Crosswords DS supports up to four different players, and features two basic modes – Training and Main Game. The main game includes three classifications of puzzles – Crosswords, Word Searches, and Anagrams. The game uses similar handwriting mechanics to solve the puzzles as the popular Brain Age series of video games, as well as requiring the player to hold the Nintendo DS like a book. All three puzzles have varying difficulty levels, all of them featuring unlockable puzzles and difficulty levels.