It seems sense that puzzles have always captured the attention of thinkers. They range in complexity from quite easy to ones that are shaped and sized like a puzzle.
For those who enjoy a good challenge, there is an eternal attraction to some of the puzzles that have not been solved.
However, puzzles aren’t limited to puzzle fans. Whatever their inclination, they have amazing benefits for everyone.
Resolving puzzles helps to keep the mind flexible and sharp, much like working out.
It teaches the brain to look at issues from several perspectives and stimulates original thought to come up with answers.
The Internet was baffled by this puzzle
Many people are baffled by a certain riddle that has gone viral on the internet. It appears to be a typical image of digits 1 through 15 placed neatly at first glance.
The task is to locate the mistake and reupload the picture. It seems easy enough, doesn’t it?
However, while you look for the mistake, you notice an oddity. There are no missing or erroneous numbers—all of them are just right.
You study them carefully in an attempt to uncover a secret pattern or sequencing, but you are unsuccessful. They are set up flawlessly.
This is when you start to think creatively. Perhaps there is a mistake because there isn’t a zero? Or should I add the number sixteen instead?
Or is it a completely different thing? You examine every little detail, including the number shapes and spacing. But you still don’t know the solution.
Then it dawns on you. The error is not at all in the statistics. The line below asks you to identify the “mitsake” rather than the mistake. It’s clever, isn’t it?
Most people overlook the misspelled word entirely because they are fixated on the numbers.
We can learn a valuable lesson from this puzzle: sometimes the answer lies in taking a broad view.
We miss the obvious because we are preoccupied with the minutiae.
We can improve our ability to solve problems by teaching our minds to see past the obvious.
The Wide-Reaching Advantages
There are many advantages to solving puzzles. Studies have demonstrated that they enhance memory, particularly short-term memory.
Our ability to think fast is tested by puzzles, which improves mental processes and fortifies neural connections.
