PAU Launches 'Sozzle': A 9-Language Word Puzzle Revolutionizing Vocabulary Learning

Beyond 'Word Connect': PAU's 'Sozzle' Merges Meaning and Muddle for Next-Level Language Mastery

Pamukkale University (PAU) Contemporary Turkic Dialects and Literatures (CTDL) website has added a new endeavor to its language learning initiatives: a new game called "Sozzle," which both stimulates thought and enriches vocabulary, has been made available in 9 different languages!

The PAU CTDL website had previously gained recognition with its Hangman game. Now, this popular site continues its mission of making language learning interactive and enjoyable with Sozzle. The game presents users with a jumble of mixed letters and asks them to find the words that match the given meanings.

Sozzle has a name that perfectly describes this disarray. The word, which means a "state of disorganization" or a "mass/pile mixed up in a complete mess" in English, is directly related to the mixed arrangement of letters in the game. Moreover, the game's name appears to be a combination of the words 'word' and 'puzzle' and also evokes the names of games like Wordle and Scrabble.

9-Language Word Discovery

Sozzle stands out for the importance it places on linguistic diversity. The game offers its users the opportunity to learn vocabulary in 9 different languages (Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Turkmen, Ottoman Turkish, Russian, English, Arabic).

The game is an innovative derivative of the classic 'word connect' genre. Uniquely, it is combined with the logic of a crossword puzzle by providing users with the meanings of the words. This way, instead of just connecting letters, knowledge of meaning is also tested. In the Ottoman Turkish and Arabic Sozzle games, unlike the others, there are separate options for meaning and spelling (imla) questions. This feature aims to greatly contribute to new learners of these languages acquiring the correct spelling.

Learning Steps and Clues

Sozzle advances the learning process gradually:

• The game asks for words with a maximum of 3 letters at level 1.

• The length of the longest word asked increases by 1 letter every two levels.

• In the final level of the game, users encounter words with a maximum of 8 letters.

• Players earn 1 clue every two levels. When a clue is used, one of the words being asked is completely revealed, helping the user to progress.

• This new game has the potential to be an important resource for discovering new vocabulary and reinforcing language knowledge, not only for students of Contemporary Turkic Dialects, Turkish Language, and Literature but also for anyone learning foreign languages like English, Russian, and Arabic.

PAU CTDL's "Sozzle" game invites everyone who wants to expand their vocabulary to play, adding both structure and fun to the language learning process!