Pharmacy clinician creates medical Wordle, Meddle

An Adelaide father–son duo — UniSA’s Associate Professor Chris Alderman and his son Jonathon — have conceived and designed Meddle, a free medical word game designed for people in 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 said he hoped that Meddle would 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 said.

“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 10 countries, Meddle is just in its infancy, yet Assoc Prof Alderman hopes its 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 said.

“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.”