The COVID-19 pandemic years made it necessary for us all to undertake home isolation, and social distancing, which has caused general disruption to our daily lives.  Many people experienced increased anxiety and unearthed more serious unknown mental health conditions they never knew about.   Rather than despair, it is important to seek professional help as well as develop coping strong strategies to boost mental fitness and reilience.  These can be educational, engaging and fun.  At the Clue Detective, our favourite is solving codeword puzzles for mental health

Codewords on the CUSP

Clue Detective has developed a concept that embraces the benefits of playing puzzle games for all ages. We call it solving puzzles on the CUSP, which stands for Catch Up (With Friends) to Solve Puzzles.

Solve Clue Detective Codeword Puzzles

What the research tells us

For too long, society has a whole has felt threated by mental illness. This has created widespread fear and stigma.  We need to stamp this out and take control.  The best strategy we can adopt is to work together to help each other. Education is what is needed most.  Often mindful activities where focus and concentration are required can be extremely helpful. They give the puzzler the opportunity to actively engage their brain, be in the moment, and provide relief from the anxiety they are experiencing.

Research shows that three out of four people with a mental illness develop symptoms before the age of 25, and alarmingly, 50% of these cases will manifest by the time the person is 14.  This highlights the need to act early.

If children can be shown the benefits of solving puzzles early on it will hopefully help them to develop coping mechanism, which helps them to build resilience as they go through life.  Having to work through a puzzle is like having to work through an everyday problem.

Caring for our mental health is something none of us can ever neglect. It should be a lifelong focus for us all.  Some people will be very lucky and not have to face any difficulties, however many will not.  If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we should never become complacent.

The benefits of forming a CUSP club

We all recall from COVID lockdowns, the effects of isolation and loneliness are extremely debilitating.  We have had to think outside the box as to what activities we can use to engage ourselves when we just have to stay at home.  It has also given us the opportunity to actively experience technological advances such as as Zoom.  It’s not even necessary for puzzlers to be in the same location.  Providing you have the time-zone right, you can connect with anyone in the world.

Puzzlers already have something in common. They have an inbuilt hankering for finding the solution to a problem.  Like reading a mystery novel, solving a codeword puzzle is a form of escapism.  It allows people to leave their worries behind, even if it is only for a little while.  A codeword puzzle is a problem that can definitely be solved using  patience and perseverance. With their inbuilt, random code, they all have their own element of mystery and intrigue.  They are educational because they help the puzzler boost their vocabulary and general knowledge. Although solving a codeword individually can be deeply satisfying, solving it with others is even better.

Solving puzzles in a group is a wonderful way to stay connected.  Getting together with friends is one of the most important activities we can engage in.  It is a helpful way to regularly re-connect, de-stress and enjoy each other’s company and see how everyone is going. If a regular attendee is suddenly missing, it should prompt you to check in on them. It never hurts, and you may discover that a friend is struggling.

Establishing a CUSP club is a great way to learn and maintaining mental health. Puzzlers can enjoy solving codewords together and bring their own knowledge to the table.

A CUSP club can be established anywhere.  Ideal locations include (public or school) libraries.  When a library subscribes, it can then act as a community puzzling hub.  The Clue Detective puzzle portal software can be integrated a library’s website so that patrons can login remotely and run their CUSP club from anywhere.

Solve Clue Detective Puzzles

The Clue Detective Puzzle Agency is a proud mental health advocate.  They have been promoting the benefits of puzzling for mental health for over 20 years.  

To find out how the Clue Detective’s Solving Puzzles for Mental Health Initiative can assist you, please send us a message.