Review Insights · App Store
7 Little Words and More
Blue Ox Family Games, Inc. · 170,469 ratings · ★ 4.8
4.8
★★★★★
170,469 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 43 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"game"
22 negative reviews mention this · 51% of all complaints
★★★★★ "FREEZING, CANNOT PLAY. I pay for this game and this is literally unusable. CONSTANTLY locks up. Tried closing the app, restarting and STILL does this after updating the app. What is going on?!?! FIX THIS NOW!!!" - MidwestGurl93
2
"games"
17 negative reviews mention this · 40% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Stop it with the subscriptions. Pretty good games. If these developers would just sell a game, I would buy it. Instead, I’m uninstalling." - ArtyATL
3
"play"
16 negative reviews mention this · 37% of all complaints
★★★★★ "FREEZING, CANNOT PLAY. I pay for this game and this is literally unusable. CONSTANTLY locks up. Tried closing the app, restarting and STILL does this after updating the app. What is going on?!?! FIX THIS NOW!!!" - MidwestGurl93
4
"been"
12 negative reviews mention this · 28% of all complaints
★★★★★ "This game keeps getting worse. I subscribed to this app for many years. I’ve been a huge fan and have spread the word to countless people who were looking for a new game app. Now it just keeps getting less and less enjoyable while it also gets more and more expensive. I …" - SPCO fan
5
"playing"
10 negative reviews mention this · 23% of all complaints
★★★★★ "What happened?. I’ve been playing these puzzles for years, but in the last few weeks the puzzles refuse to load on my iPad. After waiting >10 minutes, the app just says “Providing Motivations” and a graph line at its max. No puzzles, no feedback, though I’…" - SuncerelySteve
6
"update"
8 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Too many commercials. I’ve had this downloaded for years but am about to delete. The update has too many commercials." - Kcooleyd
7
"years"
7 negative reviews mention this · 16% of all complaints
★★★★★ "This game keeps getting worse. I subscribed to this app for many years. I’ve been a huge fan and have spread the word to countless people who were looking for a new game app. Now it just keeps getting less and less enjoyable while it also gets more and more expensive. I …" - SPCO fan
8
"every"
7 negative reviews mention this · 16% of all complaints
★★★★★ "This game keeps getting worse. I subscribed to this app for many years. I’ve been a huge fan and have spread the word to countless people who were looking for a new game app. Now it just keeps getting less and less enjoyable while it also gets more and more expensive. I …" - SPCO fan
9
"puzzle"
6 negative reviews mention this · 14% of all complaints
★★★★★ "This game keeps getting worse. I subscribed to this app for many years. I’ve been a huge fan and have spread the word to countless people who were looking for a new game app. Now it just keeps getting less and less enjoyable while it also gets more and more expensive. I …" - SPCO fan
10
"does"
5 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "FREEZING, CANNOT PLAY. I pay for this game and this is literally unusable. CONSTANTLY locks up. Tried closing the app, restarting and STILL does this after updating the app. What is going on?!?! FIX THIS NOW!!!" - MidwestGurl93
11
"started"
5 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "This game keeps getting worse. I subscribed to this app for many years. I’ve been a huge fan and have spread the word to countless people who were looking for a new game app. Now it just keeps getting less and less enjoyable while it also gets more and more expensive. I …" - SPCO fan
12
"played"
5 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "This game keeps getting worse. I subscribed to this app for many years. I’ve been a huge fan and have spread the word to countless people who were looking for a new game app. Now it just keeps getting less and less enjoyable while it also gets more and more expensive. I …" - SPCO fan
📋 All 43 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
FREEZING, CANNOT PLAY
I pay for this game and this is literally unusable. CONSTANTLY locks up. Tried closing the app, restarting and STILL does this after updating the app. What is going on?!?! FIX THIS NOW!!!
Too many commercials
I’ve had this downloaded for years but am about to delete. The update has too many commercials.
What happened?
I’ve been playing these puzzles for years, but in the last few weeks the puzzles refuse to load on my iPad. After waiting >10 minutes, the app just says “Providing Motivations” and a graph line at its max. No puzzles, no feedback, though I’ve power-cycled the iPad and redownloaded the app from Apple several times.
Your App Won’t Open
I’ve been playing your games for several years and enjoyed most of the new games you’ve included.
About 4 days ago, the app won’t open. It gets stuck on “motivation” I’ve uninstalled losing all the data and reinstalled with the same issue. What’s up?
About 4 days ago, the app won’t open. It gets stuck on “motivation” I’ve uninstalled losing all the data and reinstalled with the same issue. What’s up?
Does not load!
I like the app but can’t play because it hangs up forever at “providing motivation.”
App still won’t open
App updated. Haven’t been able to play for three days. App still won’t open after last update.
…waiting
Took longer to load than a iOS update. What the hell you putting on our phones?
You get ads even if you buy
Don’t pay to go ad free because you will still get them.
Great quick games
They’ve very recently added ads. Takes away a lot of the enjoyment of playing. As an aside, why do ads for games often include the disclaimer “Not actual game play”? I want to see what the game looks like. Anyway, your games are fun and quick games, but the ads stink.
I used to love this
Whoever decided that slapping an ad in the middle of the screen DURING game play isn’t very smart. It totally breaks concentration. I’ll find something else to play. I won’t read those ads.
WHY?
Why does this developer increasingly make our lives miserable? This is no longer a word game app, rather it’s an ADVERTISING app. And it’s getting worse. It’s bad enough that one needs to sit through a long full screen ad “pre-game”, then endure flashing ads at the top of the screen “during” a game. NOW, they added pop up ads that are 1/3 the screen EVERY 30 SECONDS right on top of the puzzle, during the game permitting play.
Loved and played this app for years, when ads were minimal and noninvasive. But now, this takes the cake. See you later Blue Ox … DELETE!
Loved and played this app for years, when ads were minimal and noninvasive. But now, this takes the cake. See you later Blue Ox … DELETE!
Limit the ads!!!
I don’t mind watching an ad to get a free boost. But limit them to 30 seconds. Some are ridiculously long!
More ads than games
Probably deleting blueox games soon. It used to be fun now its more ads than games. Click X to close and it just cause more pop-ups, restarts same ad, takes you to app store, opens various web pages or apps. I clicked one star for review then when it went to write review it became 5 stats
There’s an ad after every level
They don’t want you to play this game, they want you to watch ads. The first level took maybe 30 seconds to play and there was an ad directly after it. Deleting this app.
Expert?
Too simple, I mean come on. “What is putting clothes in a valise?
Fun, but….
Fun puzzles, but WAY too many adds. More time watching adds than actually playing and using your brain, unfortunately.
The tutorial has ads.
Trying to find a less aggressive money grab of an app for my grandparents’ to play. After playing a single absurdly easy intro level, before the structure of the app has even been explained, I was already sitting through ads.
Whatever this app truly is, I’ll never find out because ads ads ads.
Whatever this app truly is, I’ll never find out because ads ads ads.
FIX THE SYNCING ALREADY!!!
Update: game has a time consuming “Syncing Device” it goes through every time you open it. It’s still not fixed, even with updates. No other game app I have does this. Really annoying.
On the same device, every time I open the games it has to re-sync and play an ad. Better things to do with my time. I’ll give you two days to fix it, then I’m out of here.
On the same device, every time I open the games it has to re-sync and play an ad. Better things to do with my time. I’ll give you two days to fix it, then I’m out of here.
Ads are in the way of playing the games
I have played 7 Little Words since 2012 and enjoyed very much. In fact it’s the only game I play. There have been some issues, but that’s to be expected.
I wish I could upload images to show how disgusting the ads are that actually pop up near the top of the screen and cover the game up.
This doesn’t happen once or twice during play. I’ve actually started keeping track and the highest ad number was 6. I didn’t play for much longer than 10 min. You cannot close them they just eventually go away.
I am very close to deleting the app, and this greatly disappoints me. I understand revenue is always needed, but when does it become too much? When you can’t use the app as it was intended.
I wish I could upload images to show how disgusting the ads are that actually pop up near the top of the screen and cover the game up.
This doesn’t happen once or twice during play. I’ve actually started keeping track and the highest ad number was 6. I didn’t play for much longer than 10 min. You cannot close them they just eventually go away.
I am very close to deleting the app, and this greatly disappoints me. I understand revenue is always needed, but when does it become too much? When you can’t use the app as it was intended.
Used to be my favorite!
I used to enjoy playing this game every day. It has become unbearable with the pop up ads in the middle of games. They last forever, you cannot close them and sometimes run back to back. I get ads make money for the game and will sit through them in between games but this is ridiculous. I am now deleting this game and will search for something better.
They were really enjoyable
Would have been a 4 or 5 star. The puzzles are very good, but the recent trend of allowing the ads in the tp banner to expand and cover a quarter of the puzzle is too much. Oh, and it only seems to be on Apple devices??? Please stop these… they completely ruin the experience
Ads
Lately ads play continuously on top of the puzzle so you can’t see or play the puzzle. This just started so I hope it something you plan to fix SOON!
Ruined by ads
I loved this game, but today it started to have a black square pop up covering almost half the clues. I updated the app and now instead of a black box there’s an actual ad covering almost half the clues and there’s no x to click on to close it. Immediately deleted the app. Sad because I played this game daily. I was fine when the ads were at the top and didn’t impeded gameplay, but it’s not worth it when I can’t even read some of the clues. Hopefully they’ll fix it. Maybe I’ll find out in a few years if I’m bored some day and remember this game.
Can no longer play the games
I played the free version. I don’t mind the regular ads but today little pop ups appeared constantly at the top while I was playing covering half of the puzzle. This makes it impossible to play. So another game app getting deleted.
pleasant little games ruined
Recent upgrade positions all-too frequent ads where they block the view of the game. Ads for adult toys!
Ads While Playing
I don’t know why you did it, but you are now making players see ads during gameplay and they are blocking game controls on an iPad. If this keeps up you will have lost me as a player, and I currently play many of your games daily.
Fun until you put ads over the game board
Ads between games I expect but this change to ads that take over the game board! Pass, uninstalled!
Rough update
Games stalling. Not able to play.
Slow and freezes
Since this last update, all the games are slow and the screen freezes frequently. Please fix this.
Must now play online
I love the game but recent “bug fixes” say you must now play online - I refuse & am gone! Will find something else.
Too many adds. They lock up my tablet
I deleted this app because I have better things to do with my time than to look at excessive adds
Stop it with the subscriptions
Pretty good games. If these developers would just sell a game, I would buy it. Instead, I’m uninstalling.
Disappointed
This used to be one of my very favorite games but over the past month the glitches have gotten more common. They make it very difficult to play and enjoy.
This game keeps getting worse
I subscribed to this app for many years. I’ve been a huge fan and have spread the word to countless people who were looking for a new game app. Now it just keeps getting less and less enjoyable while it also gets more and more expensive. I don’t know what the developers are thinking. My first issue was when I’d completed EVERY daily puzzle from the archives, as well as EVERY available moderate, hard and impossible puzzle. Then I started them again. The previously completed puzzles used to have “last played” info so I knew where to start. That’s been taken away so I sometimes start a game and then realize I completed it fairly recently. The subscription price skyrocketed to a ridiculous price. Why would I pay approximately half the monthly cost of a streaming service for a game? Then came changes to the ads for the daily puzzles. Before it wasn’t a big deal because they essentially timed out and returned to the game. Now you have to complete a couple of steps to get rid of most ads. Sometimes . Then there’s the price of the individual games. Most include only 10 puzzles now, which I can often complete in about 15- 25 minutes depending on level of difficulty.. There used to be large puzzle packs that were special sales; 150 or even 250 puzzles per pack, reasonably priced. No longer. Now I warn people about all of the flaws. Too bad because it used to be such a great game! I’ve only ever reviewed one app but this one felt necessary to me.
Great games if the app would work
I love the games on this app, but lately the app takes forever to open and rarely works. It was fine in the beginning but now it just constantly crashes.
Freezing……Please fix!
Lately there have been downloading problems with the game. It freezes at motivational. I would have given a 5 star but this problem is exasperating
Sudden problem
This has been my favorite puzzle app. Recently, it has failed to load. When I tap it, the progress bar goes halfway to the point where it shows “providing motivation“ and then slows down. It took more than a minute for the progress bar to complete and then it froze. I reinstalled the app and it worked fine for a day and then the same problem came back. I certainly hope that this can be fixed.
Recent Ads in Monkey Wrench Games
This game is great, and I would give it five stars if it wasn’t for recently, there have been ads that are dropping down and hiding the clues in the monkey wrench games. Is this a glitch or is this just the way things are going to be from now on? Please fix.
Good game. Intrusive ads
Have enjoyed the game for many years, when I would have given 5 stars, but the recent update implements ads that briefly but intrusively cover the top third of a given game. An obnoxious decision that diminishes the enjoyment of the game enough to make me look elsewhere for a word game.
Used to be fun
This game is great…until they started putting this stupid pop up ad that shows up in the middle of a game! It’s a lame ad that is on half the screen and has no exit button! I literally have no choice but to click on the ad to exit. It is beyond annoying and probably enough so to have me delete the game! Too bad
There are still issues with VoiceOver.
This game is still not working with VoiceOver. I was hoping that the last update would have fixed the issues. It hasn't. Guess I won't be playing again until this gets fixed. When I see there's been an update, I will check it again. I have submitted my feedback a couple of times.
Ads killed it
I used to love Monkey Wrench but now there are suddenly ads that pop up every 20 seconds or so and last a while too. It’s Impossible to enjoy the game anymore.
Crashes every time
This app crashes every time I switch to a different app (like Chrome) and come back to it. This has been happening for months. Why can’t you fix this?
Sentiment summary
96%
Positive (4-5★)
2%
Neutral (3★)
1%
Negative (1-2★)