I can really appreciate an app that values my time, so I’m going to just throw this in here at the start: SpellGrid, an anagram/crossword game out now for iPhone and iPad, will have you playing within five seconds of opening it. That doesn’t affect my review, but I’ve seen enough startup loading screens to think this is worth mentioning.
Category: iOS Games
Works With: iPhone, iPad
Price: $0.99
Alright, now about the game:
In SpellGrid, you start with a word which contains no repeating letters (e.g. smelting). Then, you have a set amount of time to see how many more words you can form, crossword-style, from those letters. The amount of time depends on the length of the starting word; it can be seven, eight, or nine letters long, and you’ll have one, two, or three minutes, respectively, to play your round.
Competitive types can challenge their friends to beat their scores on the same word (the game includes Facebook integration and Twitter functionality), or they can even make their own seed word and try to mess with their pals that way.
It’s a fun, high-energy twist on anagram games.
It’s occasionally a little difficult to find things in the menus, however. For example, if you want to make your own word, you have to tap the icon to the left of “Quick Play” on the main menu to pass through two other options before you get to where you want to go, but the only indication that this is possible is that the icon blinks a little. That’s probably enough for most people, but it took me a while, and I’m not really ashamed to admit it.
Despite that, however, SpellGrid is a good, quick game that provides a great challenge and plenty of opportunity for personal growth and trash-talking. Check it out.

Game Name: : SpellGrid The Good: Quick to jump in, intuitive controls, and tons of replay value. The Bad: Menus are a little obtuse. The Verdict It’s a fun, high-energy twist on anagram games. Well worth a play to word fans, if that’s, like, a thing. Buy from: App Store |