Cryptogram Tale is a treat for anyone who loves word puzzles and storytelling. It takes the classic substitution cipher and wraps it in a charming narrative wrapper. Decoding a passage and realizing you've just unlocked a part of an old fable or a custom story gives you a great sense of progression that most word games lack.
The UI is clean and customizable, which is important when you're staring at letters for a long time. It’s a great 'brain workout' app that feels more substantial than a simple crossword. While the core gameplay never changes, the variety of stories and the daily challenges keep it fresh. It’s a quiet, intellectual experience that is perfect for winding down at the end of the day.
Dinsun here. I’ve always liked cryptograms in the Sunday paper—they keep the brain sharp as you get older. This app does the job well enough. The interface is clean, and it doesn't try to be something it’s not with flashy effects or intrusive music. It’s just you and the puzzle.
However, it’s a bit dry. There’s a 'tale' aspect promised in the title, but it’s mostly just a sequence of loosely connected quotes. I was hoping for more of a narrative wrapper. Also, some of the quotes are a bit repetitive, and the 'hint' system feels like it’s there to nudge you toward microtransactions if you get really stuck. It’s an okay way to kill ten minutes, but it won't be winning any awards for innovation.
Performance: Runs perfectly on any device; very low battery impact.
Buy if: You enjoy solving substitution ciphers and want a digital collection to go through.
Skip if: You want an actual story or find word puzzles tedious.
Available on: iPhone, iPad
Version 13Wed Dec 17 2025
• New Tales
- Three new Classic tales.
- One new Long tale.
- Three new Poems.
- Three new Poems.
- Added missing chapters to Classic Tale 8.
• Bug Fixes
- Fixed crash in Classic Tale 5.
- Fixed crash in Classic Tale 6.
- Fixed crash in Classic Tale 9.
- Fixed crash in Classic Tale 10.
- Fixed crash in Classic Tale 17.
- Fixed crash in Classic Tale 18.
- Fixed crash in Classic Tale 20.
- Fixed crash in Long Tale 10.
- Fixed crash in Poem 45.
- Fixed crash in Poem 62.
- Fixed crash in Ancient Tale 45.
- Fixed crash in Ancient Tale 60.
- Fixed crash in Ancient Tale 61.
Requires iOS 17.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.Break the code and unravel the story!
Can you decode all of the passages and discover the story within?
Challenge yourself with this puzzle word game!
A Cryptogram is a message encoded by switching the actual letters with different letters.
• Hundreds of Tales!
• Thousands of Cryptograms!
• Dozens of Fonts!
• Different color schemes!
• Hints for when you're stuck!










Cryptogram Tale is a word puzzle game that challenges you to decode messages by replacing letters. Each solved puzzle reveals a piece of a story, ranging from classic fables to original tales. With thousands of ciphers and various customization options like fonts and color schemes, it offers an engaging experience for word game enthusiasts.
Thousands of unique cryptograms to solve
Hundreds of unlockable stories and tales
Customizable fonts and color themes
Helpful hint system for difficult ciphers
Daily puzzles to keep your brain sharp
Look for short words or common patterns (like double letters). Tap a letter in the cipher and then tap the letter you think it represents to fill in the blanks.
As you complete cryptograms, you unlock full story chapters in your library, allowing you to read the narrative you've worked to decode.
A cryptogram is a type of word puzzle where each letter is replaced by a different letter or symbol consistently throughout the message.