Unclear on the wrinklers.

[Giraffe]

I read a guide but I'm not sure if I understand the strategy correctly. Is the best course of action to ignore them until I get a 7x boost (or some other big boost) and then pop them? I'll get more cookies than I lost?

Is it bad/inefficient to pop them right as I see them?

[Postage Bread]

what even is wrinklers

[El Tamura]

Imagine wrinklers like pig banks: as time passes, more cookies are stored inside then. When a wrinkler is popped, it will give back the cookies stored inside then plus some interest.

Originally posted by Giraffe:

Is the best course of action to ignore them until I get a 7x boost (or some other big boost) and then pop them?

During a Frenzy they accumulate cookies 7x faster, so it's better to wait until the frenzy finish if you intend to pop then.

Originally posted by Giraffe:

I'll get more cookies than I lost?

You will always get more cookies than you "lost" to wrinklers. So let them feast as long as you like.

Originally posted by Giraffe:

Is it bad/inefficient to pop them right as I see them?

No.

Theoretically the best way to "use" wrinklers is to wait until they are maxed out(10 or 12, if you bought "Elder Spice" in the upgrade tree) then wait until they accumulated enough cookies to buy your next upgrade, then put Skruuia in the temple's diamond slot and just then pop all twelve.
Personally, I never found Wrinklers to be worth all the hassle. The amount of cookies they reward is REALLY insignificant in comparison to just doing a Frenzy+Click Frenzy Combo.
I use them only to get eggs from Easter Season and special cookies from Halloween Season.

[Kunovega]

read:
https://cookieclicker.fandom.com/wiki/Wrinkler

[DeeDotCeeDot]

I'm just clicking along (sometimes - although most of the time I just let the game run while I'm doing other things) and feel like I'm not getting anywhere. I have the bingo research and was trying for the hive mind but after reading a bit am not sure I actually want it. I also have all the mini games but don't really do anything with them - the garden, the stock market thing, the wizard and maybe it's the temple? I haven't ascended - should I? I'm lost and reading the wiki explains all the functions but not necessarily a strategy to make more cookies (unless I looked in the wrong place - which is entirely possible).

[Giraffe]

I was operating under the impression that the 7x boost would apply to the gains from popping. Thank you for clarifying.

[Giraffe]

Also I poorly used my sugar lumps before I read a guide, so I have no mimgames unlocked yet. Oops. Going to have a late start on that part of the game.