# Cryptic Crossword vs Daily Thread

The clearest difference is update cadence: Daily Thread at every 11 days against Cryptic Crossword's every 3 months. Cryptic Crossword's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cryptic Crossword sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per year and Daily Thread sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cryptic Crossword ships an update every 3 months, Daily Thread every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cryptic Crossword | Daily Thread |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptic-crossword/id661608021/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Teazel](https://appshunter.io/developer/576525182) | [Zachary Ellis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891301572) |

## What reviewers say

### Cryptic Crossword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptic-crossword/id661608021)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly (best value) | $12.99 | per year |
| pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 1) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 2) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 3) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 4) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 5) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 6) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 8) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 9) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 10) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Cryptic Crosswords (Pack 7) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack (Pack 13 with 20 puzzles) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack (Pack 12 with 20 puzzles) | $0.99 | one-time |
| get all 13 Cryptic packs | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- Ability to reset/replay puzzles
- More challenging puzzle packs
- Explanations/hints for clues
- Syncing progress across devices
- Graded difficulty levels


### Daily Thread

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-thread/id6761757949)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thread Archive | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cryptic Crossword free?

Cryptic Crossword is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Daily Thread free?

Daily Thread is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Cryptic Crossword or Daily Thread have ads?

Neither Cryptic Crossword nor Daily Thread shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cryptic Crossword or Daily Thread?

Cryptic Crossword ships an update every 3 months, and Daily Thread every 11 days. Most recently, Cryptic Crossword was updated on October 16, 2026 and Daily Thread on October 2, 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.*