What I’ve learned from Words With Friends
Defending my obsession: What I’ve learned from Words with Friends
Full disclosure: I have a bit of an addiction to Words with Friends. It’s essentially an online Scrabble game, but Scrabble purists would be horrified that I’m comparing the two. WWF changed the scoring so that it’s much easier to rack up the points than in the board game. Plus, WWF seems to have its own dictionary that has a habit of changing randomly.
I play in line at the pharmacy, in the car (ahem, safely - as a passenger,) walking the dog, even in front of the TV. I currently have 42 games going (29 of which are with the same person…yes, you can do that) so maybe it is a bit much. But I’m here to defend my obsession with five reasons WWF is good for me, and what I’ve learned from playing.
Reason #1: Thinking outside the box.
Did you know “hemin” is a word? I didn’t either, until I really needed to find a five-letter word so I could score a double double - two double-word point squares. I’ve learned that if you have the patience – a big IF – you can improve your game through curiosity (“I wonder if this is a word?”) It costs nothing but time to try, the game will tell you if you’re right or wrong, and you’ll improve your vocabulary in the process. Cast a wide net. You never know what might work.
Reason #2: Keeping my eyes on the prize.
There are times I really want to get that instant gratification of playing a fun or interesting word, especially (since I’m a musician) if it’s relevant to music – i.e. soprano, fortissimo, cadenza (yup, WWF recognizes foreign words – sometimes. As I said, it’s random.) Often, however, unless you get that Z on a double or triple letter or word square, those plays don’t rack up the most points. Regardless, I’ve been known to play fun, low scoring words, just for the baby dopamine rush.
Reason #3: Delayed gratification is gratifying
Mark Twain said: “All good things arrive unto them that wait--and don't die in the meantime.” When I just have to get that word, the one with 80-ish points that the word radar tells me is possible, I’ve found that closing down the game and then coming back to it later provides a chance to see the board with fresh eyes. A new perspective can offer a second chance. And really, what’s the hurry?
Reason #4 Math
Yeah, I know, WWF automatically calculates the score so those of us who are math-challenged don’t need to sweat it. Still, it’s fun to try and figure out your possible maximum score for each play, depending on the letters you have. The program gives you an approximation, so you’re not guessing that wildly. As I head toward senior-citizenship, I like to think that all of that thinking is keeping my brain even a little bit sharper. Couldn’t hurt, right?
Reason #5 – Friends
While it’s not exactly high-level social interaction, there’s a reason the word “friends” is in the title of the game. I’m currently playing with: a former neighbor, my sister, an acting/theater colleague, a singing colleague, the parent of a former voice student, and my accountant. It’s a teeny-tiny bit of connection to folks with whom I might not otherwise have much contact. We’ve even been known to use the messaging feature on occasion (“great play! “happy birthday” “argh, no vowels!”)
So, as long as I know when it’s time to put down the phone, or close the computer (dinner table anyone?) I’ll keep playing. Who knows, maybe it’s making me more creative, smarter, and a bit more patient.
What’s your healthy obsession, and what have you learned from it?
