For a parent
Daily puzzles for a parent or grandparent
If you are choosing a puzzle app for an older parent, Crux is one option: free on iPhone and iPad, no ads to tap by mistake, and a new small crossword, word search and many other short puzzles every day. Here is what it offers, what it does not, and other apps worth a look.
What Crux offers
- No ads at all: no banners, videos or pop-ups that open another app.
- Familiar puzzles: Quick Crossword, Word Hunt, Wordoku, Mahjong, Capital Match and The Ladder (trivia), each with a new puzzle every day.
- Accessibility the developer declares on the App Store: Dark Interface, Differentiate Without Color Alone, Sufficient Contrast and Reduced Motion. Sound and haptics can be switched off.
- You do not have to use friends or chat to play.
- Some games have no clock at all, such as Word Hunt and Kings.
What to know first
- Crux has a No Wifi section with practice rounds you can play offline; the daily games download each day's puzzle when you are online.
- It is rated 13+ because of chat and contests.
- It has optional purchases. You can block in-app purchases on their device with Screen Time.
- It is in English only.
- It is a set of games, not brain training. We make no claim that Crux improves memory or prevents any condition.
Other apps to look at
Facts from each app's App Store listing, read 6 November 2026.
- NYT Games: the NYT Crossword, the Mini and Wordle. Free to download. Wordle, Connections and Strands are free; the Crossword, the Mini and the rest of the archive need a subscription.
- AARP Staying Sharp: Brain-health challenges and lifestyle lessons on memory and focus. Free to download.
- Netflix Puzzled: Free. Its listing says no Netflix membership is required. Its listing says there are no in-game ads. Its listing says you can solve online or offline.
Get Crux
Free on iPhone and iPad. No ads.
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