News from University of South Australia

Meddle: the medical Wordle that’s boosting mental health

Meddle example
Meddle word game - https://meddle-game.com

It’s the phenomenon that’s taken over the world, but while Wordle continues to absorb the attention of the masses, a new medical word game – Meddle –  is now challenging health professionals in a bid to boost wellbeing within the sector.

Conceived and designed by an Adelaide father-son duo - UniSA’s Associate Professor Chris Alderman and his son Jonathon - Meddle is a free medical word game designed for anyone within the medical profession.

The six-letter, seven-shot word game works much like its counterpart, but uses only medical words, no abbreviations, and no brand names. Players can also input non-medical words to help solve the puzzle.

UniSA’s Associate Professor Chris Alderman says he hopes that Meddle will provide some light-heartedness for the medical profession amid the ongoing pandemic.

“No matter where you work in the health sector, every health professional is somehow connected to Covid. Yet, when you’re exposed to ongoing risks, your mental health can suffer, which is why it’s so important to have some regular downtime,” Assoc Prof Alderman says.

“We created Meddle as a specialised medical word game for people working within the health sector, to help add a bit of fun to their day and perhaps boost their mental wellbeing.

“Amid a pandemic, everyone is struggling. Meddle is simply an entertaining distraction for those in the health and medical industry.”

With more than 1000 users across ten countries, Meddle is just in its infancy, yet Assoc Prof Alderman hopes it’s user base will grow as people learn about and engage with the new game.

In conjunction with the new Meddle word game, the pair has also established a gofundme campaign to raise funds for COVID-19 vaccinations in developing countries.

"Infections are surging in vulnerable communities, and as we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are yet to gain access to a single dose of a vaccine,” Jonathon Alderman says.

“We’ve chosen to support Unicef to get vaccinations to communities in need. So, people who enjoy playing Meddle may also choose to donate to this important cause.”

To play Meddle, visit: https://meddle-game.com or scan:QR code Meddle.jpg

To connect with the Meddle-Unicef gofundme page, visit: https://bit.ly/3wIsvZW

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Contact for interview:  Assoc Prof Chris Alderman E: [email protected]

Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 417 717 504 E: [email protected]