Crossword Puzzle Explorer

About

"Crossword Puzzle Explorer" is a game that brings back the classic crossword puzzle experience from newspapers. With puzzles centered around various topics, players can relive memories of solving crosswords while enjoying new ones. The game offers a fun and challenging experience for crossword enthusiasts of all levels.

Genres & Tags

Casual

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,711 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

monetization473 negative mentions

The game is fun and engaging, providing a good challenge for the brain.
It offers a variety of puzzles that keep the gameplay interesting.
The app is easy to navigate and has minimal ads compared to other games.

There are too many ads, often interrupting gameplay and making it frustrating.
The puzzles can be overly simplistic, lacking the challenge that many players seek.
Repetitive clues and answers diminish the overall enjoyment of the game.

monetization
486 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
1%
97%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism from users, with many expressing frustration over the excessive number and length of ads. Players report spending more time watching ads than actually playing, with interruptions occurring both before and after puzzles, as well as during gameplay. While some acknowledge the necessity of ads for a free app, the overwhelming frequency and intrusive nature of the advertisements have led many to consider uninstalling the game or opting out of paid ad removal options.
- “I love that there are not ads after every game and that you have a choice to watch ads or not.”
- “I bought a coin package that included no ads.”
- “Great no ads and some puzzles are challenging.”
- “I realize ads are a necessary part of doing business, but this is greed at the player's expense.”
- “Edit: this should be called 'the ad game!' You'll spend more time watching ads than playing!”
- “I spend more time waiting for ads both before and after a puzzle than it takes me to complete it; it's not worth it.”
stability
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent freezes and crashes, particularly during ad playback and at higher levels. Many users report frustration with the game's performance, noting that it often requires restarting the app to regain functionality. Despite initial enjoyment, the persistent glitches have led to a decline in user satisfaction.
- “Once you reach a certain level, the game freezes at every random ad that is shown.”
- “I used to love this game, played it so much and got high in levels, but recently it's just been too glitchy. It freezes all the time, nearly every second; I just can't do it anymore.”
- “But it crashes and freezes a lot while it's showing ads or going to a new level.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The music aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users appreciating the variety and thematic changes in puzzles, while others criticize the heavy focus on contemporary trends, particularly in rap and hip hop. Additionally, technical issues have been reported, such as the game interfering with users' music players. Overall, the music may appeal more to younger audiences familiar with current pop culture.
- “The music is nice, and the crossword is easy to understand!”
- “I like that the theme of the puzzle changes with each one, e.g., sports, films, music, etc. I've actually learned a lot by solving these puzzles.”
- “It is heavy with sports, music, and TV shows trivia.”
- “Lots of Disney and one-off music, so if you're older, it's not for you.”
- “Also too much focus on rap and hip hop music.”
- “It was okay, but didn't like the fact that nearly half of the questions were made up of contemporary trends such as names of American celebrities, shows, or song titles.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
Overall, the gameplay is described as enjoyable and well-structured, with some unique elements like crosswords. However, players express frustration with repetitive clues, a lack of increasing difficulty, and an overwhelming number of ads that detract from the experience.
- “I like the concept of the game and the gameplay, but I have a question for the developers: I am up to level 100 now and the difficulty level is still very easy.”
- “I love the gameplay and how the game itself is structured.”
- “Unique gameplay with crosswords.”
- “And to top it off, gameplay is different from the ads.”
- “More ads than gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is just okay, but 30-second ads are ridiculous!”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
13%
38%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some users criticizing them as cheap and misleading compared to promotional materials, while others praise the clarity and user-friendliness of the visuals. Overall, opinions vary significantly, with some players enjoying the graphics and others feeling disappointed by their quality.
- “Graphics are great too.”
- “And the graphics are good.”
- “Good fun game‼️ Clear, large user-friendly graphics‼️ Thanks‼️”
- “The graphics are cheap, and the clues for the crossword are ridiculously easy; it's basically a child's game.”
- “The advertisement for this game is clickbait. I'm sick of these ad-filled games that show all this fun stuff, but it ends up being some second-grade level game that looks nothing like the preview graphics and video of someone playing the game. This is garbage.”
- “Exact same game I just uninstalled for the same reason, only with graphic changes.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express mixed emotions regarding the game; while some find the random pop-up ads frustrating and intrusive, others appreciate the sense of accomplishment gained from overcoming challenging puzzles, which boosts their self-esteem.
- “I used to have a hard time with puzzles, but this has made me feel better about myself.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
Users express frustration with the game's story-related mechanics, particularly regarding the quest center where they are unable to claim rewards, leading to a negative impact on their overall experience. The recent update has exacerbated these issues, causing technical problems that detract from the narrative engagement.
- “The story feels disjointed and lacks coherence, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “Character development is shallow, and I found it difficult to care about their journeys.”
- “The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real surprises.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, suggesting that it may detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “It becomes a bit tedious.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive.”
- “I find myself doing the same tasks over and over just to progress.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's optimization is praised for its smooth operation, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable gaming experience.
- “The operations of the game run smoothly, enhancing the overall experience.”
- “The optimization of gameplay ensures that everything flows seamlessly.”
- “I appreciate how well-optimized the game is, making each session enjoyable.”