When faced with a lot of home time, doing the same old stuff can get boring and be mentally draining. Whether it’s cooking, cleaning, or watching TV that’s filling your time, you might be looking for a new way to switch up your routine. Why not try puzzles? To help you shop your options, this article will discuss the different types of puzzles (on paper).
First and foremost, what exactly is a puzzle?
- A puzzle is a game meant to be fun for the person trying to figure it out
- In a puzzle, logic is used to arrive at a correct solution
Ready to invite fun to your household? Ahead, you will discover the different types of puzzles on the market today:
Sudoku
Introducing brain game #1 – Sudoku. This type of puzzle game is fun and engaging. Whether you’re a methodological thinker or someone who goes about solving the puzzle randomly, there’s no doubt sudoku will flex your mental muscles while offering a joyous time.
Every time you reveal a number on the puzzle grid, it helps you find the next number more quicker. And the more numbers you find, the easier the puzzle is to solve. This makes the puzzle fun but still challenging. Every game is different, and for an added challenge, you can time yourself to see how quickly you finish!
Mazes
Our brain game #2 will surely take you back through time – Mazes! This game starts super simple so that even young children can have fun solving them. They come in different patterns and designs, so you won’t have trouble finding one that appeals to you.
To solve these puzzles, you will start at one point and choose different “paths” to reach the destination. Keep in mind – there is only one way to solve a maze, and taking the wrong path will lead you to a dreaded dead end.
So if indoors, outdoors, stuck at home, or on break, choose maze puzzles to occupy your time while engaging your brain in a fun but mind-boosting game.
Cryptic Crossword
Brain game #3 are cryptic crossword puzzles. Are you up to a challenging yet exuberating task? Every crossword clue provides a definition of the answer, and your job is to find it. It’s as simple as 1) reading the clue, 2) thinking about it, 3) looking at the number of letters, and 4) solving the puzzle. That’s it.
Test yourself, share with your friends, and try cryptic crossword puzzles!
Word Search
Never underestimate the good time brain game # 4 will bring you – Word Search! This game will keep you occupied and is a great way to cut down on screen time, providing you purchase a physical version of the game.
Playing is simple. Scan the rows and circles or highlight the words you find. Look for the biggest words first to make it easier. Not only will this puzzle help you expand your vocabulary, word search, as with all puzzle games, can help prevent age-related diseases such as dementia.
Spot the difference
Look again; brian game #5 can be hard to spot – Spot the Difference puzzles. This puzzle can get tricky! It takes a careful eye to spot the difference between the two images. The differences can be as subtle as color changes or as obvious as missing objects. Some objects are slightly tweaked, making finding the differences challenging.
Puzzle “cheat” – don’t neglect the corners as we are naturally drawn to the center of images. That’s why differences are usually hidden near corners.
“Puzzling” your way to a higher IQ
Just because you’re having fun doesn’t mean you’re not exercising your mind’s muscles. In fact, every time you solve a puzzle, you are improving your IQ.
Solving puzzles before bed
Solving puzzles before bed is extremely beneficial. And since they are also relaxing, it’s a win-win. Switching your nightly activities to a calming word search will give you a better night’s rest over watching TV.
Puzzles are a fantastic way to spend your free time at home or at work. They help break up the boredom and give your mind something to do – and that’s a must-have when stuck at home and trying to cut down on screen time. Not only will you thoroughly enjoy yourself, but brain games will also increase your memory and benefit your overall mental health.