Playing word games makes vocabulary stick because they turn learning into...

https://spellingbee.ninja/trends/why-playing-with-words-can-be-one-of-the-best-ways-to-build-vocabulary/

Playing word games makes vocabulary stick because they turn learning into action. When you spot a word like "respawn" during a game, you actively recall its meaning to use it correctly. The immediate feedback you get helps fix the word in your memory