Learn Cryptic Crosswords

Name: Learn Cryptic Crosswords
Rating: 4.8 (408 reviews)
Author: Teazel

Develop your solving skills

Free · In‑App Purchases · Designed for iPad

408 Ratings
Ages

4+
Years
Category

Education
Developer

Teazel
Language

EN
English
Size

9
MB

Learn how to solve cryptic crosswords with this interactive app, starting with the basic ideas and easiest types of clue. Learn cryptic crosswords consists of six chapters that take you step by step through every aspect of solving cryptic clues. How each type of clue works is clearly explained and supported by examples, with simple diagrams to illustrate key ideas. Each topic is followed by interactive exercises and practice clues designed to reinforce the learning points, and each chapter ends with a practice puzzle to consolidate your learning. The final chapter explains how to develop your solving skills further. It ends with a selection of newspaper puzzles and is followed by an extensive set of reference tools to use when solving. Cryptic crosswords are fun to do and give the brain a good work out, exercising the memory and thinking skills, making new connections and extending vocabulary and general knowledge. Learn cryptic crosswords will lead you to an enjoyable and stimulating new pastime.

Ratings & Reviews

4.8

out of 5

408 Ratings

Great intro to cryptics!
11/04/2019

essetesse
After getting pretty good with the NYTimes crossword I spent some time looking into cryptics. Despite reading a bunch of articles online I found myself pretty much unable to actually do puzzles.This app was what I needed. It was fun to work through, around the 2nd chapter I started to actually solve clues on some cryptics I was working on the side. Definitely worth the purchase price for the many hours of fun challenge. This app unlocked the world of cryptics for me!As an American, I had difficulty with some of the Britishisms. This is definitely a British-English app. My advice to other yanks is to be prepared to give up on some clues and show a few answers from time to time. Some of this British stuff you’ll *never* get. At first I thought this was a problem but the more I got through the app the more I appreciated. The world of cryptics is filled with British puzzles so it was nice to get a leg up.
Great intro to cryptics!
11/04/2019

essetesse

After getting pretty good with the NYTimes crossword I spent some time looking into cryptics. Despite reading a bunch of articles online I found myself pretty much unable to actually do puzzles.This app was what I needed. It was fun to work through, around the 2nd chapter I started to actually solve clues on some cryptics I was working on the side. Definitely worth the purchase price for the many hours of fun challenge. This app unlocked the world of cryptics for me!As an American, I had difficulty with some of the Britishisms. This is definitely a British-English app. My advice to other yanks is to be prepared to give up on some clues and show a few answers from time to time. Some of this British stuff you’ll *never* get. At first I thought this was a problem but the more I got through the app the more I appreciated. The world of cryptics is filled with British puzzles so it was nice to get a leg up.
Awesome!
04/12/2018

rmr172
I’m normally terrible about writing reviews, but this didn’t have any ratings when I stumbled upon it in the App Store and I really loved it.I have tried off and on for years to learn to solve cryptic crosswords and have bought several books, pretty much all the ones I could find since there isn’t much available in the US. I usually ended up with a high level understanding of the clue types but either got frustrated by the jump to solving real puzzles or got burned out trying to read a lot of dense text which didn’t stick very well since it would be hard to avoid seeing the answer and really practice.This did a great job at both breaking up the material into small chunks I could easily resume and giving a lot of practice so I finally felt comfortable with the more difficult clue types. I also loved the example puzzles at the end which gave a good feel of the different sources of puzzles for more practice.This uses British English which I first thought was a drawback and then realized I actually really liked it. Given that most of the puzzles available are British, being able to learn that way too felt very helpful.
Awesome!
04/12/2018

rmr172

I’m normally terrible about writing reviews, but this didn’t have any ratings when I stumbled upon it in the App Store and I really loved it.I have tried off and on for years to learn to solve cryptic crosswords and have bought several books, pretty much all the ones I could find since there isn’t much available in the US. I usually ended up with a high level understanding of the clue types but either got frustrated by the jump to solving real puzzles or got burned out trying to read a lot of dense text which didn’t stick very well since it would be hard to avoid seeing the answer and really practice.This did a great job at both breaking up the material into small chunks I could easily resume and giving a lot of practice so I finally felt comfortable with the more difficult clue types. I also loved the example puzzles at the end which gave a good feel of the different sources of puzzles for more practice.This uses British English which I first thought was a drawback and then realized I actually really liked it. Given that most of the puzzles available are British, being able to learn that way too felt very helpful.
Excellent app for an introduction to cryptic crosswords
Jan 17

MaBa1977
This app is worth every penny of the money you spend on it. It truly demystified Cryptic Crosswords for me. The creator does an excellent job of explaining the concepts in an easy to digest manner and builds up on the skills needed to solve a full grid. At the end of this course, cryptic clues that never made sense to you in the past will make sense and you may even be able tackle the not so easy puzzles in newspapers. Highly recommend this app to anyone who is interested in learning about cryptic crosswords.
Excellent app for an introduction to cryptic crosswords
Jan 17

MaBa1977

This app is worth every penny of the money you spend on it. It truly demystified Cryptic Crosswords for me. The creator does an excellent job of explaining the concepts in an easy to digest manner and builds up on the skills needed to solve a full grid. At the end of this course, cryptic clues that never made sense to you in the past will make sense and you may even be able tackle the not so easy puzzles in newspapers. Highly recommend this app to anyone who is interested in learning about cryptic crosswords.
Really helpful, wish I had found this sooner!
05/22/2023

BongoHead
Growing up, I'd watch in awe as my dad solve cryptic crosswords effortlessly. The answers never made sense to me. So one day he showed me how an anagram works in a clue. Later I tired on my own and other clue types made no sense to my young mind. This app will teach you the tricks, hidden meanings, structures used in cryptic crosswords in fun and engaging way. It's like having my dad explain it to me! :) Highly recommend.
Really helpful, wish I had found this sooner!
05/22/2023

BongoHead

Growing up, I'd watch in awe as my dad solve cryptic crosswords effortlessly. The answers never made sense to me. So one day he showed me how an anagram works in a clue. Later I tired on my own and other clue types made no sense to my young mind. This app will teach you the tricks, hidden meanings, structures used in cryptic crosswords in fun and engaging way. It's like having my dad explain it to me! :) Highly recommend.