For cryptic crosswords, Crossword Genius is a top pick for AI help. The app employs an AI assistant called Ross to help with cryptic clues, and it's got other tricks up its sleeve, like machine vision-based scanning for printed crosswords and the ability to import puzzles from the web. It's on iOS devices but an Android version is on the way, so it's good for both beginners and veterans.
Another general-purpose tool that can be useful is ChatGPT, an AI interface that can answer questions and generate ideas. It's not geared specifically for cryptic crosswords, but it can be good at explaining things and solving problems, so it could be useful for people who want to improve their puzzle skills.
Allclues is a more general-purpose tool that could be useful for research and clue gathering. It's got tools like ClueTags that automatically tag information, Ask AI that gives you unlimited clues, and Similarity Tracker that tries to find connections between clues. It's not specifically geared for cryptic crosswords, but its AI-boosted features can help you dig through research.
For a wider range of AI tools, Perplexity offers reliable and accurate real-time answers to any question. With features like unlimited quick searches, customizable AI models and file upload and analysis, it can be a useful tool for crossworders looking for a broad range of information and help.