Comparison

Minute Cryptic vs The Hardest

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

Head to head
About

Minute Cryptic

Learn cryptic crosswords with a daily, handcrafted clue and a short video explanation. Features a hint system, progress tracking, and a beginner-friendly guide. Offers an optional membership for access to past clues, mini crosswords, and clue creation.

Highlights
  • Daily cryptic clues
  • Bite-sized video explanations
  • Hint system and letter reveals
  • Stats and streak tracking
  • Beginner-friendly 'How to Solve' guide
  • Access to past clue archive (membership)
  • Mini cryptic crosswords (membership)
Features
Read full description

A daily cryptic clue you can actually solve. Learn cryptic crosswords one clue at a time - fun, fast, and free. Minute Cryptic started on TikTok and Instagram, with one clue a day and a short video explaining it. Our fan-base exploded and kept asking for a game to play, so we made it! Now, with the Minute Cryptic app, you get one handcrafted clue each day, drawn from community feedback, playtested with solvers, and paired with a bite-sized video explanation. You can adjust the difficulty with hints or letter reveals, and track your stats as you build confidence and skill. Minute Cryptic is designed to make cryptic crosswords more accessible, playful and fun - one clue at a time. What you get: - A new cryptic clue every day - Friendly hint system to guide you through - Video walkthroughs that actually explain the clue - A “How to Solve” guide built for beginners - Stats and streak tracking to follow your progress - A welcoming community of solvers on TikTok, Instagram, Youtube and beyond Upgrade to membership to unlock: - The full archive of past daily clues - Mini cryptic crosswords for a longer challenge - Create-a-Cryptic mode, where you can write and share your own clues Membership is an auto-renewing subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase, and the subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple ID settings at any time. Terms of Use: https://minutecryptic.com/tcs Privacy Policy: https://minutecryptic.com/privacy

About

The Hardest

Features
Read full description

The hardest word games on the internet. Now in your pocket. Five original daily games. One puzzle each per day. No hints you didn't earn, no second chances you didn't deserve. MATCHSTICKS One word in the dark. Every guess tells you only how many letters match. Deduce the word before your matches burn out. GRIDLOCK Fill the mirror grid. One wrong letter locks you out for the day. INTERLOCK Find the four hidden groups. One wrong guess and you're out. That's not a typo. DOWN YOU GO A lost word game from 1951 television, revived. One phrase a day. Three misses and down you go. PINPAD Crack the vault code in six tries. Then challenge a friend to a head-to-head battle and crack it faster than they do. BUILT FOR STREAK PEOPLE Your streak is sacred. Play every day, keep the flame alive, and watch it climb through the tiers. Miss a day and live with it. CLIMB THE RANKS Global leaderboards for streaks, wins, and weekly play. A monthly championship crowns a champion every month. Everyone starts even on the 1st. PLAY WITH FRIENDS Add friends, compare records, and settle it head-to-head. Invite links make it easy to drag your smartest friend into the fire. TROPHIES Twenty-six trophies for the feats that matter. Some of them may take you a very long time. CLUB MEMBERSHIP Join the Club to unlock custom leagues, a gold member frame, and the Club badge. Membership is a monthly or yearly auto-renewing subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Privacy Policy: https://thehardest.us/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ New puzzles every day at midnight Central. Bring your best game.

Screenshots

Minute Cryptic4 screens
The Hardest4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is chart position: Minute Cryptic at #86 against The Hardest's unranked. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Minute Cryptic sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.00 per month and The Hardest sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 10 level
Minute Cryptic versus The Hardest: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMinute CrypticThe Hardest
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (16 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings16 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
Best chart rank#86 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB14 MB
Age rating12+4+
Developerminute cryptic pty ltdSuccess Media LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Minute Cryptic

Subscriptions2
  • Minute Cryptic Monthly Membership$9.001 Month
  • Minute Cryptic Yearly Membership$90.001 Year
2 purchases

The Hardest

Subscriptions2
  • Club Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Club Yearly$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Minute Cryptic free?
Minute Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The Hardest free?
The Hardest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Minute Cryptic or The Hardest have ads?
Neither Minute Cryptic nor The Hardest shows ads.

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