—
According to the Oxford Dictionary, there are roughly 170,000 words currently in use in the English language (with many more words that have become obsolete over the generations). With countless literary greats such as Shakespeare, Orwell, Dickens, Dahl, and Tolkein, English is a language that is adorned by people from across the globe, which is one of the primary factors attributing to it being the most widely spoken language on the planet.
With this in mind, it’s rather unsurprising that an abundance of games have been created on the back of the English vocabulary, as people look for ways to improve their language skills and put their knowledge to the test. One person who has grown particularly fond of such games is none other than Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe.
The London-born actor has publicly attested to his love for word games, and it has even been revealed that he frequently plays the mobile app Words With Friends against Mad Men star John Hamm. In fact, Daniel and Tom Felton, the actor who plays Draco Malfoy, said that the pair once “got heated over a game of Scrabble” that they played at the end-of-filming party for Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows II.
Felton goes on to say, “…Everyone was expecting us to be popping Cristal and all the rest of it, but we actually played Scrabble until about two in the morning.” Radcliffe also said he loves how “super nerdy” Scrabble is and still plays it regularly with his partner and fellow actor Erin Darke in order to “keep the magic alive.”
Who said rock and roll is dead?
Not just a way to pass the time
For a long time, the dominant narrative around games is that they are a waste of time and provide little benefit to people who play them. Some individuals even go so far as to argue that games are detrimental to our health, especially if they keep us indoors and prevent us from socializing with others. While there may be an element of truth to this for those who take it to the extreme, games have been scientifically proven to deliver a wide range of mental benefits.
Of course, this all depends on what type of game you play. If you sit inside and play Call of Duty for 12 hours per day, it is likely going to negatively impact your life in some areas. However, spending a few hours per week playing a word game such as Scrabble, Wordle, or even a crossword can profoundly impact your mental well-being. On that note, let’s take a look at some core benefits of playing these word games, so we can get some clues into why Daniel and many of his peers keep coming back to them time and time again.
Improves vocabulary
One of the first things that will benefit from playing word games is, of course, your vocabulary. Many games will continuously present you with new words that you are unfamiliar with or terms that you may have recognized but were unclear of the context to which they belonged.
For example, using a word unscrambler when playing Scrabble or a game like Countdown will present you with every possible word permutation for the information that you input. This will likely introduce you to a whole new world of interesting vocabulary. Once one of those words wins you an important match against a friend, you better believe that you won’t be forgetting it any time soon!
Furthermore, word games may help you improve your spelling and grammar, which will benefit you both personally and professionally since you will be able to organize and communicate your thoughts more clearly as you become more articulate.
Boosts brain function
Word games such as Scrabble and crossword puzzles have been found to be particularly effective for enhancing certain types of brain function. Researchers compared the working memory capacity and strategy of elite Scrabble players against some of the finest college students in the United States in a 2014 study. Surprisingly, the study discovered that Scrabble players outscored college students on all cognitive tests, notably visuospatial and verbal working memory skills.
Encourages socialization
As mentioned earlier, Daniel Radcliffe frequently uses word games to socialize and interact with many of his co-stars, including his life partner. While video games are popular among younger generations, games like Scrabble and crossword puzzles can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages. Furthermore, word games provide an intriguing glimpse into the background and interests of the individuals you play with since you frequently get to see the words they like to use, and they may even tell you interesting anecdotes about their life in the process.
Wrapping up
Word scrambling games provide a multitude of benefits to players. While some of these games may seem rudimentary to those who prefer more fast-paced action, it’s difficult to argue against the numerous advantages word games can bring to your life, especially since many of the skills learned while playing can be applied to your professional life.
—
