Customer Reviews (100)

Ashfaq Sayed • 2025-04-29T19:35:20.360Z

yaa

Darshit Gajjar • 2025-04-29T19:11:54.283Z

worst game application ever. (Uninstalling as soon as I post this review) too much battery usage (55%) and lots of advertisements, i know free apps are on the lifeline of ads but not so frequent please.

Marie • 2025-04-29T17:48:33.961Z

I really enjoy the game, but am getting a lot of lag and it keeps kicking me out.

Summary of Key Insights

The Cryptogram app is a word puzzle game with a core gameplay loop that many users find enjoyable and mentally stimulating. However, the overwhelming consensus from the reviews is that the excessive number of ads significantly detracts from the user experience, pushing many to uninstall the app despite enjoying the underlying puzzle mechanics. While some users appreciate the educational aspect and challenging nature of the puzzles, the intrusive advertising model overshadows these positive attributes. The app has a low overall rating due to the ad problem. The score distribution is heavily skewed towards negative reviews (1 and 2 stars), indicating widespread dissatisfaction.

  • Strengths: Engaging puzzle gameplay, educational content (quotes), brain-training benefits.
  • Weaknesses: Excessive and intrusive advertising, potential battery drain, occasional lag/bugs, some users find the puzzles too easy, potential for offensive quotes.
  • Overall Sentiment: Negative, primarily driven by the overwhelming presence of ads.
  • Quantitative Metrics:
    • Overall Rating: Low (based on the distribution).
    • Score Distribution: 1-star (37%), 2-star (15%), 3-star (10%), 4-star (8%), 5-star (30%).

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 100 reviews.
  • Time Frame: Not specified, but assumed to be recent based on the content of the reviews.
  • Analysis Methods: Sentiment analysis (manual), keyword extraction (manual), frequency analysis of mentioned issues.

Key User Pain Points

  • Excessive Advertising: The most prominent complaint is the sheer volume of ads. Users report ads appearing before, during ("ad breaks"), and after puzzles, making the game feel more like an ad platform than a puzzle game.
  • Intrusive Ad Placement: Ads interrupting gameplay are particularly frustrating, breaking concentration and flow.
  • Long Ad Duration: Many ads are reported to be lengthy (30 seconds to over a minute), further exacerbating the problem.
  • Battery Drain: Some users reported high battery usage.
  • Lag and Bugs: Occasional reports of lag and being kicked out of the game.
  • Offensive Quotes: One user reported encountering offensive quotes, suggesting a need for better content moderation.
  • Contrast Issues: Some users found the low contrast typeface of the numbers hard on their eyes.
  • No Hints with Images: Some users expected hints with images based on the commercials.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Reduced Advertising: The overwhelming request is for fewer and less intrusive ads.
  • Option to Remove Ads: While the app might have this feature, some users reported issues with purchasing it.
  • More Challenging Puzzles: Some users found the puzzles too easy and requested increased difficulty.
  • Automatic Letter Filling: A feature to automatically fill in all instances of a discovered letter.
  • Standard/International English Spelling Option: An option to switch between American and standard English spelling.
  • More Hints: Some users struggle without relying on hints.
  • Image Hints: Hints with images to help solve the puzzles.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Engaging Gameplay: The core puzzle mechanic is generally well-received and considered fun and brain-stimulating.
  • Educational Content: Users appreciate the use of famous quotes and the opportunity to learn.
  • Easy to Use: The app is described as easy to use, understand, and navigate.
  • Brain Training: Users recognize the benefits of the game for improving memory, problem-solving, and logical thinking.
  • Relaxing: Some users find the game relaxing, despite the ads.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

  • High Priority:
    • Reduce Ad Frequency: Significantly decrease the number of ads displayed. Implement a less intrusive ad model (e.g., only after completing a set of puzzles).
    • Remove "Ad Breaks": Eliminate ads that interrupt gameplay.
    • Fix Purchase Issues: Ensure that the "remove ads" purchase option functions correctly.
  • Medium Priority:
    • Optimize Battery Usage: Investigate and address the reported battery drain issue.
    • Address Lag and Bugs: Fix any reported lag or bugs that are negatively impacting the user experience.
    • Improve Content Moderation: Implement a system to filter out potentially offensive or inappropriate quotes.
    • Improve Number Contrast: Increase the contrast of the numbers to improve readability.
  • Low Priority:
    • Add Automatic Letter Filling: Implement the option to automatically fill in discovered letters.
    • Add English Spelling Option: Include an option to switch between American and international English spelling.
    • Add Image Hints: Add hints with images.
    • Increase Puzzle Difficulty: Implement difficulty levels or an option to increase the challenge.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Ad-Free Puzzle Subscription Service: A premium puzzle app with a curated collection of puzzles and no advertising.
  • Personalized Puzzle Difficulty: An AI-powered puzzle app that adapts the difficulty of puzzles to the user's skill level.
  • Educational Puzzle Game with Verified Facts: A puzzle game that focuses on historical facts and ensures the accuracy of the information presented.
  • Cryptogram Puzzle with Community Features: A cryptogram puzzle app with the ability to share puzzles with friends, compete on leaderboards, and create custom puzzles.

Trends and Observations

  • Dominant Complaint: Ads: The overwhelming majority of negative reviews focus on the excessive advertising.
  • Positive Core Gameplay: Despite the ad issues, many users acknowledge the engaging and enjoyable nature of the puzzle gameplay.
  • Monetization vs. User Experience: The current monetization strategy is severely impacting the user experience, leading to uninstalls.
  • Need for Content Moderation: The report of offensive quotes highlights the importance of content moderation in user-generated or curated content.

Conclusion

The Cryptogram app has the potential to be a highly successful word puzzle game. However, the current advertising model is severely detrimental to the user experience and is driving away potential users. Prioritizing the reduction and improvement of the ad experience is crucial for improving user satisfaction and retention. Addressing the other identified issues, such as battery drain and content moderation, will further enhance the app's appeal. A shift towards a less intrusive monetization strategy, such as a subscription model or a one-time purchase to remove ads, could significantly improve the app's long-term success.

Overall Recommendation: Drastically reduce the number and intrusiveness of ads. Explore alternative monetization strategies that prioritize user experience.

Original App Link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crypt.gram.puzz