By Tasmiyah Randeree
It's refreshing to know something that challenges you, requires you to exercise your brain and makes you think has become popular across all age groups.
If you are an active member of social media, there is no escape from the yellow, green and grey squares scattered across your screen. Sometimes the squares are simply one or two rows. Other times, the squares take up six rows. By now, you know that these squares are all related to Wordle.
Wordle is the latest word game to take the world by storm. Created by Josh Wardle for his word-game-loving partner, the site turned into a global phenomenon, spurring the New York Times to purchase the game for a seven-figure sum.
Every day, Wordle users are given 6 tries to guess a five-letter word. If a letter is in the word, the letter turns yellow. If it’s in the word in the exact space you’ve chosen, it turns green. And if it’s not in the word at all, it turns grey. The colourful square posts you see online are people sharing their Wordle scores without giving away the word of the day.
There is a catch though - Wordle only gives you one word a day. There is no way to binge. As much as you would like to continue your winning streak and see more green squares on your screen, you simply can’t. And that’s quite interesting in a time when bingeing and instant gratification are second nature to most of us.
Wordle keeps you coming back for more because the satisfaction of seeing a row of green squares is enough to make you return to renew your success and continue your winning streak. British psychologist Lee Chambers says, “Like all games, it leads to a release of dopamine, a hormone that allows us to feel pleasure and satisfaction.”
The psychology behind the game is fascinating. Professor Matt Baldwin attributes the virality of the game to the fact that the words are not impossible to guess: “The words are common, but not too common. The number of guesses is just right.” It seems like Wordle is the perfect blend of a variety of factors. But what really “seals the deal,” Baldwin says, is “the fact that we can share our experience on social media.” A delicate balance of social engagement, brain stimulation and an “aha!” moment to enjoy, when the five-square row turns green!
Expert analysis on why Wordle has become world-famous is insightful but as Baldwin says, Wordle connects people. It has brought meaning to people’s lives - so it’s worth hearing from players themselves - why do they play Wordle? And why do they think it’s gone viral?
“Wordle helps me relax. When playing wordle, scrabble, etc. you need to concentrate on the game. Wordle keeps our brain active and alert.” - M
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“I play Wordle for the challenge and for fun. Very little of what we consume online enhances our brain function. People watch videos or play pointless games that require little thinking. Their brains are switched off or they are in autopilot mode.
It's refreshing to know something that challenges you, requires you to exercise your brain and makes you think has become popular across all age groups, and has and will have a positive impact on wellness and mental health. Think of it as a brain gym and because of the high number of people playing it, it has a social and talkability aspect to it which increases 'bonding'. Families are posting their Wordle stats every day on their chats in the spirit of good competition.” - T
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“It’s a simple game. You can prove your worth against your friends. You just want to be better than them. [The lack of binge factor] does have an effect - even if you don’t have all the time in the world, you can “win”. It’s not like a game where the people who have time just play and play and can go so far ahead. But again [it’s more about the] need to go further than everyone else.” - M
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“Wordle impacts my wellness in 3 stages. For the first few tries, I feel competitive and overly confident. The next stage is me telling myself that I’d never play it again and the only thing that makes me want to finish it is my competitiveness. But when I do get the answer, my confidence level is up again and I’m ready for another word, which is why I’m deeply grateful for Wordle 2! ” - A
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