Riddle Me This....

This post isn't really about riddles, although there are plenty of riddles that apply, but it's about puzzles. Puzzles of any kind that challenge you are always beneficial to your learning. Crossword puzzles, rebus puzzles, math puzzles and more all require you to think outside the box and overcome many preconceptions you may have about the material. For older students, the New York Times crossword puzzles, both the mini and the regular, are an outstanding way to develop the skill of thinking outside the box. Sometimes a word can be a noun or a verb, or it's actually a phrase, not a word at all. You have to pay attention to how the clue is worded, too. Is there a question mark after the clue? If so, standard thinking won't work. Many times the answer to the clue is completely obvious, but you didn't see it because you weren't open to all the possibilities. This might sound a little esoteric, but puzzles broaden your mind, AND they can be fun, too!!