Why We're Obsessed With Wordle

In less than three months, it's gone from 90 daily players to millions.

Take two minutes to read, explore, and reflect. By Wendy Rose Gould & Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Top of Mind Why We're Obsessed with Wordle   The first time you saw those green, yellow, and gray squares pop up on your social media feed you might have wondered, "Hmm… what is this Wordle thing everyone keeps posting about?" Fast forward a few days and there's a solid chance you were guessing the word of the day, too.   For those unacquainted, Wordle is a straightforward word game that gives you six tries to guess a five-letter word. Its simplicity is precisely what has made it such a viral joy for people. There are zero ads, no gimmicks, and there's only one word per day. In less than three months, it's gone from 90 daily players to millions.   Wordle clearly flexes our brain muscle, and also gives us a quick dopamine boost triggered by a sense of personal achievement. But there's more to its popularity than that.   The game has inadvertently turned into a meaningful social event—a community effort that brings us all together despite polarizing politics and social issues. It's especially welcomed after these years of increased isolation, as it offers a small moment of reprieve from the stress and exhaustion of COVID-19 and helps us all feel more connected to each other.     We are craving shared experience—something that brings us together. The simplicity and accessibility of Wordle means that most of us can share this. — MATT BALDWIN, PHD What This Means For You Wordle has proven itself more than just a word game; it's turned into a large-scale, daily community event. If you haven't played yet, then give it a go. It's a fun way to challenge your brain (without being getting swept into a costly time suck), prove to yourself you've got the smarts, and help you feel connected to others playing.   On the Bright Side Ways to Stay Positive This Week What's Inspiring Us Seeking more word games? A Little Wordy is a very clever two-person game that involves unscrambling letters (and some strategy!) to guess the word. It doesn't require a beefy vocabulary, which makes it great for everyone. Products to Help You Feel Your Best Since Wordle's surging popularity there have been a handful of digital spinoffs. There's Worldle (geography), Byrdle (music), and Nerdle (numbers) to name a few. Written by Peter H. Reynolds, "The Word Collector" is a best-selling children's book about the magic of words. It fosters a deeper sense of curiosity around language, and helps the reader understand how words fit together. Another fun way to exercise your brain is to do an old-fashioned puzzle book. Here are our top picks. Read These Next 6 Health Benefits of Hobbies READ NOW Why Having Fun Is the Best Stress Relief READ NOW 7 Fun Stress Relieving Activities READ NOW Spread the Light Share the newsletter with someone you know to make their day a little brighter. SHARE We're open to suggestions! If you have any feedback about this newsletter, let us know at feedback@verywell.com.     You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Healthy Mind newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. If someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here!   A DOTDASH MEREDITH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2022 Verywellmind.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy