Now you can solve crossword puzzles from popular newspaper USA Today without a subscription. Or even a pencil! All you need is a stylus and a Nintendo DS with USA Today Crossword Challenge.

Solve more than 200 crosswords by filling in letters on the bottom screen. Use the stylus to write the letters, or pull up an in-game keyboard to tap out the words. The down and across clues are located on the top screen.

Features include a save function so you can come back to solve the rest of the crossword later. You can undo and redo letters, and get hints if you can’t figure out a clue. You are timed for each crossword you solve, and if you use a clue or enter in a wrong word, you will receive a time penalty. Luckily you can enter letters in with the pencil function without worry of penalty, and when you’re sure it’s the right word for the clue, you can fill it in permanently with the pen icon. You can also choose to have the game spot your errors immediately or after the crossword is filled. The game is also friendly for left- and right-handers and both English and Spanish speakers.

Which Version Should You Buy?

Around the same time USA Today Crossword Challenge came out, Nintendo released their own DS crossword game, simply titled Cross Words DS. But which version is better? Well, it really depends on your age, skill, and crossword preference. Nintendo’s game features easier and smaller puzzles for beginners, while USA Today’s are more traditional, 15×15 puzzles you’d find in the newspaper. Some more persnickety crossword fans (and yes, I KNOW they’re out there), would probably rather prefer the challenge of USA Today’s puzzles. Nintendo’s Cross Words DS also has a more intuitive interface and menu screens, plus it includes word finds and anagram puzzles. So which one should you get? Well, at only 20 bucks or less for each game, if you REALLY like crossword puzzles, you might as well get both! I got my mom Cross Words DS for Mother’s Day and she STILL plays it! And after she’s done with it, I bet she’ll enjoy USA Today Crossword Challenge as well.

Kid Factor
USA Today Crossword Challenge is rated T for Teen for Drug Reference, as one of the clues in the first puzzle is a slang word for a type of drug. But other than that, it’s a family friendly game. However, the game is still better for older players with strong reading skills because the crossword puzzles can be difficult.

Tags: Game Reviews