Black Ink 2

lately there have been issues with it not updating to the most recent puzzle so it will pick some random puzzle from another date instead. i am not sure how much support it actually gets now. it seems like an app that they look after once in a while

I've used this app nearly every day since the 2.0 update in support of my crossword hobby. It works with the puzzles that I get in my e-mail (use the .PUZ file instead of the .JPZ file), and I also use it to download recent free puzzles from WSJ and The Chronicle. The app supports some special features like circled letters and squares that accept multiple answers. It's difficult to describe, but the grid appearance is very nice, and a really nice feature is that the window is resizable and you can make it basically an size you want. Occasionally I cheat a bit and use the "Check Entire Puzzle" feature to see if I've missed any letters; when I enter the corrected letter, I'm gifted with a lovely green checkmark. There's a feature here that I thought was heresy when I first saw it: if your Mac is in Dark Mode, instead of black and white squares the grid will be black and gray! Now that I've accepted it, this has actually become one of my favorite features. If you get the urge to solve crosswords on the computer in the dark, you can do it without that initial wincing and squinting.

I don't usually write reviews but this app is taking an unwarranted spanking on here. It is a very elegant and intuitive interface to open and solve .puz files which is everything it purports to be. Way more fun than working a pdf or browser based puzzle. Seriously, this is the internet, people, nothing is actually free. If you like solving crosswords, buy a subscription to a service and then use Black Ink to work them.

Black Ink provides a fine interface for solving, whether through downloading in the app itself (it doesn't seem fair to blame the developer for puzzle sources that are unreliable or change access methods, etc) or uploading puzzles from any of the plethora of indie crossword sites. The developer is also very responsive to inquiries and acknowledges and considers suggestions for additions and improvement.

It's hard to imagine a perfect app and Black Ink is certainly not perfect. But it is excellent for my purposes and does almost anything and everything I'd want a crossword puzzling app to do. Highly recommended if you already have a lot of experience solving crossword puzzles with apps. (Can't say what it'd be like if you're new to crossword apps.)

On my first try I chose to get puzzles that coincidentally required a purchase, so I dumped the app. After a kind developer response, I reloaded the app and am very pleased in finding a free puzzle that was challenging and worked well. I am going 5 star for the app and the developer's kind response. If you don't want to pay subscriptions, just keep looking.

None of the crosswords will load. Plus, this app wants $30 to use it, but you still have to pay for the premium corssword subscriptions through the various sources that this app gets their subscriptions from. For example, I would need to pay these people $30 to access this app, but I still have to pay $14 a month to the New York Times for their premium subscription to access the crossword puzzle on this app. A LOT of money for an app that doesn't even work.

I've tried a few, and the New York Times own app and this one is the best. I have been very happy with it. There was some difficulty caused by the New York Times when they stopped using an open format, but Black Ink adapted admirably. I love the new feature to download historical puzzles.

I've been a user since before it initially went on the App Store, and the software has been solid for years. I like the new changes, happy to pay for the upgrade (and frankly, happy to move to the AppStore for convenience).

Very happy with the free version of this app, it works very well, at least for the sources you can download free puzzles from. No ads that I can see though I do have an ad blocker. macOS 12.2 Monterey, iMac 21.5, 2017.

After the free preview puzzles, I never could get a free puzzle without a box popping up telling me I needed to subscribe. I did read the Red Sweater info when I tried the "more Puzzles" - but never did figure out how to make that work. Needless to say I was very disappointed & ended up just deleting the app. Very disappointed!

Attempted to use during the trial but after less than a week I could not even load puzzles anymore.

I understand wanting to make money, but don't say you have free puzzles and then only show premium content on start up. It's a bait and switch. It is too difficult to figure out how to use for free content. Deleting and won't be back.

Non of the crossword puzzle sources works. Requires premium subscription for some sources. No point of a 14 day trial of this if nothing can be tested