lifetime stats, including wins and losses, average scores, longest words and more. BY DOWNLOADING THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSPLAY APP, you agree to: • The New York Times Privacy Policy: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/privacy-policy • The New York Times Cookie Policy: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/cookie-policy • The New York Times California Privacy Notices: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/california-notice • The New York Times Terms of Service: https://www.nytimes.com/content/help/rights/terms/terms-of-service.html • Crossplay Acceptable Use Policy: https://help.nytimes.com/35116654771220-Crossplay-Acceptable-Use-Policy
Shiftogram
This game offers a unique 4x4 mini-crossword experience where clues are randomized. Solve the clue, then strategically drag and drop letter tiles to fit words into the grid. A new puzzle is available daily to maintain your playing streak.
- 4x4 mini-crossword puzzles
- Randomized clue order
- Drag-and-drop tile placement
- Daily new puzzles
- Streak building
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Shiftogram is a new take on a 4x4 mini-crossword puzzle- with a twist! Instead of numbered clues matching specific spots on the board, all of the clues are presented in a random order. First you solve the clue, then you figure out where each word belongs by dragging, dropping, and shifting letter tiles into the correct positions! A new puzzle is released daily- play each day to build your streak!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shiftogram at none against NYT Crossplay's 3. Shiftogram also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 75%). NYT Crossplay's advantage is ratings volume (240K vs 7) and chart position (#18 vs unranked). On price, rating and update cadence 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. NYT Crossplay sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Shiftogram asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for NYT Crossplay against 5.0 for Shiftogram. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NYT Crossplay has 240K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of NYT Crossplay's written reviews are positive against 100% of Shiftogram's.
NYT Crossplay ships an update weekly, Shiftogram every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NYT Crossplay | Shiftogram |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (240K ratings) | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 75.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 240K — better | 7 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #18 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 99 MB | 64 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The New York Times Company | Bradley Frizzell |
Customer experience
NYT Crossplay
Shiftogram
In-app purchases
NYT Crossplay
- Games - Monthly7 Days trial$5.991 Month
- Crossplay - Monthly$5.991 Month
- Crossplay - Annual$49.991 Year
Shiftogram
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NYT Crossplay free?
Is Shiftogram free?
Which has better reviews, NYT Crossplay or Shiftogram?
Do NYT Crossplay or Shiftogram have ads?
Which is updated more often, NYT Crossplay or Shiftogram?
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