Only six attempts stand between you and the best victory of the day: solving the Wordle. The game takes only five minutes, but considering you only get to play once every day, that short period is exhilarating. The game consists of guessing a five-letter word in six attempts. Either you guess correctly, or fail the daily puzzle. While it may sound like something your suburban dad would play, Hillsdale students should make it a part of their daily routine.
On Wordle, there are plentiful opportunities to connect with your friends. I introduced multiple classmates and coworkers to the game, and even joined a group chat dedicated to sharing Wordle scores. Every night, I stay up until midnight, waiting for the new word to drop. One time, I shared my score at 12:01 a.m. and got a text from a fellow Wordle player who wanted to figure out how I solved it so quickly.
The benefits of the game go beyond social influence. Sometimes, classes and other commitments can be exhausting. When television or TikTok don’t cut through the boredom, Wordle is a great break from the day-to-day. You get a moment to be proud of yourself for solving the word game. We all need a break sometimes, and Wordle provides that short escape from the world.
A mother-daughter duo that lived on opposite sides of the country used the ability to connect with others through Wordle this month. The mother, Denyse Holt, sent her daughter her Wordle score every morning. When Holt did not send the Wordle score one morning, her daughter knew something was wrong and called the police. This interaction, or lack thereof, saved Holt’s life, as she was being held hostage by a home invader.
There are a multitude of mental health benefits of Wordle. An article published in the Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry showed that brain puzzles improved memory, cognitive function, problem solving, and creative thinking. The game is also a healthier way to spend your time than simply scrolling through Instagram or playing a time-consuming game on your phone. When there are so many benefits that come from spending a few minutes playing a fun, semi-competitive, word game, there is no reason not to play.