Crosswords Classic
Puzzle
Ratings
Age
4+
Category
Puzzle
Languages
English
Thu Feb 26 2026
- fixed a problem trying to adjust Provider options in Settings
Crosswords Classic brings the traditional newspaper crossword experience to your iOS device. It provides access to thousands of puzzles from various providers, ranging from easy Monday-style grids to challenging weekend stumpers. The app focuses on a distraction-free interface, offering helpful hints, progress tracking, and the ability to download puzzles for offline play. It is a staple for wordplay enthusiasts who prefer a traditional, no-gimmicks approach to their daily puzzles.
Dinsun Expert Review
Our Expert Score
Crosswords Classic is the gold standard for enthusiasts who want a digital version of their morning paper. It doesn't rely on flashy animations or 'level-up' mechanics; instead, it focuses on the quality of the clues and the smoothness of the interface. The grid is easy to navigate even on smaller iPhone screens, and the ability to toggle between 'Across' and 'Down' clues with a single tap is intuitive.
The difficulty range is impressive. Whether you’re a novice looking for a 5-minute distraction or a pro ready to tackle a cryptic grid, there’s content for you. Some long-time users have pointed out that the navigation arrows can occasionally be finicky, but it’s a minor hurdle in an otherwise solid app. If you’re tired of 'word games' that are actually just disguised slot machines, this classic experience will be a breath of fresh air. It’s reliable, intellectually stimulating, and endlessly replayable.
Features
Access to thousands of professional puzzles
Hint system for letters and words
Clean, ad-free interface for premium users
Automatic progress saving
Support for multiple puzzle sources
Tips & Walkthrough
If you're stuck, use the 'Check' or 'Reveal' tools. You can reveal a single letter, a word, or the entire grid if necessary.
Gameplays
Download your favorite puzzle sets while on Wi-Fi to enjoy them later during commutes or flights without needing an internet connection.
Screenshot
Q&A
Yes, the app syncs with various crossword providers to offer fresh content daily.
Ratings & Reviews
Problems
Fri Mar 09 2018 larick1230I’ve used this app for years and appreciate its many great features and I still prefer it to alternative apps but over the past months I’ve experienced and reported problems to the developer. The worst problem is occasionally when solving a puzzle and then switching to another app and then returning to this one all of my entries disappear. Not good! As commented by other reviewers the formatting within the app is inconsistent with titles not been fully displayed and most annoyingly on the iPad the puzzle grid continually re-sizes itself when checking clues.
Simple fun
Sun Jan 21 2024 AppricotI love the endless stream of puzzles and can choose source/difficulty. The UI is great as you can use left thumb on arrows to scroll through clues and it always shows both directional clues on whatever square youre on. One of the oldest apps ive owned and amazed its held up so long, just had to finally post a review! Also appreciate diff options like i enjoy the red letter mode for incorrect letters life is too short to have to wrangle a puzzle to trip over bad guesses!
Good App
Wed Jun 30 2021 BraveorchidI use this almost daily. The one issue I have are the occasional puzzles where there are apparently several letters in one box as part of the solution. There’s no way to enter that, so there’s no way to solve the puzzle. It’s rather irritating and I end up deleting them/not bothering when I come across them—it’s just not obvious at first.
Great App and Great Customer Service
Tue Sep 14 2021 J. SusanI have had this app on both my iPhone and iPad for several years now and I love it. Recently the app on my iPad got messed up so I deleted it and reinstalled. The options gear was missing on the reinstall and I was unable to change the settings to my liking. I contacted Customer Service (Ben) who investigated the issue and created an update to fix it. I’m a happy Crosswords Classic geek again!
The best has become the worst
Mon Apr 01 2024 crpwestOriginal (5-star review): There's really no contest among iPad crossword apps. This one's the best by far. The daily stream of top-flight puzzles makes it well worth the price, and the interface is the best in the business - even better than the NY Times app. New review (one-star): For many months now, every other time you click on the help button the app crashes. This problem has NOT been fixed, despite many, many complaints by users. I really want this app to go back to being the best crossword app on the iPad, but as it is now I cannot recommend it to anyone. Please fix that bloody bug!!
Stopped using it
Wed Oct 17 2018 Tremolux66This used to be my favorite crossword app. And it has worked fairly well: I find it easier to operate than other apps. My main concern is the supply of puzzles. My favorite puzzle provider is no longer available , and for a number of the providers that I selected, I haven’t seen a new download in years. The puzzles that are still available no longer interest me, so I’ve subscribed to the NYT puzzles and use their app to work them. It’s not as convenient as this app, but they supply a steady stream of interesting puzzles.
Don’t know what I’d do without it
Sat May 09 2020 wsm484Year after year, this has been the best iOS crossword app. Don’t know what I’d do without it. The gameplay, the configurability, the use of screen real estate... all best in class. I just wish it still handled NYT subscriptions like other crossword apps do.
Unable to print puzzles and no support
Wed Dec 09 2020 Virtual Bulletin BoardIt seems like the developers just walked away from this app. There is no support whatsoever. I’ve been waiting months for them to fix the problem of being unable to print out the puzzles. I get a generic answer that “they are aware of the problem and working on it” but.....months??? C’mon guys, you charge a pretty steep price for an app that has no developer support. Wish I could get my money back. Won’t be downloading any more apps from Standalone, that’s for sure!
