I think you meant column and columns, not row(s) (for those who need mnemonics: Rows Run to the Right, Columns Climb)
I think whether to do that is a design choice, though. The current setup puts a penalty on clearing center columns early, effectively splitting the game in two.
Easier than a mnemonic is just remembering what real-life rows and columns are. A Roman column [1] pretty obviously has to be vertical or it wouldn't do its job of holding up a ceiling. And you get ducks in a row but they're not often stacked on top of each other.
Non-native speakers may need some help (but likely only if their language isn’t Germanic or influenced by Latin. ‘Row’ is Germanic in origin, and I think Latin ‘columna’ made it into many languages)
I think whether to do that is a design choice, though. The current setup puts a penalty on clearing center columns early, effectively splitting the game in two.