Are Puzzle Games Good for Your Brain? What Research Says
"Puzzles keep your brain young" is one of those claims you hear everywhere. Some of it is backed by research, and some of it is marketing. Here is a plain summary of what scientists have actually found, written by people who make a puzzle game and would love the answer to be a simple yes.
What the studies show
People who do puzzles often score better on thinking tests. In 2019, researchers at the University of Exeter and King's College London looked at more than 19,000 adults aged 50 and over in the PROTECT study. The more often people did word puzzles like crosswords and number puzzles like sudoku, the better they did on tests of attention, reasoning and memory. On some tests, regular puzzlers scored like people about eight to ten years younger.
A trial found crosswords beat computerised brain games. A study led by Columbia University and Duke University, published in 2022, followed 107 older adults with mild memory problems for 78 weeks. One group did crosswords online, the other played computerised "brain training" games. The crossword group did better on the main memory and thinking measures, and on everyday tasks.
What they don't show
- No study has shown that puzzles prevent dementia. The Exeter lead author, Dr Anne Corbett, said so directly: "We can't say that playing these puzzles necessarily reduces the risk of dementia."
- Cause and effect is unclear. People who are already sharp may simply enjoy puzzles more.
- The trial was small, and it compared two kinds of mental activity, not puzzles against doing nothing.
- Other habits matter more. Exercise, sleep, staying social and education all have stronger evidence for long-term brain health than any single game.
- Getting better at a puzzle mostly makes you better at that puzzle. Skills don't automatically carry over to everyday memory.
So are puzzle games worth it?
Yes, as long as you see them for what they are: a good habit, not a treatment. A few minutes of focused problem-solving is a better break than another round of scrolling. Puzzles make you plan ahead, hold several options in mind and check your own mistakes. And they are fun, which is the best reason to play anything.
How to make puzzle time count
- Pick puzzles that make you think, not just tap. If you can solve a level on autopilot, move to harder ones.
- Mix it up. Word puzzles, number puzzles and spatial puzzles like mazes and arrow boards each use different skills.
- Try to beat your own solution. In BallRoute, every level has a perfect solution with the fewest moves. Going back for three stars is where the real thinking happens.
- Short and regular beats long and rare. A daily puzzle is easier to keep up than a long session once a month. More on that in why a daily puzzle is a great habit.
- Keep the rest in balance. Walk, sleep, see friends. Then puzzle.