CROSSWORDS: Sources: Applications

tablet app

  • "There's an app for that." ~Apple slogan

As mentioned earlier, desktop and mobile applications can automatically download puzzles from selected sites, optimize puzzle size/layout for different size displays, and provide a consistent, customizable user interface, along with other features. We will focus on two applications:

Below is a table of applications for solving crosswords (apps for Authoring will be covered later).

App Name Platform(s) Cost Formats Features Screen
  • alphabetically by app name, or app site
  • check vendors and app stores for latest versions, features and requirements
  • desktop/laptop:
    Mac (Macintosh),
    Win (Windows),
    Lnx (Linux)
  • tablet: iPad, ...
  • smartphone: iPhone, iPodT (iPod Touch), Palm, Blackberry, Android
  • eval or free 'light' version available?
  • .puz (Across Lite) format
  • other file formats?
  • common: Check/Reveal, printing, etc.
  • read FAQs and review articles (via vendor or app sites).
  • image, gallery (slideshow) (for a few apps)
Across Lite [Litsoft];
[via NYT]		 Win
Mac 10.3+
Mac 9.x-10.2
iPad		 free .puz +check/reveal
+print
+customize ui
-download
-support		 across lite
Gallery: Across Lite on Mac & iPad
Demo: on Mac?
iPad tour
Solve Crosswords With Across Lite
Across Trainer iPad $7 .puz ?
American Crossword Tournament app list
Black Ink Mac $25 .puz ?
Boatload of Crosswords Win $20 100,000 puzzles
play online
CrossCraze Win $20 ?
Crossword Twist Win, Mac, Lnx $10 Fill-In; Jigsaw; Cipher
Crosswords



Crossword Light		 iPad,iPhone,iPodT
Palm/webOS
Android
Mac 10.6+

iPad,iPhone,iPodT		 $10
$10
$10
$20

free		 .puz +download:
  US sites: 20
  'UK': 5; $: 4
  see *Web Sources
  Light: limited
+browser .puz
+sync w/ desktop
+check/reveal
+customize ui
+puzzle info
+support
+print		 crosswords
Gallery: iPad
Demo: on Mac
FAQ
You Should Play: Crosswords iOS; 8/10/2012
Crossword Puzzle Fans, Toss Away That Eraser 7/11/2012
CrozzWord Win
Mac (8.x-10.x)
Zaurus (Lnx)
S-E P800
iPaq PPC
others		 NA .puz
others		 +download
-sites out of date
+check/reveal
+customize ui
+cross refs
+puzzle info
-print
-support		 mac crozzword
Gallery: Zaurus, etc.?
Demo: on Mac?
DigWords Win, Mac $20 ?
download.com: Win, Mac app list search: 'crossword',
check Platform
Hamel, Ray app list +authoring
-few viewers
-list up-to-date?
iTunes Store:
Games: Word
(starting with "C")		 app list:
iPad,iPhone,iPodT		 search: 'crossword'
in iTunes app or
on your device
KrossWordz Mac $8 .puz ?
NYT Classics iPad,iPhone,iPodT
Blackberry
Kindle Fire		 free
$5		 ? -limited puzzles
2 Across
2 Across LE		 iPhone,iPodT $6
free		 ?
(UK) Crossword Puzzles app list
USA Today iPad free 2 weeks puzzles; +news
Word Buff app list
Other specialized stores
(Android, Handango,...)?
Your favorite app?		 misc/other puzzle apps?
Guardian (iPhone, iPodT)
Nintendo Crosswords DS (Nintendo)
Simon&Schuster 365 Crosswords (iPhone, iPodT)
Telegraph (iPhone, iPodT, iPad)
Scrabble (iPad)
WORDS with friends (iPhone, iPad, Android)
Crossword Puzzle Fans, Toss Away That Eraser Crosswords (Standalone); Crux Crosswords; ShortyzCrosswords; 7/11/2012
NYT: Word Games Anytime, No Travel Tiles Required 2/22/2011