Comparison

Cryptic Crossword vs Crossword+

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

Head to head
About

Cryptic Crossword

Engage with over 260 professional cryptic crosswords designed for experienced puzzle solvers. Enjoy a full-featured experience with 29 free puzzles, including pinch zooming, mistake highlighting, and resume functionality.

Highlights
  • 260+ professional cryptic crosswords
  • 29 free puzzles
  • Pinch zooming grid
  • Cheats and mistake highlighting
  • Resume functionality
  • Customizable preferences
Features
Read full description

A brand new cryptic crossword every day, plus 260+ professional puzzles to keep you pondering. These are cryptic level crosswords, suitable for seasoned crossword enthusiasts. DAILY PUZZLES A brand new cryptic crossword published every day. Build a streak by playing daily, earn coins, and unlock puzzles at your own pace. Four weeks of daily puzzles are available to catch up on. EXPLAIN THE CLUE Stuck on the wordplay? Tap 'Explain clue' for a clear explanation of how any cryptic clue works, breaking down the wordplay and the definition. A great way to learn the tricks of cryptic solving. SUBSCRIBE FOR FULL ACCESS Subscribe for unlimited access to every daily puzzle and all archive packs, with no coins needed. Available as monthly, quarterly, or annual plans. 260+ ARCHIVE PUZZLES Thirteen packs of professional cryptic crosswords to keep you thinking. Great for a quick coffee break or a longer session. EARN COINS & STREAKS Open the app each day to earn bonus coins. The longer your streak, the bigger the bonus. Spend coins to unlock daily and archive puzzles, or watch a short ad for extra coins whenever you choose. Features: - a brand new cryptic crossword every day - daily login bonus with streak rewards - earn coins by playing daily, or watch a short ad for extra coins - unlock puzzles with coins, or subscribe for unlimited access - great for iPads and iPhones - pinch zooming grid - 'Explain clue' breaks down the wordplay and definition of any cryptic clue - hints, highlight mistakes and answer checking - backup and restore If you're finding Cryptic a little too challenging, why not try our standard 'Crossword' or 'Crossword US' apps. The Terms of Use (EULA) can be found here: https://www.teazel.com/cryptic_crossword_terms/ios_terms_en.html

About

Crossword+

Start your day with two new themed crossword puzzles daily, ranging from classic literature to movie magic. Enjoy a satisfying yet gentle challenge, with helpful hints and auto-check features. Solve puzzles offline and adjust text size for a comfortable, ad-free experience.

Highlights
  • Two new themed puzzles daily
  • Over 3,000 puzzles in archive
  • Helpful hints and AutoCheck
  • Offline play supported
  • Ad-free experience
  • Adjustable text size
Features
Read full description

Start your day with a crossword and a smile! Whether you’re a novice solver or a seasoned veteran, we’ve designed Crossword+ so that players of all abilities can enjoy solving our crosswords! We release new crosswords every day and every single crossword in the app has a unique theme. For example, Monday’s crossword is music related, and Friday’s crossword is movie related. Even if you don’t know anything about the topic, you’ll still be attempt the crossword as the theme words are sprinkled into the crossword among other clues. So look forward to testing and expanding your knowledge of movies, music, food, books and much, much more! Why Crossword+? * Two new themed puzzles every single day (one maxi and one mini) * Over 3,000 puzzles in our ever-growing collection * Helpful hints when you need a little extra help * Catches mistakes as you type with our AutoCheck function * 100% ad-free. Just you and the puzzle * Works offline * Adjustable text size for readability Join over 500,000 solvers who've made Crossword Plus part of their routine. Is Crossword+ good for beginners? Yes! Crossword+ is designed for solvers of all abilities. Start with our daily mini crosswords, make use of instant error checking, and use hints whenever you're stuck. We aim to make our clues challenging enough to be satisfying, but accessible enough to keep you moving forward. How does it compare to other crossword apps? We designed Crossword Plus to be simple, intuitive, and accessible to everyone. While there are many excellent crossword apps available, we focus on delivering a clean, distraction-free solving experience that feels natural. Is every puzzle themed? Yes! Every single crossword in Crossword+ is built around a unique theme. What kinds of themes do you feature? Everything from Trivia Delights and Hollywood Hits to Tasty Treats and beyond! With over 3,000 themed puzzles in our archive, there’s lots to explore and new topics every day. Can I use Crossword+ offline? Yes! Download puzzles and solve them anywhere! On planes, trains, or wherever your internet connection isn't reliable. Do you have free crossword puzzles? We publish a new free 5×5 mini crossword every day. We offer a subscription which gives you access to full-size maxi puzzles and our extensive archive. Does Crossword+ have ads? No. We're ad-free. Is Crossword+ good for seniors? Yes! The app automatically respects your device's text size settings. Additionally, you can zoom in on any puzzle grid for additional magnification. Can crosswords help with vocabulary? Definitely. Regular crossword solving strengthens vocabulary, reinforces spelling, and improves word recall. All while having fun. Is this an American or British crossword? Both! We use vocabulary and spelling that works for solvers on both sides of the Atlantic, making our puzzles accessible to a global audience. Does Crossword Plus include easy and hard crossword puzzles? We focus on a single, balanced difficulty level that appeals to most solvers. You can make puzzles easier or more challenging by toggling hints and assistance features on or off. Can I use Crossword+ for quick puzzles? Perfect for it! Our daily 5×5 mini crossword is designed for a quick mental break which is ideal when you just want a few minutes of crossword fun. Does Crossword+ offer hints or help with clues? Yes! Every clue comes with an optional hint to nudge you in the right direction. Fair warning: using a hint adds 30 seconds to your completion time. LICENSED APPLICATION END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Cryptic Crossword4 screens
Crossword+4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Crossword+ at every 10 days against Cryptic Crossword's every 3 months. Crossword+ also leads on ratings volume (11K vs 1.1K) and chart position (#94 vs unranked). Cryptic Crossword's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. Cryptic Crossword sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per year and Crossword+ sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cryptic Crossword holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Crossword+ has 11K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Cryptic Crossword's written reviews are positive against 83% of Crossword+'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cryptic Crossword ships an update every 3 months, Crossword+ every 10 days. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Cryptic Crossword versus Crossword+: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCryptic CrosswordCrossword+
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.1K ratings) — better4.5 (11K ratings)
Positive reviews89.7% of reviews — better82.8% of reviews
Number of ratings1.1K11K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#94 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB49 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperTeazelPuzzleStar Limited

Customer experience

Cryptic Crossword

All ratings1,056 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral2.4%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews262 reviews
Positive89.7%
Neutral7.3%
Negative3.1%

Crossword+

All ratings11,465 ratings
Positive86.8%
Neutral6.9%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews512 reviews
Positive82.8%
Neutral4.3%
Negative12.9%

User reviews

Cryptic Crossword

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great mind workout
  • 👍 Excellent value for money
  • 👍 Fantastic and addictive challenges
  • 👍 Not too hard not too easy
  • 👍 Excellent intro to cryptic crosswords

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional freezing and crashing issues
  • 🐛 Backup/restore not working
  • 🐛 Purchased puzzles disappearing after device change
  • 🔍 Clues can be too easy or too obscure
  • 🔍 Too many anagrams and hidden word clues

Crossword+

From 11K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🧠 Brain-stimulating puzzles
  • 🎯 Variety of themes and difficulty levels
  • ✨ Enjoyable and challenging experience
  • 🧠 Helps keep the mind active
  • 🕰️ Daily puzzles provide a routine activity

Room to improve

  • 💰 Subscription model can be expensive
  • 🐛 Occasional errors in puzzle clues or answers
  • 🤔 Some puzzles may be too difficult for casual users
  • 🕰️ Limited number of free puzzles per month

Bugs and requests

Cryptic Crossword

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Backup/restore not working
  • Purchased puzzles disappearing after device change
  • Freezing and crashing issues

Requested features

7 requests
  • Ability to reset/replay puzzles
  • More challenging puzzle packs
  • Explanations/hints for clues
  • Syncing progress across devices
  • Graded difficulty levels
Show 2 more
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to indicate wrong answers

Crossword+

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Freezing or crashing issues for some users
  • Subscription not always working as expected

Requested features

3 requests
  • Search function to find puzzles by topic
  • More difficulty levels to cater to all skill levels
  • Ability to track progress and stats over time

In-app purchases

14 purchases

Cryptic Crossword

Subscriptions1
  • Yearly (best value)1 Year trial$12.991 Year
One-time13
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 1)$0.99
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 2)$0.99
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 3)$0.99
Show 10 more
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 4)$0.99
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 5)$0.99
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 6)$0.99
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 8)$0.99
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 9)$0.99
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 10)$0.99
  • pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 7)$0.99
  • pack (Pack 13 with 20 puzzles)$0.99
  • pack (Pack 12 with 20 puzzles)$0.99
  • get all 13 Cryptic packs$3.99
8 purchases

Crossword+

Subscriptions8
  • Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Monthly$7.491 Month
  • Monthly$9.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Yearly1 Year trial$37.991 Year
  • Yearly7 Days trial$37.991 Year
  • Yearly1 Year trial2 variants$39.991 Year
  • Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Cryptic Crossword free?
Cryptic Crossword is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Crossword+ free?
Crossword+ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cryptic Crossword or Crossword+?
Cryptic Crossword is rated higher. Cryptic Crossword averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Crossword+ averages 4.5 from 11K ratings.
Do Cryptic Crossword or Crossword+ have ads?
Neither Cryptic Crossword nor Crossword+ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cryptic Crossword or Crossword+?
Cryptic Crossword ships an update every 3 months, and Crossword+ every 10 days. Most recently, Cryptic Crossword was updated on September 26, 2026 and Crossword+ on September 26, 2026.

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