Black Ink for iOS (iPhone, iPad, and if all goes according to plan, visionOS), is now available on the App Store.

Like its Mac counterpart, core features are free to use, forever. These features include downloading puzzles from a variety of bundled “sources”, and solving the puzzles in the beautifully-rendered Black Ink grid.

Premium features include Check Answer, Reveal Answer, and planned future features such as Printing. Premium features can be unlocked by purchasing a monthly subscription for $1.99 (US), or an annual subscription for $19.99 (US). Exact amounts may vary internationally due to App Store pricing tiers.

Black Ink for iOS has been under development for an exceptionally long time. How long? Nearly 16 years! Looking back through my development notes, I found the very first step was taken on April 6, 2008:

commit b9257fa30eb3b329f5643583608a3f8113d0f282
Author: Daniel Jalkut <jalkut@red-sweater.com>
Date:   Sun Apr 6 23:29:07 2008 +0000

    Very first building blocks for touch based Black Ink.

Why did it take so long? A combination of factors, but in a word: priorities. Something else was always swooping in to demand my attention. The app has been roughly working for at least 15 of those 16 years, but there were many rough edges to polish before finally calling it “done” (for now).

Now that the initial release is out, I anticipate more iterative improvements over the coming days, months, and years. I hope you enjoy the app, and that if you do, you’ll share the news of its existence with other crossword lovers in your life.

If you enjoy Black Ink, please consider writing a review or rating the app on the App Store, and spreading the word on Facebook or Twitter! Thanks for your support.

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