Here's what New Zealanders were searching for the most on Google in 2022

It’s no surprise that there have been some weird, wonderful and wildly unexpected Google searches this year.

From awards ceremony slaps that could be heard ringing through our TV screens long after the Oscars, to movies that had men growing hefty moustaches, wearing leather jackets and preempting a midlife crisis with the thought of buying a plane or a motorcycle, 2022 has been one hell of a year and it can be seen in our Google searches.

There are some to be expected, with “locations of interest” still holding its own a second year around, and some not so expected, such as the devastating, ongoing war in Ukraine which no one could have seen coming, and some that just seem bizarre - who has time to not only thrash out their daily Wordle but dominate Quordle before the day is up?

While Covid searches were still rampant, so were the obligatory baking recipes that came with them. Hot cross buns, apple crumbles, plum jam and cinnamon rolls made waves on the search bar, and we’re sure pleased the masses in mouthfuls.

Of course, our new-found freedom post-Covid didn’t stop us from bingeing some flicks. With TV shows such as Euphoria, Stranger Things and The Watcher to keep us couch-bound, as well as movies such as Thor: Love and Thunder (directed by New Zealand national treasure Taika Waititi), Top Gun and The Batman showing in cinemas, Google certainly hit it on the head with our screen picks - anyone else suffering from a case of the square eyes?

We suffered a tremendous amount of loss this year, as can be seen by our top Google searches. Queen Elizabeth, Shane Warne, Betty White and Olivia Newton John were grieved and Googled in 2022, following their sad passings.

We also had some big wins on the sports field. Australia Open came in first for most searched, while All Blacks vs Ireland, Rugby League World Cup, All Blacks vs South Africa and Fifa World Cup shortly followed.

When it came to big names in Hollywood, Johnny Depp was the most searched on Google amid his trial win against Amber Heard, who came in second. Will Smith gained some traction on the web after his stage slap (and ensuing quality meme content) of Chris Rock at the Oscars.

Photo / AP

Kiwi icons also gained some googles this year with Clarke Gayford, Ryan Fox and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott representing their country on the world wide web.

Some were learning to drive, with AA driving lessons coming in hot in online class searches, and others were kicking it back, with Lost Ark classes, Elden Ring classes and DND classes (thanks Stranger Things) making the top five.

Photo / Getty

But of course, one might or might not have expected, the top search of 2022 was none other than Wordle. Leave it to kids to flake on their homework and actively guess the word of the day. Leave it to the adults to use their 15-minute lunch break to guess a five-letter word that starts with “e”. Our final act before we hit the hay, the mind-churner to make our bus rides fly and the constant conversation-starter on the group chat to decide which sibling is superior. It warms our hearts to know that the most-searched topic this year was one that was growing our brains.

Amid the tragedy, treachery and torrid times plaguing the internet, at least we have our five minutes of uninterrupted Wordle to keep our heads afloat.

This article was first published by the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.