# Anyone here have trouble playing scrabble games and word memory games? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 14, 2021, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011 "2021-04-14T22:50:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jillwood77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e47c2d/32.png) [@Jillwood77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jillwood77)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2021, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011/1 "2021-04-14T22:50:48Z")
I tried playing scrabble games and some other memory games and I’m struggling. And I don’t know if I should see a doctor or this is typical for the first 3 or 4 months to struggle with scrabble games and other memory games. I don’t know if this typical at first and after 3 or 4 months you get better. I seem to struggle with word association and linking of words with similar sounds words when I try to play those memory games. I’m wondering if this is problem and I should see doctor about this or this is typical for the first 3 or 4 months to struggle. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011/2 "2021-04-15T00:25:10Z")
Sorry, for the first three or four months of what? ---
**Author:** ![Jillwood77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e47c2d/32.png) [@Jillwood77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jillwood77)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011/3 "2021-04-15T01:01:59Z")
I’m having problems playing scrabble games and word association games example dog , leash, sun, sunglasses, key, car, umbrella, rain, beach, water, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouse, keyboard so on. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011/4 "2021-04-15T01:08:45Z")
I think you need to see a doctor. You aren’t making any sense. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011/5 "2021-04-15T01:22:41Z")
I think Jillwood77 is making sense. They’ve for whatever reason recently started playing scrabble games and word associations, and have realized that they’re really bad at it, to the point at which they don’t know whether they’re bad at it within normal range or whether something’s wrong. (If I’ve got that wrong, @Jillwood77, please let me know.) In case of doubt, I can’t see that it would hurt to ask a doctor. People do generally get better at any game over time, though, and three months isn’t that long to have been playing scrabble. Are you comparing your skill to that of other people who’ve been playing for years? Are you having trouble remembering words, or thinking of the right word, in contexts other than playing games? ---
**Author:** ![Jillwood77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e47c2d/32.png) [@Jillwood77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jillwood77)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011/6 "2021-04-15T01:26:18Z")
I’m not sure if this being really weak in English why I’m having trouble playing those games or some learning problem or problem with my memory. Well word association and linking of words is some thing people do in first and second grade. So I don’t know why I’m struggling. ---
**Author:** ![Jillwood77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e47c2d/32.png) [@Jillwood77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jillwood77)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011/7 "2021-04-15T01:32:55Z")
I mean if it is typical for the first month people to struggle playing word association games and linking of words games. But by 3 or 4 months playing those games I should get better and if not than I should go and see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011/8 "2021-04-15T01:39:25Z")
Define “struggle” in some detail. How would you expect a person to do at one of those games? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011/9 "2021-04-15T02:17:18Z")
> [@Jillwood77](#): > > I’m not sure if this being really weak in English Is English not your first language? I can’t imagine playing Scrabble or doing word association in a foreign language after only a few months. I apologize if I’m grossly misunderstanding you. ---
**Author:** ![Thylacine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thylacine/32/1143_2.png) [@Thylacine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacine)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-trouble-playing-scrabble-games-and-word-memory-games/940011/10 "2021-04-15T03:02:45Z")
I have some neurological issues and some nasty drugs to help with them, I realised I had lost a lot of my word, logic and mental mathematics skills. I downloaded a brain training app and started poorly but 3 months on with daily practice have maxed out scores across all categories and the last time I let it test my IQ it was the same as when I was tested at University near 40 years ago. If you are practicing and not seeing improvement mentioning it to a doctor may well be wise but you may also have jumped in to the deep end and may be better playing alone than against others. There are lots of apps/programs to try.