Review Insights · App Store
NYT Crossplay: Play and Spell
The New York Times Company · 154,423 ratings · ★ 4.8
4.8
★★★★★
154,423 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 26 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"
10 negative reviews mention this · 38% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Good FX, taxes my phone, frustrating. This game’s visual effects are slick - so slick, in fact, that they make my iPhone 14 Pro lag like crazy. So I can’t really appreciate them. But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there a…" - Paramount-Wrap-4
2
"play"
8 negative reviews mention this · 31% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Good FX, taxes my phone, frustrating. This game’s visual effects are slick - so slick, in fact, that they make my iPhone 14 Pro lag like crazy. So I can’t really appreciate them. But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there a…" - Paramount-Wrap-4
3
"phone"
5 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Good FX, taxes my phone, frustrating. This game’s visual effects are slick - so slick, in fact, that they make my iPhone 14 Pro lag like crazy. So I can’t really appreciate them. But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there a…" - Paramount-Wrap-4
4
"issue"
5 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Good FX, taxes my phone, frustrating. This game’s visual effects are slick - so slick, in fact, that they make my iPhone 14 Pro lag like crazy. So I can’t really appreciate them. But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there a…" - Paramount-Wrap-4
5
"people"
4 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Good FX, taxes my phone, frustrating. This game’s visual effects are slick - so slick, in fact, that they make my iPhone 14 Pro lag like crazy. So I can’t really appreciate them. But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there a…" - Paramount-Wrap-4
6
"scrabble"
4 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Good FX, taxes my phone, frustrating. This game’s visual effects are slick - so slick, in fact, that they make my iPhone 14 Pro lag like crazy. So I can’t really appreciate them. But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there a…" - Paramount-Wrap-4
7
"word"
4 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Good FX, taxes my phone, frustrating. This game’s visual effects are slick - so slick, in fact, that they make my iPhone 14 Pro lag like crazy. So I can’t really appreciate them. But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there a…" - Paramount-Wrap-4
8
"immediately"
4 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Crash issue. Immediately crashes once opened. Whatever update they pushed out last broke it." - s.cccccccccccccccc
9
"played"
4 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Algorithm is terrible. I just deleted this app fairly frustrated. I love scrabble but the algorithm is terrible. I am only matched with players who religiously use scrabble word finders, and secondly it feels impossible for me to get wild cards. I just played a r…" - Nateyq
10
"iphone"
3 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Good FX, taxes my phone, frustrating. This game’s visual effects are slick - so slick, in fact, that they make my iPhone 14 Pro lag like crazy. So I can’t really appreciate them. But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there a…" - Paramount-Wrap-4
11
"words"
3 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Good FX, taxes my phone, frustrating. This game’s visual effects are slick - so slick, in fact, that they make my iPhone 14 Pro lag like crazy. So I can’t really appreciate them. But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there a…" - Paramount-Wrap-4
12
"people play"
3 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
📋 All 26 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").
No native iPad version
The app on iPad is just scaled from the iPhone and looks terrible.
i hate this game
i keep losing
Crash issue
Immediately crashes once opened. Whatever update they pushed out last broke it.
Fun until it stops working
Downloaded on my phone, was loving it. Stopped working and will not open no matter what - deleting, downloading, and reinstalling didn’t fix it.
Not everything needs AI
The game is great, but now they’ve forced an AI bot on players. Can’t get the app to work on my iPad now (it’s old, but it runs fine), so I play from my Android phone. I play against family members, and I really don’t want an AI analysis of every move I make. It’s a game, a social interaction. Don’t ruin it by forcing AI into it. At least give access to the old version of the app for those who don’t want the stupid bots looking over our shoulders all the time.
App is bugged!
Since the latest update, the app will no longer launch. Please release a patch to fix this!
Force-closing
New version doesn’t work on my iPhone 13 mini. It force-closes before it even opens. There are others with this issue (see: Reddit threads, etc.) I’m running iOS 18.3.2 and can’t/don’t want to upgrade. Help!
Meh (Updated)
I get that they must make changes to avoid copyright issues with Scrabble. But they make for a weaker game. The placement of the bonuses on the board encourage and reward shorter words. The end play is much simpler and therefore more boring. But the biggest issue is the same fatal flaw for online versions of this game, Words With Friends and Scrabble: it is a pleasant game but most of the people you play cheat. So I am not sure what
the point of playing is.
the point of playing is.
App glitches too much
As soon as I open the app it closes. I have a lot of storage in my phone so I know it’s not an issue on my end.
Can’t open the latest update
App won’t even open. Restarted phone and redownloaded the app multiple times already.
What Happened???
Updated the app yesterday and now it quits immediately upon opening - PLEASE FIX!!!!
Algorithm is terrible
I just deleted this app fairly frustrated. I love scrabble but the algorithm is terrible. I am only matched with players who religiously use scrabble word finders, and secondly it feels impossible for me to get wild cards. I just played a random 7 times in a row, and got 3/21 wild cards over those 7 games. Also NYT is bummy, and greedy👎
Dark Mode Setting Must be Added
The app needs a dark mode. The stark white background is an eyesore and a strain to the eye when playing at night. Additionally, a button that is inconsequential to the game, such as “more,” should be next to the “play” button, instead of “recall/shuffle,” or “swap.”
ORIGINAL REVIEW
Love the new Crossplay game. However, we should be given stats for playing against the computer. I’m forced to play against the computer because real life people we are matched with are NOT active. Matched opponents take days to make moves, if at all.
Additionally, the game background is too bright and needs a dark mode setting for playing at night.
ORIGINAL REVIEW
Love the new Crossplay game. However, we should be given stats for playing against the computer. I’m forced to play against the computer because real life people we are matched with are NOT active. Matched opponents take days to make moves, if at all.
Additionally, the game background is too bright and needs a dark mode setting for playing at night.
Crossbot no longer free
The bot used to review words after the game is now behind a paywall. Disgusting
Tile colors
Each player should be able to choose their own colored tile. It makes it easier to see where one has played.
Too many ads/ads are too long. Deleted.
Too many ads/ads are too long. Deleted.
“Play” button too close to the “recall” button
I am literally begging you to move the “play” button or the “recall” button. I’ve had this game for less than a week and I have already prematurely played a word I did not mean to play because I was trying to hit the “recall” button TWO TIMES. Please move one of the buttons or just make the “play” button the same size as the other buttons, and move it to the right hand side.
There also needs to be a way to get rid of games with people who do not play back within a certain amount of time instead of just resigning.
There also needs to be a way to get rid of games with people who do not play back within a certain amount of time instead of just resigning.
Crossplay
THIS SuCKS
Hacked !!
Downloaded this app and was immediately scammed for a charge of $348.99.
Beware !!
Beware !!
App functions becoming locked behind a paywall
App functions are slowly being locked behind a paywall… only thing that kept me on this app instead of competing apps was the “Crossbot”, you were able to see an analysis of your plays and where you could’ve done better. NYT is slowly locking its other games behind a paywall too and it’s sad to see. They’re just another greedy company.
Game is rigged
Game is heccin rigged fr fr
Good FX, taxes my phone, frustrating
This game’s visual effects are slick - so slick, in fact, that they make my iPhone 14 Pro lag like crazy. So I can’t really appreciate them.
But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there are more higher-scoring tiles than Scrabble, it could be the layout of multiplier tiles, but my boards get locked up with a huge number of overlapping words to the point that the bag is nearly empty and an entire half of the board is empty. These frustrating 3x3 and 2x2 clots plug up the board. Finally someone will open the board up - with a word that starts with V or C, neither of which feature in any 2-letter words!
But the bigger issue is the gameplay. It could just be the people I play, it could be that there are more higher-scoring tiles than Scrabble, it could be the layout of multiplier tiles, but my boards get locked up with a huge number of overlapping words to the point that the bag is nearly empty and an entire half of the board is empty. These frustrating 3x3 and 2x2 clots plug up the board. Finally someone will open the board up - with a word that starts with V or C, neither of which feature in any 2-letter words!
Crashing
You’re app keeps crashing please fix
Crashing
It’s a fun game to play with family. But starting today, everytime I tap to open the app, it immediately crashes and will not let me play.
Play button is misplaced
I love this online scrabble, with options for playing against a remote player or against the computer! The “play” button, however, is badly placed next to “recall” and “shuffle”. More than once I played when I meant to recall letters I was trying out.
Not as good as WWF
For some reason this game lay out does not offer the ability to get the scores available on other word play apps.
Sentiment summary
99%
Positive (4-5★)
0%
Neutral (3★)
1%
Negative (1-2★)