How Can I Exercise My Brain with Tech?

What this helps with: Finding free puzzle games, word games, and apps for your phone, tablet, or computer. It also covers game systems you can buy, and how to set up and play each one.

Games and puzzles are a fun way to keep your mind busy. This guide is about the fun and the tech. It doesn’t say any game will help your memory or protect your health. Experts say the proof for “brain training” apps is mixed. If you’re worried about your memory, talk to your doctor.

Start free: games on the phone or tablet you have

You don’t need to buy anything. These are free to download and play.

• NYT Games (iPhone, iPad, Android, or on the web). Daily puzzles from The New York Times. Wordle, Connections, Strands, Sudoku, and Pips are free. The full Crossword and the puzzle archive need a paid subscription.
• Lichess (iPhone, iPad, Android, or lichess.org). Free chess with no ads. Play the computer, a friend, or daily chess puzzles.
• Microsoft Solitaire Collection (iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows computers). Solitaire, FreeCell, Spider, and more. It’s free with ads. You can pay to remove them, but you don’t have to.
• Duolingo (iPhone, iPad, Android, or duolingo.com). Learn a new language in short daily lessons. The free version has ads. A paid plan is offered, but it’s not needed.

How to install a free game

1. Open the App Store (iPhone or iPad) or the Play Store (Android).
   • What you’ll tap: A blue icon with a white “A” (App Store), or a colored triangle (Play Store).
2. Tap Search and type the game’s name, like NYT Games.
3. Check the maker’s name under the app. It should say The New York Times Company, Lichess, Microsoft Corporation, or Duolingo.
4. Tap Get (iPhone) or Install (Android). You may need your Apple Account password, Face ID, or fingerprint.
5. When it’s done, tap Open.

How to play your first puzzle

Wordle (in NYT Games):

1. Open NYT Games and tap Wordle. Tap Play.
2. Type any five-letter word and tap Enter.
3. Look at the colors. Green means the right letter in the right spot. Yellow means the letter is in the word, but in a different spot. Gray means it’s not in the word.
4. Use the colors to guess again. You get six tries. A new puzzle comes out each day.

Chess puzzles (in Lichess):

1. Open Lichess and tap Puzzles.
2. Find the best move. Tap a piece, then tap where it should go.
3. If you get it wrong, the app shows the answer. Tap to try the next one.

Tip: You don’t need to make an account for most of these games. An account just saves your scores if you switch devices.

Make games easier to see and hear

• Bigger text: Turn up the text size on your phone or tablet. Many games follow it. See How to Make Text Bigger on Your Phone.
• Turn off the timer: Many puzzles let you hide the clock. Look for a gear or Settings button in the game.
• Use a tablet: A bigger screen makes small letters and cards easier to tap.
• Captions: For games with talking or videos, turn on captions in the game’s settings, or in your phone’s Accessibility settings.

If you want to buy something

All of this is optional. Prices are the makers’ list prices in the U.S. as of Oct 20, 2026. Stores may charge more or less. We don’t get paid for any of these.

• Nintendo Switch Lite: $229.99. A small handheld game system. It’s light, and you hold it like a big phone.
• Nintendo Switch 2: $499.99. Plays on your TV or in your hands. It also plays most Switch games.
• Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics: $39.99. Card games, board games, dominoes, chess, mahjong, and more, for one to four players.
• Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain: $29.99. Short, quick puzzle games. Family members can play together, each at their own level.

Before you buy a game system: Ask a family member if they have one you could try. Many libraries also have game systems or puzzle books to borrow.

How to set up a Nintendo Switch

1. Charge it with the cable in the box. Then hold down the power button on the top until the screen turns on.
2. Follow the steps on screen. Pick your language and region, and connect to your home Wi-Fi.
3. Make a Nintendo Account when it asks. You’ll need an email address and a password.
4. To buy a game, you can get a game card at a store. Push it into the slot on the top. Or open Nintendo eShop on the home screen and buy it there.
5. To make things bigger, open System Settings on the home screen. Look under Accessibility or System for Zoom or text size.

Stay safe

• Only install from the App Store, the Play Store, or the Nintendo eShop. Don’t install games from links in texts, emails, or pop-ups.
• Watch for in-app purchases. Many free games sell extra coins, hints, or “no ads.” On the app’s store page, look for In-App Purchases before you install.
• Watch for free trials. Some apps start a free trial that turns into a paid subscription. If you don’t want it, cancel before the trial ends. On iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions. On Android, open the Play Store, tap your picture, then Payments & subscriptions.
• Be careful with big promises. An app that says it will “cure” or “stop” memory loss is making claims experts can’t back up. The FTC made one brain-game company pay $2 million in 2016 for ads like that.
• Never share your passwords with someone you meet in a game chat.

If you think you clicked a fake link, see How to Spot a Scam Call, Text, or Email.

Other ideas that use tech

• Video call a friend and play a word game together. See How to Video Call Your Family (FaceTime and WhatsApp).
• Watch a how-to show and learn something new, like painting or cooking. See How to Watch Shows on a Streaming TV App.

Official sources

• National Institute on Aging: Cognitive health and older adults
• FTC: Lumosity to pay $2 million to settle deceptive advertising charges
• The New York Times: Games subscription and free games
• Lichess: Mobile app
• Microsoft: Microsoft Solitaire Collection on the App Store
• Nintendo: Nintendo Switch 2 price
• Nintendo: Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain
• Apple: Cancel a subscription from Apple
• Google: Cancel a subscription on Google Play

Last checked: Oct 20, 2026

This is general help, not personalized tech support, and not medical advice. Prices are U.S. list prices and can change. Talk to your doctor about any memory worries.