Crosswords For iPad
Crosswords are loved by men and women of all ages. They test our knowledge and provide a fun way to pass the time. Now in the digital age, our iPads have become the new way to do crosswords. We compare our favorites in this AppGuide.
Crosswords
Crosswords is the essential and only crossword app you will ever need for any Apple device. This app is universal and runs great on your iPhone and iPad. There is also a Mac version available in the Mac App Store, which will sync with your iOS devices. The app links in with tons of different sources including the NY Times, The Onion, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Thinks.com, People Magazine, and many more. The app will sync between all of your devices, which is a big win. The iPhone version is wonderful and the iPad version is great too. It is a relief to see a developer rethink the interface depending on the device. Best of all, because of all of the different content providers, you get new puzzles every morning for free!
CRUX Crosswords
Crux Crosswords HD is a great alternative to Crosswords. It is half the cost of the essential app. You do not get a universal app, so this one is for iPad users alone. The content is about the same as you will find in the essential app. The puzzles look beautiful on the iPad screen and it is easy to enter your letters to solve the puzzles. A great app for those looking for an alternative to Crosswords.
NYTimes Crosswords
The NYTimes Crosswords app is pretty good. This one will cost you to use. There is a subscription cost of $1.99 per month. The app runs great on the iPad, and iPhone. The app is even enhanced for the Retina display of the iPhone 4. You are able to try out the app for a week to see if the subscription is worth it to you. The app also grants you access to the archives of over 4,000 puzzles. A nice app for those okay spending some money.
iPuzzleHD Crossword
iPuzzleHD Crossword is an okay app. It includes support for not only crosswords, but Sudoku and other word games. The app itself is free. The content does cost money and you may end up spending more money on that than you would the essential app. We would advise spending the five or ten bucks on a good app rather than a freebie with paid content.
365 Crosswords for iPad
For $4.99 you get 365 Crosswords for iPad. The price point is what kills this app. We found the app to be buggy and not as advanced as the essential app or Crux. You have access to 365 puzzles. We found the usability and enjoyability of the app lacking. The app has not been updated since its release in October of 2010, which is yet another reason to avoid it for now.