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A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to find the solution of the puzzle. There are different genres of puzzles, such as crossword puzzles, word-search puzzles, number puzzles, relational puzzles, and logic puzzles. The academic study of puzzles is called enigmatology.

The Puzzle: Its Origins and Enduring Legacy

Puzzles are one of the most enduring forms of human entertainment and intellectual challenge, transcending cultures and centuries. From simple wooden shapes to intricate jigsaw designs, puzzles have always captivated the human mind with their ability to engage and stimulate problem-solving, logic, and creativity. But who invented the puzzle, and how did it evolve into the beloved pastime we know today? This essay explores the history of puzzles, their inventors, and their ongoing impact on society.

The Birth of the Modern Puzzle: John Spilsbury The modern concept of the jigsaw puzzle can be traced back to an English cartographer and engraver named John Spilsbury, who is credited with creating the first known commercial puzzle in 1767. Spilsbury's invention was not created as a game but as an educational tool to help children learn geography. He mounted a map of the world onto a piece of wood and then cut along the borders of the countries, creating a "dissected map" that children could piece together to learn the placement and shape of nations.

Spilsbury’s educational puzzles became popular in schools across England and were eventually adapted for other subjects, such as history and astronomy. This was the beginning of what we now consider the jigsaw puzzle—an item designed to stimulate the mind and reinforce learning through visual and tactile engagement. Over time, the puzzles grew in complexity, shifting from wood to cardboard and expanding into various themes beyond maps.

The Evolution of Puzzles As puzzles gained popularity, they evolved in both form and function. In the early 20th century, jigsaw puzzles became more accessible to the general public thanks to advancements in printing and die-cutting technology. This allowed manufacturers to produce puzzles cheaply and in large quantities. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, puzzles became an affordable source of entertainment, providing a distraction from the economic hardships of the time.

Puzzles were no longer just for children or educational purposes. They became a widespread form of adult leisure, often depicting scenes from nature, famous works of art, or complex patterns that required hours of focus and determination. The jigsaw puzzle boom of the 20th century turned it into a household staple, enjoyed by individuals and families alike.

Different Types of Puzzles While John Spilsbury is credited with inventing the jigsaw puzzle, puzzles come in many different forms, each designed to challenge different cognitive skills:

Crossword Puzzles: First created by Arthur Wynne in 1913 for the New York World newspaper, the crossword puzzle quickly became a popular way to test language and vocabulary skills. Wynne’s original crossword, titled "Word-Cross," sparked a global interest in word games that continues to this day. Rubik’s Cube: Invented in 1974 by Hungarian architect Ernő Rubik, the Rubik's Cube is a 3D combination puzzle that challenges spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills. What began as a teaching tool for understanding three-dimensional spaces quickly became a global phenomenon and remains one of the most iconic puzzles in history. Sudoku: Although its origins are based on an 18th-century mathematical concept, the modern Sudoku puzzle became widely popular in the 1980s in Japan and later internationally. Sudoku puzzles require logical reasoning rather than mathematical calculations and are enjoyed by millions of people around the world. The Appeal of Puzzles: Cognitive and Emotional Benefits Puzzles have always held a unique appeal due to their ability to engage both the mind and the emotions. They offer a satisfying balance of challenge and reward, drawing on skills such as pattern recognition, spatial awareness, and deductive reasoning. The process of solving a puzzle often requires persistence, focus, and creative thinking, and the sense of accomplishment upon completing a difficult puzzle can be deeply rewarding.

From a cognitive perspective, puzzles stimulate various parts of the brain, enhancing memory, problem-solving abilities, and even hand-eye coordination. Studies have shown that engaging in puzzles regularly can improve brain function and help stave off cognitive decline in older adults.

Emotionally, puzzles provide a form of stress relief and mindfulness. The act of focusing intently on a puzzle allows people to disconnect from daily worries and enter a state of flow, where time seems to pass effortlessly. Whether working on a jigsaw puzzle alone or solving a crossword with friends, puzzles offer a meditative experience that promotes relaxation and mental clarity.

The Enduring Legacy of Puzzles The puzzle, in its many forms, continues to be an important part of human culture. From ancient riddles to modern-day Sudoku and jigsaws, puzzles have evolved alongside human civilization, reflecting our innate curiosity and desire for mental stimulation. Today, puzzles are not only a source of entertainment but also a tool for education, therapy, and cognitive training.

The digital age has also brought puzzles into new realms, with online puzzle games, apps, and virtual escape rooms becoming popular across the globe. Despite the technological advances, the core appeal of puzzles remains the same: they challenge us, engage our minds, and provide a sense of accomplishment when the solution finally clicks into place.

In conclusion, the puzzle—whether invented by John Spilsbury, Arthur Wynne, or Ernő Rubik—has become a timeless symbol of human ingenuity and the power of problem-solving. Its evolution over the centuries reflects our deep-seated need for challenge and mental growth, making puzzles a beloved part of our shared human experience

Etymology

The Oxford English Dictionary dates the word puzzle (as a verb) to the end of the 16th century. Its earliest use documented in the OED was in a book titled The Voyage of Robert Dudley...to the West Indies, 1594–95, narrated by Capt. Wyatt, by himself, and by Abram Kendall, master (published circa 1595). The word later came to be used as a noun, first as an abstract noun meaning 'the state or condition of being puzzled', and later developing the meaning of 'a perplexing problem'. The OED's earliest clear citation in the sense of 'a toy that tests the player's ingenuity' is from Sir Walter Scott's 1814 novel Waverley, referring to a toy known as a "reel in a bottle".

The etymology of the verb puzzle is described by OED as "unknown"; unproven hypotheses regarding its origin include an Old English verb puslian meaning 'pick out', and a derivation of the verb pose.

Genres

Puzzles can be categorized as:

• Lateral thinking puzzles, also called "situation puzzles"
• Mathematical puzzles include the missing square puzzle and many impossible puzzles — puzzles which have no solution, such as the Seven Bridges of Königsberg, the three cups problem, and three utilities problem
  • Sangaku (Japanese temple tablets with geometry puzzles)

• A chess problem is a puzzle that uses chess pieces on a chess board. Examples are the knight's tour and the eight queens puzzle.
• Mechanical puzzles or dexterity puzzles such as the Rubik's Cube and Soma cube can be stimulating toys for children or recreational activities for adults.
  • combination puzzles like Peg solitaire
  • construction puzzles such as stick puzzles
  • disentanglement puzzles,
  • folding puzzles
  • jigsaw puzzles. Puzz 3D is a three-dimensional variant of this type.
  • lock puzzles
  • A puzzle box can be used to hide something — jewelry, for instance.
  • sliding puzzles (also called sliding tile puzzles) such as the 15 Puzzle and Sokoban
  • tiling puzzles like Tangram
  • Tower of Hanoi

• Metapuzzles are puzzles which unite elements of other puzzles.
• Paper-and-pencil puzzles such as Uncle Art's Funland, connect the dots, and nonograms
  • Also the logic puzzles published by Nikoli: Sudoku, Slitherlink, Kakuro, Fillomino, Hashiwokakero, Heyawake, Hitori, Light Up, Masyu, Number Link, Nurikabe, Ripple Effect, Shikaku, and Kuromasu; takuzu.
• Spot the difference
• Tour puzzles like a maze
• Word puzzles, including anagrams, ciphers, crossword puzzles, Hangman (game), dropquotes, and word search puzzles. Tabletop and digital word puzzles include Bananagrams, Boggle, Bonza, Dabble, Letterpress (video game), Perquackey, Puzzlage, Quiddler, Ruzzle, Scrabble, Upwords, WordSpot, and Words with Friends. Wheel of Fortune (U.S. game show) is a game show centered on a word puzzle.
• Puzzle video games
  • Tile-matching video game
  • Puzzle-platformer
  • Adventure game
  • Hidden object game
  • Minesweeper

Puzzle solving

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Solutions of puzzles often require the recognition of patterns and the adherence to a particular kind of order. People with a high level of inductive reasoning aptitude may be better at solving such puzzles compared to others. But puzzles based upon inquiry and discovery may be solved more easily by those with good deduction skills. Deductive reasoning improves with practice. Mathematical puzzles often involve BODMAS. BODMAS is an acronym which stands for Bracket, Of, Division, Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction. In certain regions, PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition and Subtraction) is the synonym of BODMAS. It explains the order of operations to solve an expression. Some mathematical puzzles require Top to Bottom convention to avoid the ambiguity in the order of operations. It is an elegantly simple idea that relies, as sudoku does, on the requirement that numbers appear only once starting from top to bottom as coming along.

Puzzle makers

Puzzle makers are people who make puzzles. In general terms of occupation, a puzzler or puzzlist is someone who composes and/or solves puzzles.

Some notable creators of puzzles are:

• Ernő Rubik
• Sam Loyd
• Henry Dudeney
• Boris Kordemsky
• Will Shortz
• Oskar van Deventer
• Lloyd King
• Martin Gardner
• Raymond Smullyan

History of puzzles

The nine linked-rings puzzle, an advanced puzzle device that requires mathematical calculation to solve, was invented in China during the Warring States period (475-221 BCE). Jigsaw puzzles were invented around 1760, when John Spilsbury, a British engraver and cartographer, mounted a map on a sheet of wood, which he then sawed around the outline of each individual country on the map. He then used the resulting pieces as an aid for the teaching of geography.

After becoming popular among the public, this kind of teaching aid remained the primary use of jigsaw puzzles until about 1820.

The largest puzzle (40,320 pieces) is made by a German game company Ravensburger. The smallest puzzle ever made was created at LaserZentrum Hannover. It is only five square millimeters, the size of a sand grain.

The puzzles that were first documented are riddles. In Europe, Greek mythology produced riddles like the riddle of the Sphinx. Many riddles were produced during the Middle Ages, as well.

By the early 20th century, magazines and newspapers found that they could increase their readership by publishing puzzle contests, beginning with crosswords and in modern days sudoku.

Organizations and events

There are organizations and events that cater to puzzle enthusiasts, such as:

• Nob Yoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition
• World Puzzle Championship
• National Puzzlers' League
• National Puzzle Day
• Puzzlehunts such as the Maze of Games
• World Cube Association

See also

• List of impossible puzzles
• List of Nikoli puzzle types – Japanese puzzle publisher and magazinePages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Riddle – Statement with a double meaning used as a puzzle

References

1. "puzzle, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, December 2019. Web. 21 January 2020.
2. "puzzle, v." OED Online. Oxford University Press, December 2019. Web. 21 January 2020.
3. Wilson, R. "Sudoka Number Game". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
4. Guo, Li; Eyman, Douglas; Sun, Hongmei (2024). "Introduction". In Guo, Li; Eyman, Douglas; Sun, Hongmei (eds.). Games & Play in Chinese & Sinophone Cultures. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. p. 6. ISBN 9780295752402.
5. "History of Puzzles | PuzzleWarehouse.com". www.puzzlewarehouse.com. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
6. History of Jigsaw Puzzles Archived 2014-02-11 at the Wayback Machine The American Jigsaw Puzzle Society
7. "The worlds biggest Puzzle | Ravensburger". www.ravensburger.us. Retrieved 2018-06-23.
8. "A Brief History of Puzzles". Puzzle Museum. 6 April 2017. Archived from the original on 14 April 2020.

Further reading

• van Delft, Pieter; Botermans, Jack (1978). Creative puzzles of the world. Cassell. ISBN 978-0-304-30300-7.

External links

• Puzzles
• Puzzle books
• Puzzle video games
• Problem solving