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  • Los Angeles Times

    Column: Brain-twisted or brain-washed — can crossword puzzles and word games sharpen memory?

    by Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times Mar 14, 2023 5 minutes
    Jairo Angulo works on a Sudoku puzzle at his home in Los Angeles. He believes they're good for mental sharpness. Scientists say there is little evidence to support aid in memory loss.

    LOS ANGELES -- It's a daily ritual for millions of people. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and eventually make your way to one or more crossword puzzles, word games and other brain twisters.

    The test of banked knowledge and problem-solving ability can boost your ego, or deflate it. But either way, you're clearing out the cobwebs, right? It's the "use it or lose it" theory in action, and as I get older, I'd like to believe these mental exercises can help keep my mind sharp and maybe even ward off memory loss, even if my wife usually beats me at all these games.

    But is there any science behind that, or is it wishful thinking?

    I am trying to solve that riddle, because since the Golden State column two months ago, I've heard from a lot of readers

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