Are you addicted to Wordle? A way to bring back the fun

Late last year, a few weeks after winning, meditation teacher and mindfulness coach Tim Hwang he noticed that something had changed with his Wordle habit.

The New York Times puzzle challenges players to guess a five-letter word in six tries. Simple enough in itself, but Hwang had become very focused on his calculations. Coming up with a name with a few possible guesses is a badge of honor for players. Longer streaks also give bragging rights. And Hwang began to feel like he was holding on to his record.

“I started noticing that on day 40 of the game it just felt like an obligation to do the puzzle,” Hwang told Mashable. “I didn’t [enjoy] problem solving. It was just a relief to finish it to keep my lane alive.”

Meanwhile, what had started as a fun text chat with friends about their results led Hwang to a painful comparison of who solved the puzzle and how many tries.

The joy of playing was gone. He would be competitive with Wordle, and no doubt even addicted. Hwang decided to stop playing for months – and would return to the game after identifying ways to use the skills he had learned as a meditation teacher.

Worse, he didn’t believe that the thinking problem was in Wordle himself. “Games can be really fun…and you get this flow and meditative state,” Hwang said. “There’s no multitasking. You’re just solving problems, and you’re just trying to figure out the puzzle. That can be really fun.”

Hwang returned to Wordle two months ago. He now sets clear goals for the game, focuses on communication instead of competition, handles losses with a sense of great acceptance, and remains aware and curious about the feeling that he is holding on to victory.

In short, he would find out how to keep the best features of online word games without playing too hard and mindless.

Word Counting and Spelling Bee obsession

I contacted Hwang to learn more about his painful experience because earlier this year, I started playing Wordle and two others. Times games, Spelling Bee and Crossplay.

Solving low-level puzzles excited my mind; I love words and I enjoy spelling. Spell Bee gives the player seven letters, one of which must be used for each word spelled. Crossplay, which I play with my mom, is it times’ version of Scrabble, or Words of Friends. The time spent on the puzzle felt like indulging in the fast life.

But, like Hwang, I realized that playing these games was awakening something unhealthy in me. When I accidentally lost a 28-day Wordle because I forgot to complete a puzzle, the sting of disappointment felt more than the loss.

I would wake up feeling an urgency to finish my physical therapy and yoga routine early so I could start guessing the Wordle and Spelling Bee before my kids got out of bed at 7 a.m. I felt uncomfortable if I didn’t reach the highest level of Spelling Bee — master — before the end of the day.

Games also drew my attention to my phone more often, and that in itself was a habit I had been trying to kick back. So I decided to use the Spelling Bee notebook, which I usually solve in chunks throughout the day.

Now instead of staring at my phone, I write down the letters of the day, and ideas (don’t judge me), and wait until I guess about half of the possible words. Then I allow myself time off from work or parenting to fit them all in at once. I sometimes use my laptop’s browser to play, which cuts down on the kinds of distractions I usually get on my phone.

I also learned an important lesson on Global Day of Unplugging, when I put away my phone, as best I could, for 24 hours. That meant no Word, Spell Bee, or Crossplay, and no lines. I looked forward to these games at first, but the discomfort eventually resolved, and instead I felt a sense of peace. Now days can go by when I don’t play, and I don’t mind breaking free.

These strategies work for me, but what about others? I decided to learn more from a cognitive expert about how to prepare a lesson when the online word game has become an obsession.

Set your gaming goals

Tara Anderson, creator of the psychology podcast I’m 10% happy with Dan Harrishad a New York Times online series of over 1,000 puzzles. Then he missed one day.

Anderson, who has been practicing for more than 30 years, said the expiration has given him relief on how to invest in solving these problems.

“It was like, ‘Oh, maybe I’ve been holding on too much for this,'” she told Mashable. “There was this foam, I saw it didn’t mean anything. Then I did the puzzle again the next day. I’m doing it now because I really enjoy the challenge.”

Anderson, who also stars in Wordle and Spelling Bee, now talks about his word games with a simple thought in mind, with the modesty of a partner: “Am I doing this on purpose or not on purpose?” That deceptively simple question helps clarify Anderson’s athletic goals.

While not sticking to streaks, games can feel like a distraction from emotions or uncomfortable situations — even if they seem like a much better distraction than, say, TikTok. If so, try to carefully notice what is happening under his interest in playing.

Like me, Anderson believes that special Spelling Bee badges for solving certain words and reaching certain levels, like Genius, would feel like getting a gold star. Prizes can make games fun, but they also challenge the player who wants to solve the puzzle to do so.

Focus on your goals

Toby Sola, founder of meditation app Brightmind, says games are a rewarding way to engage the mind and connect with others. They can also support the practice of meditation or mindfulness, building important skills such as being aware of your feelings without judgment, and identifying good and bad behavior.

The trick, Sola says, is to make sure that the game always fits your values, especially your goals – to sharpen your mind, say, or play with a family member – and how you want to spend your time.

“Emphasize play, emphasize communication, emphasize play activities until they meet your standards, but then put everything else down,” Sola said.

Anderson, for example, spends time with her children and her husband solving the Spelling Bee. He also decided to ignore the in-game rewards, even if he is currently enjoying them.

“I don’t really pay attention to streaks or badges anymore. Sometimes it’s cool when they show up,” he said, referring to the panagram prize for guessing a word that uses every available letter, “but what does it really mean?”

How Wordle is like practice

Meditation teacher Tim Hwang admits that some days sports bring the promise of that meditative or flow state. But sometimes the paradox can overwhelm him, expressing deep feelings of perfectionism and shame.

This dynamic, Hwang says, is not like a real meditation practice – where some days are “wonderful” and others you feel restricted, it all depends on what’s going on in your life and the world around you.

When negative emotions bleed into gameplay, Hwang recommends taking a closer look with curiosity and introspection about the factors driving your emotions.

“Now I only play when I feel like I want to play, not like I have to.”

Hwang also wonders if his game tactics are to blame. If he tries to solve Wordle with too few guesses or worries about his math, his satisfaction with the game can decrease.

“Am I putting too much pressure on myself or am I going to enjoy this as a hobby?” Hwang asked. “These are warnings that you can ask yourself in real time and reflect on.”

Hwang also accepts loss as a reality and feels sorry for himself when he doesn’t solve a puzzle or break a streak.

Finally, Hwang feels like he found his balance with Wordle.

“Now I only play when I feel like I want to play, not like it’s something I have to do,” he said. “I don’t treat you as an obligation anymore.”