Cluster comparison lives at vs Across Lite. This guide expands the desk decision for people who searched for crossword software and already know Across Lite.
Licence
XWord is GPL-3.0. Across Lite is proprietary freeware. Labs that require readable source should prefer XWord and document COPYING on the ticket beside the Releases URL.
Platforms
XWord ships Windows and macOS assets on the current tag. Linux is source-only. Across Lite is historically Windows-first. Confirm Litsoft’s current platform list before promising Mac support for Across Lite in a club policy.
Features
XWord adds rebus, diagramless, jpz/ipuz paths, layout floating, and Lua packages. Across Lite remains excellent for classic solving habits. Feature README: upstream.
Install friction
XWord has no verified winget or brew id. Across Lite installs from its vendor site. Prefer official doors for each. Safe XWord path: download safe.
Decision rule
Keep Across Lite when policy and muscle memory demand it. Choose XWord when you want open source plus macOS parity on Releases. Switch steps: switch.
Shared desk pin
Shared desks should pin the Releases URL beside the OS version. After every reimage, prove one local crossword open before workshops begin. Travel laptops should download once on a trusted network, then solve offline with puzzles already on disk.
Club download discipline
Club volunteers invent Softonic mirrors when a first launch is blocked. Prefer returning to GitHub Releases for mrichards42/xword instead. Write the exact filename on the machine ticket so the next bump stays honest for the whole room.
Classroom images
Classroom images drift when someone keeps a private copy of an old exe. Prefer the current tag that still ships XWord-Windows.exe and XWord-macOS.zip together. Linux builders should document their wxWidgets version beside the commit they built.
Family PCs
Family PCs benefit from a boring puzzle folder path. Keep Across Lite or a browser board as a fallback until the new window feels normal. Subscription newspaper apps remain optional for archives and are a different job than a local .puz client.
Publisher note
Across Bind publishes install maps for people who searched for crossword software. Upstream XWord remains GPL-3.0. When Releases change asset names, re-check the live list before you refresh a lab image.
Lab and travel
Lab and travel notes also matter for crossword habits. Pin the puzzle folder path beside the installer name. After every blocked SmartScreen or Gatekeeper prompt, return to the same GitHub Releases URL instead of inventing a second download mid-session. That boring rhythm keeps shared desks honest.
Desk logistics
- Ticket line: OS, asset name, puzzle folder
- Demo door: one official path for volunteers
- Travel rule: trusted network first
Write the OS version, asset name, and puzzle folder on one ticket line. Clubs should assign a single demo door so volunteers stop mixing Across Lite, browser tabs, and XWord without notes. Travel kits should carry puzzles on disk only when policy allows encrypted storage.
After the first week
Only then add Package Manager downloaders, heavy layout floating, or diagramless drills. Prefer one documented update habit. Re-check Releases whenever upstream publishes a new tag that still lists your OS asset.
Related
More desk notes
Prefer one Releases bookmark in the browser profile used for installs. Refuse email attachments that claim to be a crossword updater. After every lab reimage, open one cached .puz before you call the image ready for students. Keep Across Lite only as a labeled fallback, never as a silent second installer path without a ticket note.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for classic .puz?
Both open Across Lite .puz files. Across Lite wins on familiar Windows muscle memory. XWord wins when you want GPL-3.0 source, macOS zip builds, and broader format support for rebus and diagramless work.
Can I keep both?
Yes. Many desks keep Across Lite during a switch month. Prove XWord on the same puzzle folder, then retire the old window when the new habit sticks for everyday crossword sessions.
Does XWord need a signup?
No. Local solving does not require an account or cloud login of any kind. Newspaper subscriptions remain a separate product category for archives and sync that this install guide does not sell or require for crossword work.