Bonza Word Puzzle for iOS

Bonza Word Puzzle offers an intriguing twist on a conventional crossword puzzle by challenging you to rearrange puzzle fragments to form interlinked words.

Pros

One clue: While a regular crossword puzzle asks you to solve a clue for each word space, this game gives you one clue that will relate to all of the words you create by matching up puzzle pieces. These clues aren't terribly important in the first few rounds, as the words are fairly obvious from the fragments. But as you move on to more and more challenging puzzles, you'll come to rely on them to a greater degree.

Hints and Help: If you get stuck on any given puzzle, you do have some options for obtaining help. For instance, you can purchase a Hint for 50 coins, or you can ask a Friend to take a look at the puzzle and see what insight a fresh set of eyes can provide.

Cons

Cost imbalance: The game costs $0.99 on the App Store, and you get a few free starter packs to get you started. But once you've worked your way through those, you'll have to pay for additional puzzle packs. There is one free daily puzzle, but that's not likely to be satisfying to most people, especially when you've already paid money for the app itself. And while you do earn five coins for each puzzle you solve, Hints cost 50 coins, so it's hard to earn enough to purchase any meaningful amount of Hints.

Bottom Line

Bonza Word Puzzle is a fun twist on a classic word game, and it's presented well. But the imbalance between cost and gameplay options could be a frustration for many players.