On Oct. 16, in the Morning Light, I wrote: “I play Sudoku to keep my mind in shape. But lately, I’m crushing it too easily and looking for a new brain exercise. What do you all do to keep your brain up and at ‘em?”
Then, on Friday, Oct. 17, I wrote: “Well, it looks like I’m not the only one trying to keep the ole gray matter in shape or at least sharp enough to remember where I left my keys.” I promised to share some of your ideas on Monday.
And then because my birthday was Saturday, Oct. 18, my birthday brain forgot to write the story, which, honestly, proves the point. I clearly need to do more work to keep my brain sharp.
From Wordle warriors to Mahjong masters
Luckily, Jewish Light readers came through with a mental fitness plan far more creative than anything I’d have cooked up myself.
Warren Danziger might win the medal for most variety. He plays Wordle, Quordle, Octordle and even Sedecordle, plus a few I had to Google just to understand. “Play Hurdle, Connections and Alphadots,” he said. “They’re a good challenge.”
Others swore by daily Jumbles, Spelling Bee or Scrabble battles with high-level opponents online. Jeannette Altman told me she plays Scrabble and crosswords on the Pogo site, where she’s “up against some fierce competition.” And Mary Beth Sales introduced me to “Pips,” a domino-style puzzle on the New York Times games app. “I play it every morning,” she said. “It’s a good mental stretch and sometimes a humbling one.”
What science says about keeping your brain sharp
Experts say brain games are great fun but not magic. Studies from Harvard and Brown universities show that while apps and puzzles can make you better at specific skills, they don’t necessarily boost overall memory or problem-solving ability. Still, mental exercise, paired with physical activity and social connection, helps keep the brain healthier longer.
The University of Washington adds that novelty is key. Trying something new, whether it’s a different puzzle, hobby or language, helps your brain build new networks, strengthening memory and adaptability. Doing Sudoku every day is fine, but mixing in Scrabble or mahjong might do better than another round of easy wins.
The takeaway: mix it up and have fun
So, here’s my new brain plan: Sudoku in the morning, maybe a quick Wordle at lunch and a few humbling rounds of mahjong at night. I’ll count that as cross-training for the mind.
And as one Harvard neurologist put it, “Consider it a hobby, something you do to have fun, rather than something critically important for your brain.” Fun, it turns out, might just be the sharpest tool we’ve got.
More reader favorites for keeping your brain busy:
• Arnold Hershman: “Daily Jumble and Seven Little Words — both free on the Seattle Times site.”
• Harvey Gerstein: “VitaMahjong on iPhone and computer.”
• Hannah Michelson: “Spelling Bee, Connections, Wordle and the Crossword — all the New York Times games.”
• Bill Livingston: “Word Crossy by Beta Games. I’m on level 6,450 and still learning new words.”
• Janice Parker: “BrainHQ.com — one free exercise a day.”
• Nancy Larson: “Quartiles on Apple News every morning.”
• Ferne Wiesenthal: “NYT puzzles are the best. Try the sports edition of Connections if you can find it.”
• And one more from an anonymous reader: “KenKen puzzles. Logic disguised as math.”
