"Provide rewards in variable and intermittent intervals and you’ll increase the drive to play the game," he explains. Robinson credits this to a matter of behavioral psychology, resulting from the fact that many games are built on the principles of simple responses to different stimuli. These word games are not just popular, but playing them has actually become a habit for many of us. "Inherent drive to 'lead the pack' - whether a large, anonymous group or close family members - is strong." What makes the best word games so habit-forming? "Someone high in this trait tends to seek out intellectually stimulating content." He also notes the competitive component of not just games we actively play against in-person opponents, but also games like Wordle that we play individually and all-too-easily share with friends, strangers, and the entire internet, if we so choose. Robinson, citing one's personal need for cognition. But why are we still so drawn to these games when we have so many other potential distractions these days? Robinson points out that intellectual engagement in various forms of games has always been popular with different groups or classes, going all the way back to Victorian-era brain games that kept folks entertained long before the advent of television. To get a better idea of what that something really is, we spoke to Emanuel Robinson, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist at Battelle.ĭr. Whether digital or tangible, there's something about word games that just keeps us coming back for more. Classic word games like Scrabble have roots that go back at least 100 years, and they've lasted the test of time as they remain just as popular today. (Tread carefully there for spoilers if you haven't yet played today's word! Though we do give you several warnings.) And it's that very nature of the game that keeps us going back for more - day after day after day. We break down all the details (and best strategies) here, but that's the gist.Īlas, we can only play one Wordle per day. A green letter, however, is best because that means the letter is in the word and in the correct spot. If it is, the letter will turn yellow if it is not, it will be gray.
You start by typing in one five-letter word which will let you know if any of those letters is in the day's word.