Have you heard of Wordle, the internet sensation that has seen huge success and global popularity? If you enjoy the challenge of brain games, you probably have heard of Wordle. The once-a-day word game has had a meteoric rise since it was first released to the world late last year.
At Home Care Assistance, we are always on the lookout for activities and brain games that promote a healthy mind. We are so excited to share the game Wordle amongst our clients and their families. Keep reading to find out more on how Wordle came about, and how you can play the game via the help of technology from the comfort of your own home.
The History of Wordle
The story behind Wordle is heartwarming. US based software engineer Josh Wardle knew his partner, Palak Shah loved word games, so he designed one for her, naming it Wordle as a play on his surname. Together they played it daily for months, before sharing the game amongst their family’s WhatsApp group. The joy and obsession to play the game amongst their family gave Josh the impetus to release to the world in October 20211.
At the beginning of November 2021, 90 people played Wordle, by the 2nd of January 2022 there were 300,000, followed by two million players a week later. Millions of people still play every day2. Whilst the goal was never to make money, Josh Wardle sold the game to the New York Times on 31st January 2022 for an undisclosed price, reportedly “in the low seven figures”3. This was a relief for Josh as with the growth of Wordle he wanted to continue to provide a great experience to everyone.
How do you play Wordle?
As a player, you are invited to guess a five-letter word, once you submit this word, the game will tell you if you have correctly guessed any of the letters in the correct order, or if any letters guessed are in the word but in an incorrect position. You have six opportunities to get the word right.
You cannot binge play, with only one Wordle available each day and everyone who plays has the exact same word. This provides a certain level of stakes and great anticipation for the next day’s word!
There is an option to share your results at the end of the game, in a spoiler-free way. It doesn’t matter if you have great success or have failed, the game has no doubt sparked fierce and friendly competition amongst family and friends after going viral on the internet. This promotes community engagement and rivalries, all in the name of fun!
Benefits of brain games such as Wordle
Here at Home Care Assistance, we know that Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the lives of Seniors ageing in place or within aged care. Discovering games such as Wordle is a safe and fun activity to enrich a healthy mind, stay entertained and keep mentally stimulated.
Additionally, as part of our Balanced Care MethodTM one of the six key factors is encouraging cognitive stimulation to keep our clients as brain active as possible. Dementia Australia also encourages healthy brain activity through brain games, puzzles, crosswords, and card games, to keep the brain functioning well and to help reduce the risk of developing dementia5. Completing a brain game can also give a sense of accomplishment whilst honing your mental skills.
There is really no downfall to give Wordle a shot if you enjoy playing brain games and to sharpen your mind. Wordle is also more than a game of words, it is a conversation starter. Ask your family and friends if they have heard of Wordle and start some friendly competition today by sharing your results.
Creator of Wordle, Josh Wardle has said, “It has been incredible to watch a game bring so much joy to so many, and I feel so grateful for the personal stories some of you have shared with me – from Wordle uniting distant family members, to provoking friendly rivalries, to supporting medical recoveries4”.
You can play the game here now https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle or via the Wordle App on the App Store.
References:
1 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/03/technology/wordle-word-game-creator.html
2 https://fictionhorizon.com/how-many-people-play-wordle/
3 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-01/wordle-sold-to-new-york-times-will-it-be-free/100794770
4 https://twitter.com/powerlanguish/status/1488263944309731329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1488263944309731329%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Fnews%2F2022-02-01%2Fwordle-sold-to-new-york-times-will-it-be-free%2F100794770
5 https://www.dementia.org.au/information/risk-reduction/look-after-your-mind
As a leading age care provider, Home Care Assistance offers tailored in-home care services for older Australians, enabling them to live happier and healthier lives in the comfort of their own homes.
We offer private and government subsidised Care Packages and have office locations that are a registered NDIS provider. Our Care Workers undergo extensive training in order to deliver unmatched in-home aged care services where people can continue ageing in place. We are proud ambassadors of the My Aged Care government funded aged care program, enabling Australians to successfully navigate the process and gain approval for in-home care support packages. Home Care Assistance offers hourly care, specialised care, Alzheimer’s and Dementia care, hospital to home care, and 24 hour in home care.