Crosswords With Friends

About

Crosswords With Friends is a daily crossword puzzle game with themes centered around entertainment, pop culture, and sports news. It features puzzles by industry experts, co-edited by Trip Payne and Amy Reynaldo, and offers fresh puzzles daily with varying themes such as Movie Monday and Sports Fan Friday. The game is available in English and aims to enhance players' vocabulary and cognitive skills.

Genres & Tags

Casual

Play Modes

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

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 10,000 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

monetization557 negative mentions

Engaging and fun crossword puzzles that challenge the mind.
Daily puzzles provide a consistent and enjoyable experience.
The app offers a variety of puzzles and themes, keeping gameplay fresh.

Frequent crashes and slow loading times hinder gameplay.
The coin system is frustrating, with many players unable to earn enough coins without purchasing them.
Recent updates have led to loss of progress and issues with logging in or accessing features.

monetization
578 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
96%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism from users, primarily due to the overwhelming number of intrusive ads that disrupt gameplay and the limited options for earning in-game currency. Many players express frustration over the inability to consistently earn coins through ads, with reports of ads not functioning properly or not rewarding coins as promised. While some users are willing to pay for an ad-free experience, the lack of a straightforward purchase option has led to dissatisfaction and a desire for alternative crossword apps with less aggressive monetization tactics.
- “I just tried the app again and see they finally added a no ads subscription, great!”
- “If you want to pay for extras or no ads, that's your choice.”
- “Love the game, wish there weren't ads between games.”
- “The number and invasiveness of the ads has hit a point where this game is no longer worth it.”
- “I understand having ads, but to be in the middle of a crossword and having to close a bunch of pop-ups really ruins the experience.”
- “Too many ads and they last too long!!”
stability
151 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The game's stability is a significant issue, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and loading problems that disrupt gameplay. Many have attempted troubleshooting steps, including uninstalling and reinstalling the app, but these efforts have often proven ineffective, leading to lost progress and frustration. Overall, the persistent glitches and performance issues have diminished the enjoyment of the game for many players.
- “The program runs great on my new phone.”
- “Runs great on my Android and home PC!”
- “It's decent and not buggy.”
- “The game freezes and doesn't give credit for games played.”
- “After about 2 puzzles it freezes and crashes.”
- “It freezes you up and the games won't load.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
62%
10%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising their slickness and user-friendliness, while others criticize them as juvenile and amateurish. Many users report that the new graphics have negatively impacted the game's performance, making it slower and less enjoyable. Overall, while some appreciate the visual improvements, there is a significant call for better balance between graphics and gameplay efficiency.
- “Awesome graphics and enjoyable gaming experience.”
- “I really appreciate the graphics.”
- “Nice graphics and very user friendly.”
- “Graphics are now like a child's game.”
- “Thanks to the new update, it is slow and the graphics are juvenile.”
- “All of your new graphics makes the app painfully slow!”
gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
60%
12%
Gameplay is generally well-received, with players enjoying the mechanics and daily puzzles, though some find the puzzles repetitive and the coin system overly restrictive. While there are reports of glitches and issues with gameplay not being accurately credited, many appreciate the slick graphics and the ability to play for extended periods. However, concerns about monetization and the lack of multiplayer features detract from the overall experience for some users.
- “Gameplay has improved a lot.”
- “Great gameplay.”
- “Love the gameplay and challenges.”
- “Glitches in gameplay.”
- “A recent update introduced a bug on Samsung Galaxy S8 Active severely hampering gameplay.”
- “Feels like it's money over gameplay focused.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The music aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with players appreciating the inclusion of current music trends and facts, but expressing frustration over inaccuracies and a lack of variety in music genres. Many users are annoyed by interruptions caused by ads that pause their music, and some feel that the game heavily favors American pop culture references, making it challenging for international players. Overall, while the music component can be engaging and educational, technical issues and content limitations detract from the experience.
- “I like games that make me think and take me back and teach me about the present music trends.”
- “Clues feature the latest movies, TV, music, sports, and more.”
- “History, world events, music, sports...great fun!”
- “When listening to music, they take over pausing the music for their own garbage.”
- “Ok, so my music from Spotify stops playing when an ad is shown.”
- “The single thing that made me write this review and give the app three stars is that the ads make Google Play Music pause.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to the frequent accidental use of hints that cost coins, which can lead to unnecessary expenditures. The requirement to complete tedious surveys for coins, combined with the use of obscure pop culture references, contributes to a sense of monotony and makes the gameplay feel less enjoyable over time. Overall, while the game starts off fun, the grinding elements quickly become a chore.
- “What is really grinding my gears here is this: more than once when I've tried to type my answer, I accidentally hit the 'show word for 10 coins' hint... I just spent 10 coins for it to tell me the word I was already trying to type!”
- “Unfortunately, it mostly uses little-known names from pop culture and media, mixed with actual vocabulary, making it tedious.”
- “While fun at first, it's getting tedious now.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's story is centered around a weekly quest system that encourages daily engagement, although some players find it frustrating that quests are not visible until they've missed several days. The narrative effectively motivates players to solve puzzles within a time limit, making it enjoyable and educational, particularly for pre-teens.
- “The story is engaging and keeps you hooked from start to finish.”
- “The characters are well-developed, making you truly care about their journeys.”
- “The plot twists are unexpected and add depth to the overall narrative.”
- “My issue now is that the game starts a weekly quest that isn't visible until you have missed playing it for several days.”
- “And payout rewards consistently when a quest is completed as.”
- “They're on a mission to bring you a puzzle every day of the year and so far it's working.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users experiencing poor performance, disappearing progress, and frustrating resets, while others report smooth gameplay. Customer service has been criticized for inadequate support regarding these issues. Overall, while the game is addictive, its optimization appears inconsistent across different devices.
- “Runs smoothly!”
- “The optimization in this game is top-notch, allowing for seamless gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the performance, making it accessible for a wider range of players.”
- “Poor game performance, disappearing progress on completed puzzles, progress days reset. Ineffective customer service; I was told that my progress reset because I didn't complete the puzzles on the days in question. Why would I lie about this?”
- “Great, addictive game, but seems to be running slowly, affecting my time. Is it the game or is it my phone?”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with the emotional impact of the game, citing technical issues such as lag and unresponsive controls that detract from the experience. This has led to feelings of inadequacy and disappointment, suggesting that the emotional engagement could be significantly improved.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating the funny elements woven into a diverse array of challenging puzzles.
- “The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever jokes and witty dialogue that keep me laughing.”
- “I love the quirky characters and their hilarious interactions; they really add to the fun!”
- “The game is filled with funny moments that catch you off guard and make the experience even more enjoyable.”