Puzzles: the New American Pastime

No NBA. No Spring Training. No Olympics. In these sports-less times, let me propose a new competitive event surely to entice even the most ardent arm-chair athlete to participate:

Puzzle launching.

Yup. Puzzle. Launching.

It’s quite simple. Put together a jigsaw puzzle on a dining table. Scoot it to one end of the table. And, with a running start and both hands placed on the puzzle, slide the thing across the table and launch it, seeing how far it will go before landing on the floor. Try to best yourself.

This is not as crazy as it sounds. Because puzzle launching is an actual thing. My dad’s and my thing. My favorite jigsaw as a kid was a 100-piece image of a multi-story house, with one whole side cut away so you could see the inside of the rooms. This puzzle must have been a sturdy thing, because it was perfect for yeeting off our kitchen table into the living room, with hardly any pieces separating from the whole. Dad and I had the best time watching that thing catch air and land gracefully on the carpet.

Of course in order to play, one must put together a puzzle. But stating “one must put together a puzzle” is the biggest understatement thus far in 2020 (aside from “coronavirus is no big deal”) because puzzles in the 500 to 1000+-piece range are about as rare a find as bread yeast: many websites are out-of-stock or state availability no sooner than May. Folks are crazy for jigsaw puzzles in this homebound time. And my daughter is among them; putting together the seven we already own only fueled her desire for more puzzling.

In lives constantly dictated by the text alert and the news notification, jigsaw puzzles are a great way to disconnect from the virtual world and reconnect in a more personal one. Whether it’s conversing with our oft-distance teens or simply taking some solitude from a crazy stressful world, there are many benefits to sitting down and pouring over a puzzle, some of which may surprise you:

Puzzling engages both sides of the brain. The left, or logical side, and the right…the emotional, intuitive, creative half…work together to help place the pieces of a puzzle into that one correct solution.

Doing a jigsaw puzzle helps hone attention skills. Our devices encourage instant gratification and present click bait that divides our attention into small increments. However, bringing our focus to the task of solving a puzzle pushes aside everything else in favor of finding the right piece to slide into place. My daughter, having run out of flat surfaces to lay her mental activities, has taken to working puzzles on top of puzzles:

Stress-reliever. All of us can agree that in these trying times, new ways to blow off steam are most welcome. Puzzling is akin to a meditative process, and bringing attention to the single task of solving for a beautiful image can reduce anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate. You could even chant “Ohm” if you want.

Fountain of youth. Yes, really. Not only may people live longer, but those who puzzle may reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Working puzzles (and this includes crosswords and other “brain games” as well) can combat the signature plaques seen in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. And in a study published in the Archives of Neurology, brain scans performed on persons aged 75 and 25 showed that the puzzlers in the former group had scans similar to those in the younger age group. In other words, the elderly had the brains of their much younger counterparts.

Gives kiddos a break from those addictive screens. Given that kids have a lot more time on their hands outside the constraint of school hours and after-school activities, they go for the default of devices to stay entertained. Pulling out a puzzle and keeping it scattered on a table in a well-trafficked area of the house puts an alternative activity in plain site. Also, sitting down to puzzle with them promotes group problem-solving.

…And it’s been said that the best way to get kids to open up is to get them engaged in an activity along with the chatting. Try doing a puzzle to get the tough conversations going.

Jigsaw puzzling can build character, too:

Puzzling reminds us that things aren’t always as they seem. Working a jigsaw puzzle challenges perceptions and promotes open-mindedness. Think that piece you’re searching for should look a certain way? Recall how many times you’ve been surprised at what actually fits in the spot. Ever predict, after much frustration, that the piece you’re pining for must certainly be lost in the depths of your couch? Then lo and behold, there it is.

Puzzling encourages experimentation. Don’t hold out for the perfect attempt at placing a piece. Narrow your choices and give those ten (or twenty, or even thirty…) pieces a go. It’s ok to make educated guesses. And it’s ok to fail while working toward a goal.

To read about additional benefits of doing jigsaw puzzles, check out these articles, and make January 29, National Puzzle Day, a notable day on your calendar.

https://www.brandpointcontent.com/article/33202/7-surprising-benefits-of-doing-jigsaw-puzzles

https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/features/benefits-of-jigsaw-puzzles-1122188.html