What else did I forget? The Puzzles!

There’s another topic that I am considering writing about here from time to time.

Puzzles

Crosswords

I do crossword puzzles from a bunch of online sources

• American Values Crosswords
• Cryptic crosswords from various sources.
• Variety puzzles (cryptic and otherwise)
• Boswords
• Crosshare and 7xwords
• Washington Post Sundays
• Crucinova

I might occasionally point out interesting puzzles, especially if I can find a way to put discussion of the solution behind some kind of spoiler blocker.

Puzzle Hunts

I’ve also participated in a number of puzzle hunts.

• The MIT Mystery Hunt
• Panda Magazine
• The Galactic Puzzle Hunt (though I am a bit behind on these)

I only recently realized that I need a different strategy for getting better at these. I’m able to solve some puzzles, and completely unable to solve other ones. For quite some time, my strategy involved trying a puzzle, succeeding or failing, and then moving on.

The new step I’m introducing? Make sure to give up eventually, and read the solution! I hope this will lead to some real learning, rather than stubborn prideful stagnancy.

I might occasionally write up interesting solves.