Why We Built a Word Game for the Culture

I've always been intimidated by crossword puzzles. Growing up, newspapers were ubiquitous and people made all sorts of assumptions about you based on which one you read and how you folded it.

I remember taking the train into Manhattan the summer before high school for my first internship interview. Even on the crowded subway sauna, everyone was reading a paper. At thirteen, I sat in the law office of Cleary, Gottlieb, Stein & Hamilton, neatly navigating the oversized pages of the New York Times. I was folding them into digestible views to look studious and refined. Too bad I wasn't actually reading the news, just reciting EvE lyrics in my head.

Still, on my commute home, I'd scurry to the back pages only to be chronically stumped. I can't remember ever solving a single clue. I eventually resigned to the notion that crossword puzzles were just out of reach for me.

Two decades later, Wordle and the NYT Mini reunited me with word games. I started modestly and finished my first crossword puzzle, albeit mini, in two minutes. I was vindicated. And hooked. I returned every morning to bask in the dopamine of success. Eventually, the ritual lost its shine. I got tired of longing for clues that felt like home. If the games didn't reflect the culture I treasure, I'd have to create one that does.

Oh Word is not just a word game for the culture: it is a space for community and cognition. In a world where everything competes for your time, Oh Word only wants to contribute to your longevity and the quality of it.

I'm sure you're wondering how a puzzle offers a longer life. The answer is in the Blue Zones: five places on earth where people live the longest, healthiest lives. Their lifestyle relies on four pillars: Move, Eat Wisely, Right Outlook, and Connect.

You're on your own with the first two, but Oh Word has you covered on the rest. Studies show word games enhance mental agility and provide space to downshift. Right Outlook. Moreover, solving the same puzzle together daily offers a sense of belonging to a dispersed tribe. Connect. These are the proven components to living longer, fuller lives. Humbled to introduce Oh Word to you and all your crews.