Thread vs Screw: How Wool Sort Stands Out in the Screw Puzzle Subgenre

Thread vs Screw: How Wool Sort Stands Out in the Screw Puzzle Subgenre 🤔

A new type of the Screw Puzzle hit our Top Trending with 2M installs in May alone. Wool Sort swaps screws for threads—but that’s just the start. Let’s see how it stacks up against its closest reference, Screw Jam 👇

1️⃣ Genre
While Wool Sort beats Screw Jam in daily installs (180k vs 75k in the peak), its IAP revenue is much lower ($2.6k vs $211k in the peak). It clearly follows a Hypercasual model driven by ads.

2️⃣ Core Gameplay
🔩Screw Jam offers short, progressively harder levels and a “limited lives” system to boost retention and drive early purchases.
🧶Wool Sort opens with tougher levels to spark a sense of achievement and maximize rewarded ad views, though this might hurt long-term retention.

3️⃣ Meta Systems
🔩Screw Jam features light city-building: players unlock buildings with in-game earnings after each level.
🧶Wool Sort leans into collection, unlocking artworks and exclusive skins through level streaks and events, appealing to completionists.