Report updated Apr 5, 2026
CodyCross: Crossword Puzzles
v2.8.1Adults and teens who enjoy word games, trivia, and brain-training exercises and are looking for a narrative-driven alternative to traditional crosswords.
What Is CodyCross: Crossword Puzzles?
Launched Mar 8, 2017
Updated Mar 2026
What users think iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
What does it look like?
What are the key features?
Crossword puzzles organized into unique, themed maps and scenarios featuring an alien character.
Daily themed crosswords, password puzzles, and trivia missions to maintain streaks.
Educational gameplay designed to improve grammar and vocabulary through trivia clues.
Each puzzle contains a hidden secret word that adds a layer of discovery and logic.
Adjustable difficulty settings to cater to different skill levels.
What do users think? iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
“Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate engaging gameplay and educational value, but report excessive and broken ads and poor update experience.”
What Users Love
I love this game and have been playing for months.
Very addictive, but educational.
It helps keep your brain working.
Interesting and informative word game.
Pain Points
The ads don't end, have no way to close, and just lock the game.
The ads cause the game to reboot 80% of the time.
Update breaks a great game.
New update won’t let you get past some weird library screen.
High confidence · 99 reviews available
How is it ranked?
| Category | Chart | Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trivia | Grossing | #30 | ▼11 |
| Word | Grossing | #89 | ▼17 |
| Trivia | Free | #98 |
What are the pros and cons?
Pros
- Massive rating volume (1.7M+) indicating long-term market presence
- Unique 'Secret Word' and themed world mechanics
- Strong educational and cognitive health branding
Cons
- Technical instability with ad integrations causing app reboots
- Negative user reaction to recent UI/navigation updates
- Declining sentiment trend and grossing ranks
What is the market outlook?
Growth Opportunities
- Poach users from competitors by offering a more stable ad-free experience
- Expand the 'Today's Password' mode to capture the Wordle audience
- Introduce social/community puzzle-solving features
Market Threats
- Direct competition from Daily Themed Crossword Puzzles
- Rising popularity of minimalist logic-crossword hybrids like Knotwords
- Loss of long-term subscribers due to technical debt
Who competes with CodyCross: Crossword Puzzles?
The Nemesis
Daily Themed Crossword Puzzles
PlaySimple Games Pte Ltd
The most direct competitor, offering themed daily crossword puzzles with a similar casual, trivia-heavy approach.
The most direct competitor, offering themed daily crossword puzzles with a similar casual, trivia-heavy approach.
Contenders
The market leader in word-connect games with a crossword layout, capturing the largest share of the casual word puzzle audience.
Botanical-themed Puzzles
Features a global travel theme and world-map progression that is structurally very similar to CodyCross's themed worlds.
World Travel Theme
Wordzee! - Puzzle Word Game
MAG Interactive
A high-polish word game that combines spelling challenges with a progression system and daily events.
A high-polish word game that combines spelling challenges with a progression system and daily events.
7 Little Words and More
Blue Ox Family Games, Inc.
A unique trivia-word hybrid that appeals to the same 'clue-solving' mental space as CodyCross.
A unique trivia-word hybrid that appeals to the same 'clue-solving' mental space as CodyCross.
Peers
Directly mentioned in CodyCross's description as a trivia alternative for users seeking a different challenge.
AI-Powered Quiz Creator
A fast-growing, relaxing word game that targets the same 'hobbyist' demographic looking for stress-free brain training.
Uncrossed Word Puzzles
New Kids on the Block
Figgerits - Word Puzzle Games
★4.5 (58K)Hitapps Inc
A rising logic-based word puzzle that uses clues to reveal a secret phrase, mirroring CodyCross's 'secret word' mechanic.
A rising logic-based word puzzle that uses clues to reveal a secret phrase, mirroring CodyCross's 'secret word' mechanic.
What are the key takeaways?
CodyCross: Crossword Puzzles is a divisive games app that is available. With a 4.7/5 rating from 1.8M reviews, it receives mixed feedback from users. Users particularly appreciate engaging gameplay, though excessive and broken ads remains a common concern.
Best for: Adults and teens who enjoy word games, trivia, and brain-training exercises and are looking for a narrative-driven alternative to traditional crosswords.
How much does it cost?
Model: subscription
Monetizes through a combination of ad-revenue and a recurring subscription model. Recent ranking drops suggest the value proposition of the subscription may be weakened by technical issues in the free tier.
iOS Version
2.8.1
Android Version
2.8.1
Release Date
Mar 8, 2017
iOS Price
Free
Android Price
Free
Developer
Fanatee