Codewords vs Times Puzzles
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Codewords
Engage your mind with unique crossword puzzles where letters are replaced by numbers. Solve the code by deducing which number represents which letter to complete the grid. Perfect for a quick mental workout.
- Number-to-letter decoding
- 900 complete puzzles
- Zooming grid
- Cheats and answer checking
- Landscape mode
Read full descriptionHide full description
Codeword puzzles to keep you busy during coffee break. This full version has 900 complete puzzles. Codewords are crossword puzzles with a twist - there are no clues. Instead, each letter A-Z is represented by a random number 1-26, with the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number. For example, all the 1's may be T's, all the 2's E's and so on. You are given some letters to help start off. All the letters A-Z are present in the early puzzles, with one number for each letter (later puzzles don't necessarily have all 26 letters in the grid). The codewords grid is displayed in full. If you are really stuck then you can reveal a letter. A great way to while away your commute! Features: - zooming grid - cheats and answer checking - landscape mode Also known as Enigma Code, Code Breaker, Cipher crosswords, Code Crackers and Kaidoku. If you're after a bigger challenge, try our Crossword apps - casual, cryptic and US style versions are available.
Times Puzzles
Engage your mind with a daily collection of renowned crosswords and logic puzzles. Access a vast archive and enjoy a variety of challenges on the go, anytime and anywhere. Perfect for puzzle enthusiasts seeking a mental workout.
- Daily crosswords and logic puzzles
- Two-week puzzle archive
- Play anywhere, anytime
- Concise, Cryptic, Quick Cryptic crosswords
- Sudoku, Killer Sudoku, Futoshiki, Kakuro
- Brain Trainer and Cell Blocks puzzles
Read full descriptionHide full description
Updated app store description: Are you a crossword obsessive? Or are you just looking for a daily brain boost? Solve the world-renowned Times Crossword, Sudoku and other puzzles with the new puzzle app from The Times and The Sunday Times. Access hundreds of crosswords and puzzles in our two-week archive, and tackle all the latest puzzles to give your mind a real workout. The app enables you to take on and play our puzzles in one place and on the go, allowing you to play anywhere and at any time. Available puzzles: All Times and Sunday Times crosswords, including: Concise Cryptic Quick Cryptic Jumbo General Knowledge Other puzzles include: Sudoku, Killer Sudoku, Futoshiki, Kakuro, KenKen, Lexica, Polygon, Quintagram, Set Square, Suko, Codeword, Brain Trainer and Cell Blocks How do I access The Times Puzzles? The app is free to download and can be read in one of the following ways: - Monthly in-app subscription to The Times Puzzles - Existing members with a Digital subscription can log-in using their The Times & The Sunday Times username and password Please note: - Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase - Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period - You can manage your subscription and switch off the auto-renewal by accessing your Account Settings after purchase - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable - Free trial offer is for new customers only. - At the end of the free trial offer, you will be charged to your iTunes account automatically unless auto-renew is disabled at least 24 hours before that time. - You can cancel anytime. Cancellation goes into effect at the start of your following billing cycle. - A subscription to Times Puzzles does not include access to any other Times Newspapers Limited products, including but not limited to www.thetimes.co.uk, mobile news content and other apps on non-iOS devices. Full T&Cs can be found at http://www.thetimes.co.uk/static/puzzles-app-terms-and-conditions/ We value your opinion and feedback. Our readers’ views are central to ongoing development and improvements. You can send feedback to us directly by visiting: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/help
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Codewords at 77% against Times Puzzles's 12%. Codewords also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.8) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). Times Puzzles's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months). 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
Both are free to download. Codewords sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Times Puzzles sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Codewords holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Codewords has 83 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Codewords's written reviews are positive against 12% of Times Puzzles's.
Codewords ships an update every 9 months, Times Puzzles every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Codewords | Times Puzzles |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (83 ratings) — better | 2.8 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 76.9% of reviews — better | 12.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 83 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 64 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Teazel | Times Media Limited (Apps) |
Customer experience
Codewords
Times Puzzles
Bugs and requests
Codewords
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Times Puzzles
Reported bugs
6 issues- Puzzles not saving progress
- Puzzles not marking as completed
- Crashes and freezes
- Notifications and settings issues
- Keyboard problems and poor usability
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Puzzles not loading or disappearing
Requested features
5 requests- Add Codeword puzzle
- Improve Sudoku interface
- Add ability to print puzzles
- Sync progress across devices
- Provide more puzzle types
In-app purchases
Codewords
- pack of Codewords (Pack 1)$0.99
- pack of Codewords (Pack 2)$0.99
- pack of Codewords (Pack 3)$0.99
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- pack of Codewords (Pack 4)$0.99
- pack of Codewords (Pack 5)$0.99
- pack of Codewords (Pack 6)$0.99
- pack of Codewords (Pack 7)$0.99
- pack of Codewords (Pack 9)$0.99
- pack of Codewords (Pack 10)$0.99
- pack of Codewords (Pack 11)$0.99
- full set of Codewords packs$2.99
Times Puzzles
- 7 day trial then monthly fee7 Days trial$3.991 Month
- 7 day trial then monthly fee7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- 7 day trial then monthly fee7 Days trial$6.991 Month
Questions
Is Codewords free?
Is Times Puzzles free?
Which has better reviews, Codewords or Times Puzzles?
Do Codewords or Times Puzzles have ads?
Which is updated more often, Codewords or Times Puzzles?
Other comparisons















