'What's the Word' about this popular word game?

Your Facebook news feed may be blowing up with screenshots from a game that seemingly all your friends are playing. You know the one. There’s a collection of pictures, and you’re supposed to guess what they have in common. That app, aptly named What’s the Word, has knocked Temple Run out of the top spot in the App Store’s games category.

What’s the Word works by showing you a set of four pictures and some letter tiles. Looking at the four pictures, you are to determine what word they have in common. For example, level 14’s pictures are a woman eating a candy bar, a bar graph, a cereal bar, and bar stools at a bar. The answer, obviously, is bar. Take a look at the picture in this post. The word those four images have in common is dish. They’re not all that easy, though. As you move through the levels, the words become more complicated.

If you find yourself stumped, don’t despair. For each correct answer you get, you are awarded coins. Use these coins to buy or delete a letter or get another picture to help you solve the puzzle. You can also use coins to connect to Facebook to ask your friends for help.

Think word games like this are a waste of time? Think again. Games that work out your problem solving and creative thinking skills give your brain a good (and much needed) workout. Memory games in particular help improve memory when it comes to remember faces, names, appointments and other oft forgot tidbits. Other activities that enhance brain function are reading, playing a musical instrument and learning a new language.

The app is available for both iOS and Android devices. User ratings describe the app as fun, addictive and challenging. Have you downloaded it? Tell us what you think!

Photo courtesy of author via in-app screenshot.