Comparison

Daily Cryptic vs Cryptical

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

Head to head
About

Daily Cryptic

Learn to solve cryptic crosswords with daily clues, progressive hints, and step-by-step explanations. Build your skills through a structured learning series and practice with weekly crosswords and monthly prize challenges.

Highlights
  • Daily cryptic clues
  • Progressive hints
  • Step-by-step explanations
  • Structured learning series
  • Weekly practice crosswords
  • Monthly prize challenges
  • Progress tracking
Features
Read full description

Daily Cryptic teaches you to solve cryptic crosswords — one clue at a time. Every day brings a fresh cryptic clue with progressive hints and a step-by-step explanation, so you learn the technique behind every answer. Work through the learning series, build a solving streak, then put your skills to work on full crosswords and monthly prize challenges. EVERY DAY • A new hand-picked cryptic clue • Progressive hints when you're stuck • Clear step-by-step explanations of the wordplay • Streaks and stats to track your progress LEARN THE CRAFT • A structured learning series covering the major clue types — anagrams, hidden words, containers, reversals and more • Step-by-step explainers that show how each answer is built CROSSWORDS & PRIZES • Weekly crosswords to practise on • Monthly prize challenges • Entry rules and eligibility are shown before you enter SYNC EVERYWHERE • Your progress, streaks and entries sync between iOS and dailycryptic.co Terms of Use: https://dailycryptic.co/terms Privacy Policy: https://dailycryptic.co/privacy

About

Cryptical

Features
Read full description

Want a fiendish cryptic crossword? Purchase crosswords by professional setters and use the simple, expertly designed interface to solve. Subscribe to get three crosswords free a month plus much more. Need a simpler entry to cryptics? The Cryptical Community has recent single daily clues for free. Look out for the pro submissions! Fancy yourself as a crossword setter? User the Creator to construct your own clues and crosswords. Subscribe and you can share your own creations with the Cryptical Community. You might even feature on the daily clue! Stuck on a really tough clue? Get incremental hints to get you moving again. Use the anagram helper to make hidden words stand out. If you still don't understand the wordplay after all the hints get a clear explanation of how the clue works and level up your solving. Want to collaborate on a crossword? Invite another crossword fan to join in and solve in real-time together. Use the Brainstorm in-app messaging to discuss wordplay and get in-grid notifications badges on clues. Want to get help on your daily cryptic before the answers are released? Easily capture and upload printed newspaper or magazine crosswords, with or without answers, to use the app's solving tools and generated hints. Need a break from the cryptic clues? Get an easy or challenging themed non-cryptic crossword to test your general knowledge! Download the app and get solving! Privacy Policy: www.crypticalcrosswords.com/privacy Terms of Use: www.crypticalcrosswords.com/terms

Screenshots

Daily Cryptic4 screens
Cryptical4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Daily Cryptic at every 2 days against Cryptical's weekly. Cryptical's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). 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. Daily Cryptic sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per 3 months and Cryptical sells 19 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Daily Cryptic ships an update every 2 days, Cryptical weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Daily Cryptic versus Cryptical: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDaily CrypticCryptical
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (10 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings10 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB11 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperTF DailyBenjamin Law Smith

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Daily Cryptic

Subscriptions2
  • Plus Quarterly7 Days trial$24.993 Months
  • Plus Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
19 purchases

Cryptical

One-time19
  • Puzzle by Dalibor2 variantsFree
  • Puzzle by ExitFree
  • Await Further Instructions by HenriFree
Show 16 more
  • Puzzle by InvictaFree
  • Puzzle by MajorFree
  • Puzzle by metagloriaFree
  • Bad Postman by NoBadWeatherFree
  • Puzzle by OuroborosFree
  • Puzzle by tpgFree
  • No. 1C by Linden$0.29
  • No. 2 by Vytautus$0.29
  • No. 3 by Vytautus$0.29
  • No. 4 by Vytautus$0.29
  • Dogs by Linden$0.29
  • Mammals by Linden$0.29
  • Insects by Linden$0.29
  • No. 6 by Doc$0.49
  • Hint and explanation token top up$0.49
  • Animal-themed (x5) by Linden$0.99

Questions

Is Daily Cryptic free?
Daily Cryptic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cryptical free?
Cryptical is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Daily Cryptic or Cryptical have ads?
Neither Daily Cryptic nor Cryptical shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Daily Cryptic or Cryptical?
Daily Cryptic ships an update every 2 days, and Cryptical weekly. Most recently, Daily Cryptic was updated on October 31, 2026 and Cryptical on October 29, 2026.

Other comparisons