Keeping Your Memory Sharp: The Science Behind Crosswords, Word Searches, and Sudoku

If you've ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went there, or struggled to recall the name of someone you've known for years, you're not alone. Memory concerns top the list of cognitive worries for adults over 55. And that makes sense. Memory is the thread that ties our lives together, connecting past experiences to present moments and future plans.

But here's what decades of research keep confirming: memory decline is not inevitable. Your brain retains a real capacity for adaptation and strengthening well into your later decades. And one of the most accessible, enjoyable ways to support that capacity? Puzzles.

So what does the science actually say about crosswords, word searches, and sudoku? Which cognitive skills does each puzzle train? And how can you build a puzzle routine that gives your brain the best possible workout?

Memory is one of six core cognitive abilities, along with language, attention, processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and pattern recognition. All six matter, but memory is the one most people notice first when it changes. It's also where targeted activities can make a measurable difference.

The evidence is encouraging. A 2022 clinical trial published in NEJM Evidence found that crossword training actually improved cognition in people with mild cognitive impairment [1]. A study of over 19,000 adults found that regular puzzle solvers had brain function equivalent to people eight to ten years younger [3]. And research in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society found that crossword participation delayed the onset of accelerated memory decline by more than two and a half years in people who later developed dementia [4].

These aren't wishful claims. They come from published research at Columbia University, the University of Exeter, and King's College London. Let's dig into what they found.

Understanding Your Memory: What's Actually Happening in Your Brain

Before we get to puzzles, let's talk about what memory actually is and what happens to it as we age. Memory isn't a single system. It's several interconnected systems, each handling different types of information.

Episodic memory is your record of personal events and experiences. What you had for dinner last Tuesday, the details of your grandson's birthday party, where you parked the car. This type is the most noticeably affected by aging, and the one people worry about most.

Working memory is your brain's mental scratchpad. It's the ability to hold and manipulate information in the moment. When you're doing mental math, following a recipe while cooking, or keeping track of a conversation with multiple threads, you're using working memory. This system tends to slow with age too, but it responds well to targeted training.

Semantic memory is your store of general knowledge, facts, and vocabulary. The capital of France, what a "carburetor" does, the meaning of "serendipity." Here's some good news: semantic memory actually improves with age in healthy adults. Your vocabulary and general knowledge are likely richer today than they were at 30.

Procedural memory handles skills and habits. Riding a bike, typing on a keyboard, tying your shoes. This system stays largely intact throughout life.

The two brain regions most involved in memory are the hippocampus (which helps form new memories and is especially vulnerable to age-related shrinkage) and the prefrontal cortex (which manages working memory and executive function). These are also the regions most responsive to cognitive stimulation, which matters a lot when we look at the puzzle research.

That brings us to neuroplasticity, a concept you may have heard but never had clearly explained. For decades, scientists believed the adult brain was fixed. You were born with a certain number of brain cells, and once they were gone, that was it. We now know this is flat-out wrong.

Neuroplasticity is your brain's ability to physically reorganize itself. It forms new neural connections, strengthens existing ones, and even grows new neurons in certain regions (including the hippocampus) throughout your entire life. When you learn something new, practice a skill, or solve a challenging puzzle, your brain doesn't just "use" its existing wiring. It builds new pathways and reinforces the ones you're actively using.

This is why the research on puzzles and memory is so encouraging. Your brain at 65 or 75 or 85 is not a museum piece. It's a living, adaptive organ that responds to what you ask it to do. The key word is "ask." Neuroplasticity requires stimulation. Your brain builds new connections in response to challenge, novelty, and effortful thinking. That's exactly what puzzles provide.

One more thing worth mentioning. There's a real difference between normal age-related memory changes and more significant concerns. Occasionally forgetting where you left your keys is normal. Consistently getting lost in familiar places or being unable to follow conversations may signal mild cognitive impairment or something that warrants medical attention. If you're concerned about your memory, a conversation with your doctor is always a good first step.

Cognitive Reserve: Your Brain's Hidden Safety Net

One of the most useful concepts in brain science is cognitive reserve: the idea that mentally stimulating activities throughout life build a kind of buffer against cognitive decline.

Think of it this way: two people might have the same amount of age-related brain changes, but the person with higher cognitive reserve has more alternative neural pathways to draw on. Their brain has learned to improvise, to find workarounds, to route around obstacles. The result? Symptoms of decline appear later, sometimes years later, even when the underlying brain changes are similar.

Cognitive reserve isn't fixed at birth. It's something you build over a lifetime through education, intellectually challenging work, social engagement, and mentally stimulating leisure activities like puzzles.

The evidence backs this up. A study led by Pillai and colleagues followed 488 initially healthy people in the Bronx Aging Study, tracking them over time with regular cognitive assessments. Among the 101 participants who eventually developed dementia, those who had regularly done crossword puzzles showed a delayed onset of accelerated memory decline by 2.54 years compared to non-puzzlers [4].

Two and a half years. That's two and a half additional years of clearer thinking, more independence, and stronger connections with the people around you.

The effect held even after accounting for education level and participation in other cognitively stimulating activities. Something specific about the sustained mental engagement of crosswords seems to matter [4]. The Devanand clinical trial [1] and the PROTECT study [3] have since reinforced this pattern, adding controlled experimental evidence to the longitudinal findings.

This isn't a "use it or lose it" message. It's more accurately: "use it and build a buffer." Every time you sit down with a puzzle, you're making deposits into your cognitive reserve account.

Crossword Puzzles: What the Research Really Shows

Crosswords are the most studied puzzle type when it comes to memory and cognition. The evidence is strong.

The most important study to know about is a 2022 randomized controlled trial led by Dr. D.P. Devanand and colleagues, published in NEJM Evidence [1]. This was a rigorous, 78-week clinical trial at two sites with 107 participants who had mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: home-based computerized crossword puzzle training or computerized cognitive games (the kind of "brain training" heavily marketed by commercial apps). Both groups completed 12 weeks of intensive training followed by booster sessions.

The results were clear:

• The crossword group showed cognitive improvement at both 12 weeks and 78 weeks on the primary outcome measure (the ADAS-Cog, a standard test for cognitive function)
• The computer games group showed cognitive decline over the same period
• The crossword group also performed better on measures of daily functioning at 78 weeks
• Perhaps most interesting: brain imaging revealed that the crossword group had less hippocampal shrinkage and less cortical thinning. The crosswords were linked to actual structural brain preservation [1, 2]

Let that sink in: crossword puzzles didn't just slow decline. They were linked to actual improvement in people who already had measurable cognitive impairment. And they outperformed the commercial brain training games that many people spend real money on.

Why do crosswords work so well? They engage multiple cognitive systems simultaneously. Solving a crossword clue requires vocabulary retrieval from your semantic memory networks, associative thinking, pattern recognition, contextual reasoning, and sometimes creative lateral thinking. This multi-system engagement means crosswords activate language regions, memory systems, and executive function areas of the brain all at once.

And the evidence goes beyond a single study. The PROTECT study, conducted by the University of Exeter and King's College London, analyzed data from more than 19,000 participants aged 50 to 93. They found that people who regularly did word puzzles had short-term memory function equivalent to someone eight years younger and grammatical reasoning skills equivalent to someone ten years younger [3].

That's not a small effect. Eight years of cognitive difference, from a daily habit that most people genuinely enjoy.

Curious where you stand? Take our free Brain Age Quiz to get a snapshot of how your brain is performing today — it only takes a few minutes.

Sudoku and Number Puzzles: Training a Different Part of Your Brain

Crosswords strengthen verbal and semantic memory systems. Sudoku exercises a different, complementary set of cognitive skills.

Sudoku primarily engages working memory (holding multiple numbers and possibilities in mind at once), logical reasoning (deducing which number goes where through elimination), and pattern recognition (spotting relationships across rows, columns, and boxes). These skills are managed largely by the prefrontal cortex, your brain's planning and decision-making center.

The PROTECT study found that number puzzle solvers showed benefits too. Regular number puzzle users performed equivalent to eight years younger on reasoning tasks, with statistically significant effects across all 14 cognitive measures examined [3].

A related study by Brooker and colleagues, also using PROTECT data, found something worth paying attention to: a dose-response relationship between number puzzle use and cognitive performance. Put simply, the more frequently participants did number puzzles, the better their cognitive function across attention, reasoning, and memory measures. This held true across 19,078 healthy volunteers aged 50 to 93, with statistical significance at P values less than 0.0004 [10].

This dose-response finding matters because it suggests the relationship isn't coincidental. It's not just that sharper people happen to do more puzzles. The consistent, graded pattern (more puzzles = better performance) points toward a genuine benefit from the activity itself.

Sudoku also has a practical advantage that crosswords don't: it doesn't rely on vocabulary or language ability. This makes it equally accessible regardless of educational background or first language. If crosswords sometimes feel frustrating because of obscure vocabulary, sudoku offers a complementary brain workout without that barrier.

The bottom line? Sudoku and crosswords together cover more cognitive ground than either one alone.

Word Searches: The Often-Overlooked Brain Workout

Word searches sometimes get dismissed as "too easy" compared to crosswords or sudoku. That's a mistake. The research on word searches specifically is less extensive than for crosswords, but they exercise cognitive skills that matter for everyday memory function.

Word searches engage visual scanning (systematically searching a grid), sustained attention (maintaining focus over time), pattern recognition (spotting letter sequences in multiple orientations), and language retrieval (activating vocabulary knowledge). These are skills that underpin everyday cognitive performance, from reading to navigating your environment to following conversations in a crowded room.

The PROTECT study examined the broader category of "word puzzles" (which includes word searches alongside crosswords and other word-based activities) and found consistent cognitive benefits for regular word puzzle solvers [3]. While we can't isolate the word search component from that data, word searches share the core mechanisms (language activation, pattern recognition, sustained attention) that drive the broader findings.

Word searches also offer something harder puzzles sometimes don't: accessibility. They're a great entry point for people who are new to puzzles or who find crosswords intimidating. Starting with word searches and gradually adding crosswords and sudoku to your routine is a perfectly sound approach.

There's another benefit that often gets overlooked: word searches tend to be calming and stress-reducing. This matters because chronic stress is itself a risk factor for memory problems. The hormone cortisol, released during stress, can impair hippocampal function over time. An activity that exercises your brain while lowering stress is pulling double duty for your cognitive health.

Word searches are also ideally suited for personalization, a concept we'll explore in the next section that has some surprising implications for memory.

Why Personalized Puzzles Work Better

This is where things get interesting. It involves something called the self-reference effect, one of the most reliable findings in memory research.

In 1977, psychologists Rogers, Kuiper, and Kirker conducted a now-classic experiment. They showed people a series of adjectives and asked them to process each word in one of four ways: judging its structure (is it in capital letters?), its sound (does it rhyme with another word?), its meaning (does it mean the same as another word?), or its self-relevance (does this word describe you?) [7].

The results were dramatic. Words processed through the self-reference question ("Does this describe you?") were recalled far better than words processed in any other way. Self-reference didn't just beat structural processing. It beat semantic processing too. The researchers concluded that the self functions as a "superordinate schema," a deeply rich framework that creates strong memory traces [7].

This finding has been replicated consistently for over 40 years.

The key finding for us: the self-reference effect is preserved in older adults. Gutchess and colleagues confirmed this in two complementary studies. A behavioral study showed that older adults had the same superior memory for self-referenced information as younger adults [6]. A neuroimaging study using fMRI found that older adults showed similar activation patterns in the medial prefrontal cortex during self-referential processing [5].

This memory-enhancing mechanism doesn't fade with age. It's still there, still working, still available.

Now apply this to puzzles. A standard crossword might ask you about the capital of Peru or a five-letter word for "annoy." Your brain processes it, and that's beneficial. But a crossword clue about your hometown, your profession, or your grandchild's name? That engages the self-reference effect, activating deeper encoding pathways that create stronger, more durable memory traces.

A word search containing words from your own life (the street you grew up on, your favorite vacation spot, the names of people you love) activates personal semantic networks in a way that generic word lists simply can't.

The science suggests a clear principle: generic puzzles are beneficial, but puzzles built around your life have the potential to be even more beneficial, because they tap into a memory-enhancing mechanism that is both powerful and preserved with age [5, 6, 7].

Paper vs. Digital: What Does the Research Say?

This is one of the most common questions people ask about puzzles. The honest answer is nuanced: both formats work, and each brings something different.

Let's start with the most important point: the puzzle itself matters more than the format. The Devanand study [1] used computerized crosswords and still found significant cognitive benefits, including structural brain preservation visible on brain scans. Digital puzzles absolutely "count." If you enjoy solving puzzles on a tablet or phone every morning, the research supports what you're doing.

Digital puzzles have real strengths that paper can't match. They can adjust difficulty automatically, keeping you in that sweet spot where you're challenged but not overwhelmed. They offer accessibility features (larger text, audio cues, alternative input methods) that make puzzles possible for people with visual or motor challenges. And they can generate personalized content that would be impractical to create by hand.

That said, the research on handwriting and paper-based activity adds a few wrinkles worth knowing about.

A 2021 study by Umejima and colleagues at the University of Tokyo compared brain activity when people used paper notebooks versus tablets and smartphones. Using functional MRI, they found that writing on paper activated the hippocampus (the brain's memory formation center), visual cortices, and language-related frontal regions significantly more than digital devices. Paper users also completed tasks about 25% faster and showed higher accuracy on straightforward memory retrieval questions [8].

A 2024 high-density EEG study by van der Meer and van der Weel examined what happens in the brain during handwriting versus typing. They found that handwriting produced widespread brain connectivity patterns involving theta and alpha oscillations (brain waves specifically associated with memory encoding and learning) in parietal and central brain regions. Typing did not produce the same connectivity patterns [9]. This study generated widespread interest, with coverage by major science outlets including NBC News and Scientific American.

These findings relate specifically to the act of writing: the physical motion of pen on paper. When you write letters in a crossword grid or circle words in a word search, you're activating these deeper encoding pathways in ways that tapping a screen doesn't quite replicate.

The practical takeaway: The best format is the one you'll actually do consistently. If digital puzzles are part of your daily routine, that's great. Keep doing them.

But there's a twist. The self-reference effect research [5, 6, 7] tells us that personalization strengthens memory encoding. The handwriting research [8, 9] tells us that pen-and-paper solving activates additional brain regions. Personalized puzzles that you print and solve with a pen combine both advantages: the memory-enhancing power of self-relevant content with the neural activation benefits of writing by hand. No single study has tested this combination directly, but it follows naturally from the science.

In practice, this might mean using digital tools to generate personalized puzzles (something that would be enormously tedious to do by hand), then printing them out and solving them with a pencil and a cup of coffee. You get the computational power of digital creation with the brain-activating benefits of handwritten solving.

How Different Puzzles Train Different Cognitive Skills

Knowing which cognitive skills each puzzle type exercises can help you build a well-rounded routine. Think of it like physical exercise: you wouldn't only do cardio. You'd mix in strength training and flexibility work for overall fitness. Same idea here.

Crosswords are your verbal and semantic workout. They exercise:

• Vocabulary retrieval and verbal fluency
• Semantic memory networks (general knowledge)
• Associative thinking (connecting clues to answers)
• Contextual reasoning and pattern recognition

Sudoku is your logic and working memory workout. It exercises:

• Working memory (holding multiple possibilities in mind)
• Logical reasoning and deduction
• Spatial pattern recognition
• Planning and strategic thinking

Word searches are your attention and visual processing workout. They exercise:

• Visual scanning and tracking
• Sustained attention and concentration
• Vocabulary recognition
• Processing speed

Each puzzle type strengthens different cognitive "muscles." A person who does only crosswords gets a strong verbal workout but misses the working memory and logical reasoning benefits of sudoku. Someone who does only sudoku gets excellent reasoning practice but misses the vocabulary and semantic memory engagement of crosswords.

A mixed puzzle routine gives you the broadest cognitive coverage. The PROTECT study backs this up: word puzzles and number puzzles showed benefits on different cognitive measures, suggesting they exercise genuinely different brain systems [3].

You don't need to master all three types. Even adding one new puzzle type to your existing routine broadens your cognitive exercise. If you've always been a crossword person, trying a sudoku once or twice a week adds a new dimension. If sudoku is your thing, a word search or crossword introduces verbal and language processing you're not currently training.

Building a Puzzle Habit That Sticks

Research is only useful if it shapes what you actually do. Here's how to build a puzzle habit that sticks.

Frequency matters more than duration. The Brooker et al. study from the PROTECT data found a clear dose-response relationship: more frequent puzzle use correlated with better cognitive function across the board [10]. This means a short daily session is likely more beneficial than one long weekend marathon. Even 10 to 15 minutes daily is valuable.

Start where you are. Choose a difficulty level that challenges you but doesn't frustrate you. The sweet spot is where you need to think, where the answers don't come instantly, but you can still finish with effort. If a puzzle consistently leaves you feeling defeated, drop down a level. If it feels too easy, step it up.

Build variety gradually. If you currently do crosswords, try adding a sudoku once or twice a week. If you do sudoku, pick up a word search. No need to overhaul your routine overnight. Just expand it over time.

Make it a ritual. The easiest way to build any habit is to attach it to something you already do consistently. Puzzles with your morning coffee. A sudoku after lunch. A word search before bed. When puzzles become part of the rhythm of your day rather than something you need to remember to do, they stick.

Don't worry about perfection. You don't need to finish every puzzle, and you don't need to finish without errors. The cognitive benefit comes from the process of engaging, from the retrieval attempts, the reasoning, the mental searching. An unfinished puzzle still exercises your brain.

Puzzles work best as part of a bigger picture. Physical exercise, social connection, quality sleep, and good nutrition all support brain health in ways that complement what puzzles do.

Beyond Puzzles: Other Activities That Strengthen Your Brain

Puzzles are a great tool for cognitive health, but they work best as part of a broader lifestyle. Just as your body benefits from varied physical exercise, your brain benefits from varied demands.

Several activities have strong research backing as complements to a regular puzzle habit:

• Physical exercise. Even a daily 30-minute walk increases blood flow to the brain and promotes neuron growth.
• Social engagement. Conversation exercises real-time language processing, working memory, and emotional reasoning.
• Reading. It activates vocabulary, comprehension, and sustained attention networks.
• Learning new skills. A musical instrument or a second language have both been linked to delayed onset of dementia symptoms.
• Quality sleep. This is when your brain consolidates the day's learning and strengthens the neural pathways you've been exercising.

You don't need to do everything. But if puzzles are your foundation, even one or two complementary activities (a daily walk, a weekly book club, an ongoing conversation habit with friends) creates a richer environment for your brain to thrive in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can puzzles actually prevent dementia?

Puzzles are not a cure or a guaranteed prevention. Dementia involves complex biological processes that no single activity can fully prevent. But the research consistently shows that puzzles can delay the onset of memory decline and build cognitive reserve. Pillai and colleagues found that crossword participation delayed accelerated memory decline by 2.54 years in people who later developed dementia [4]. The Devanand study showed cognitive improvement even in people who already had mild cognitive impairment [1]. Those are real, meaningful benefits.

Am I too old to start?

No. The research included participants up to age 93 and found benefits across the full age range [3]. The Devanand study showed improvement in people who already had measurable cognitive impairment [1]. Neuroplasticity, your brain's ability to form new connections, doesn't expire. It's never too late to start.

How long should I spend on puzzles each day?

The Devanand study used sessions of about 30 minutes, several times per week [1]. Don't let that number intimidate you. Even 10 to 15 minutes of daily puzzle time is valuable. The Brooker et al. data suggests consistency matters more than session length [10]. Start with whatever feels manageable and build from there.

Are some puzzles better than others for memory specifically?

Crosswords have the strongest direct evidence for memory benefits [1, 3, 4]. Sudoku excels at working memory and logical reasoning [3, 10]. Word searches support attention and vocabulary recognition [3]. For the broadest benefit, a mix of all three is ideal. But if you're only going to do one, crosswords have the most evidence behind them.

Are expensive brain training apps worth it?

The Devanand study directly compared crosswords to computerized brain training games, and crosswords came out ahead [1]. The crossword group improved while the brain games group declined. You don't need an expensive subscription to a commercial brain training app. Traditional puzzles are at least as effective, and the research suggests they may be more so.

Does the difficulty level matter?

Yes, but not in the way you might think. The goal isn't to do the hardest puzzles possible. The goal is to work at a level that makes you think without overwhelming you. A puzzle that's too easy won't challenge your brain enough. One that's too hard may just create frustration. The sweet spot, where you need to engage effort but can still make progress, is where the cognitive benefit lives.

Can puzzles help if I'm already taking medication for memory or cognitive concerns?

Puzzles are not a replacement for any treatment your doctor has prescribed. However, they are generally considered a complementary activity, something that works alongside medical treatment, not instead of it. The Devanand study [1] enrolled participants with mild cognitive impairment, some of whom were likely on medication, and still found benefits from crossword training. If you're under a doctor's care for cognitive concerns, puzzles are almost certainly a welcome addition to your overall plan. When in doubt, mention your puzzle habit at your next appointment. Most physicians will be enthusiastic.

What about jigsaw puzzles, card games, and board games?

This article focuses on crosswords, word searches, and sudoku because they have the strongest direct research. But other mentally engaging activities also contribute to cognitive reserve. Jigsaw puzzles exercise spatial reasoning, visual processing, and sustained attention. Card games like bridge involve working memory, strategic thinking, and social interaction. Board games combine cognitive challenge with social engagement, which is itself a powerful form of brain stimulation. The broader principle is consistent: activities that make you think, strategize, and engage your mind are beneficial. Variety is a plus.

Does doing the same puzzle type every day eventually stop working?

There's an important nuance here. If you do the exact same puzzle repeatedly, one you've already solved and memorized, yes, the benefit diminishes because there's no longer a cognitive challenge. But doing the same type of puzzle at an appropriate difficulty level continues to provide benefit because each new puzzle presents a fresh problem to solve. That said, adding variety across puzzle types does broaden the cognitive skills you're exercising. The PROTECT study's findings suggest that word puzzles and number puzzles engage different brain systems [3], so mixing types gives you broader coverage.

My spouse or parent doesn't want to do puzzles. How can I encourage them?

Pressure rarely works, but making it social and low-stakes often does. Try doing a puzzle yourself in a shared space. Curiosity is a powerful motivator. Offer to work on a crossword together, turning it into a collaborative activity rather than an assignment. Start with easier, more accessible formats like word searches, which feel less intimidating than a challenging crossword. Personalized puzzles built around their interests, memories, or family can spark engagement in a way that generic puzzles sometimes don't. And ultimately, respect their autonomy. You can share what you've learned about the benefits, but the decision needs to be theirs.

How do I know if my memory concerns need medical attention, not just puzzles?

Good question, and it's worth addressing directly. Normal age-related memory changes include occasionally forgetting names or misplacing things, but being able to recall them later.

Signs that warrant a conversation with your doctor include: consistently getting lost in familiar places, difficulty following conversations or instructions, repeating the same questions within a short time, confusion about time or place, and personality or mood changes that are unusual for you.

Puzzles are a great tool for maintaining and strengthening cognition, but they are not a diagnostic or treatment tool. If something feels off, please talk to your healthcare provider. Early assessment gives you the most options.

Your Action Plan: Getting Started Today

You've read the research. Now here's how to put it into practice, starting today.

Find your starting point. Before diving into puzzles, it helps to know where you are right now. Our quick Brain Age Quiz gives you a baseline — and something to measure your progress against as you build your puzzle habit.

Step 1: Choose your starting puzzle. Pick whichever type appeals to you most: crossword, word search, or sudoku. If you already do one type regularly, consider adding a second. There's no wrong choice here. The best puzzle is the one you'll actually do.

Step 2: Set a daily time. Even 10 minutes counts. Attach it to an existing habit: morning coffee, the quiet hour after lunch, winding down before bed. Consistency beats intensity.

Step 3: Consider personalized puzzles. The self-reference effect research [5, 6, 7] tells us that puzzles built around your own life (your names, places, memories, and interests) engage deeper memory encoding pathways. If you can find or create puzzles that incorporate personally meaningful content, the research suggests you'll get a stronger cognitive workout.

Step 4: Track how you feel. Many people notice improved focus, sharper word retrieval, and greater confidence within a few weeks of regular puzzle practice. Keep a mental note (or a written one) of these changes. They're motivating.

Step 5: Share with a friend or partner. Working on puzzles together or simply comparing notes adds a social dimension. Social engagement is itself a powerful form of cognitive stimulation, and a puzzle partner also helps you stay consistent.

Your memory is not a fixed resource that only declines. It's a living system that responds to what you give it. Every crossword clue you puzzle over, every sudoku grid you work through, every word you spot in a search, you're making a deposit into your brain's cognitive reserve account.

And puzzles are one of the most enjoyable, accessible, and well-researched things you can give your memory. The science backs them up, the time investment is small, and the potential returns are measured in years of sharper thinking.

Pick up a puzzle. Your brain will thank you.

References

1. Devanand, D.P. et al. "Computerized Games versus Crosswords Training in Mild Cognitive Impairment." NEJM Evidence, 2022.
2. Columbia University Irving Medical Center. "Crossword Puzzles Superior to Computer Video Games for Slowing Memory Loss." Columbia Psychiatry, 2022.
3. University of Exeter / King's College London. "Regularly Doing Word and Number Puzzles Linked to Sharper Brain in Later Life." University of Exeter, 2019.
4. Pillai, J.A. et al. "Association of Crossword Puzzle Participation with Memory Decline in Persons Who Develop Dementia." Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 2011.
5. Gutchess, A.H., Kensinger, E.A. & Schacter, D.L. "Aging, Self-Referencing, and Medial Prefrontal Cortex." Social Neuroscience, 2007.
6. Gutchess, A.H. et al. "Ageing and the Self-Reference Effect in Memory." Memory, 2007.
7. Rogers, T.B., Kuiper, N.A. & Kirker, W.S. "Self-Reference and the Encoding of Personal Information." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1977.
8. Umejima, K. et al. "Paper Notebooks vs. Mobile Devices: Brain Activation Differences During Memory Retrieval." Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 2021.
9. van der Meer, A. & van der Weel, F.R. "Handwriting but Not Typewriting Leads to Widespread Brain Connectivity." Frontiers in Psychology, 2024.
10. Brooker, H. et al. "The Relationship between the Frequency of Number-Puzzle Use and Baseline Cognitive Function in a Large Online Sample of Adults Aged 50 and Over." International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2019.