# Cryptic Crossword vs Crossword

The clearest difference is ads: Cryptic Crossword at none against Crossword's shown. Cryptic Crossword also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 69%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Crossword's advantage is ratings volume (43K vs 1.1K) and chart position (#163 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cryptic Crossword sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Crossword sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

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 43K 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 69% of Crossword's.

Cryptic Crossword ships an update every 3 months, Crossword every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cryptic Crossword | Crossword |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptic-crossword/id661608021/reviews)** | [4.5 (43K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-by-puzzlingcom/id859866568/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K | **43K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.3% of reviews** | 69.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#163** |
| Size | 10 MB | 484 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Teazel](https://appshunter.io/developer/576525182) | [AppyNation Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/488094583) |

## 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 (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| 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 10) | $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


### Crossword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-by-puzzlingcom/id859866568)

**Currently charting:** #163 Top Grossing · Word (US App Store)

Engage your mind with a vast collection of crossword puzzles and word games. Solve thousands of clues, complete daily challenges, and collect trophies across multiple game modes. Enjoy a new puzzle experience every day with this extensive library of brain-teasing fun.

**Highlights:** Thousands of unique clues, Hundreds of original puzzles, Daily themed puzzles, World's Biggest and Tallest crosswords, Multiple game modes (Cryptogram, Codewords, Word Grid), Trophies, quests, and achievements, Timed events

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coin Doubler | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tokens Starter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coins Booster Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tokens Booster Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coins Super Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tokens Super Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coins Mega Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Tokens Mega Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coins Ultra Pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Entertaining and user-friendly
- 🧠 Educational and practical
- 🤔 Challenging but not too difficult
- 🕰️ Good for passing time

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Tokens/coins required to play more puzzles
- 📺 Excessive ads that interrupt gameplay
- 🇬🇧 Some clues use British slang/terms
- 🔁 Repetitive use of same words in puzzles

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes after updates
- Inconsistent behavior with token/coin rewards
- Clues/answers not matching properly

**Requested features**

- Allow exchanging coins for tokens
- Provide more tokens/coins for completing puzzles
- Add option to view past completed puzzles
- Improve navigation and reduce interruptions


## Frequently asked 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 43K ratings.

### Do Cryptic Crossword or Crossword have ads?

Crossword shows ads; Cryptic Crossword does not.

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

Cryptic Crossword ships an update every 3 months, and Crossword every 6 weeks. Most recently, Cryptic Crossword was updated on November 6, 2026 and Crossword on November 7, 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.*