Vernon Lewis
2006-01-19 01:19:37 |
Truly Great Puzzles
As a budding puzzle writer I am interested to hear opinions of what makes "a truly great puzzle" |
Tristan
2006-01-19 01:52:27 |
Re: Truly Great Puzzles
To start, novelty and elegance. Though if you aren't as obsessed with puzzles as I am, maybe novelty isn't so much an issue.
A good puzzle should be easy, but feel difficult. As a puzzle writer, your purpose is not to stump as many people as possible. You want people to solve your puzzles. Luckily, a team effort of Perplexusers can tackle almost anything. I once stumped everyone (4 switches anyone?) and that's not a good thing.
You refer to what I said about Sudoku puzzles earlier. Sudoku puzzles are great puzzles--after all, someone had to write the rules, and the algorithm to generate the puzzles. But it feels to me like this puzzle goodness is diluted among the hundreds of Sudoku puzzles that I've seen. |
Percy
2006-01-19 06:39:21 |
Re: Truly Great Puzzles
I love puzzles (that don't require any specialist knowledge) where you have to do hard original thinking to get to the point where you make a break-through ideally in a flash of inspiration. I think the pleasure sensation here has to do with making a new connection in your brain or reinforcing one that was very weak before.
As for Sudoku, while a computer can generate them, all the best ones (and the only ones I would bother with) are made by hand. There is a monthly publication containing only handmade ones. While they can seam tedious for newbies, there is a real sense of a dialogue between author and solver in the hardest ones. There are many rules a human can use to make progress and you rarely have to do the counting from 1-9 thing when you get good. |
Avin
2006-01-19 14:25:09 |
Re: Truly Great Puzzles
I'm still thinking about the 4 switches, Tristran, and I still check on a regular basis to see if anyone's posted an update on it!
It's a good puzzle in my opinion, the mistake there was in the "elegance" aspect of what you describe: the problem is worded quite inelegantly, particularly given that the actual nature of the problem does NOT correspond to the mechanics of the physical system it is supposed to represent. After you posted the 3-switches solution I was able to see my previous flaw in thinking, and started a whole new train of thought for the 4-switches, but slowly petered off in thinking about it. |
Gamer
2006-01-19 21:30:28 |
Re: Truly Great Puzzles
My favorite variety problems are ones that are amusing, like The Last Place and Play it Again Sam, are the two I often think of.
I think other good problems are ones that are easy to define but aren't as easy to solve. One example of this which I know of is Lucky Numbers. |
Mindrod
2006-01-19 22:36:15 |
Re: Truly Great Puzzles
I agree that puzzles should not be too difficult to solve, yet present enough of a challenge to make them interesting. Just as physical exercise is good for the body, a puzzle can be good for the mind -- however, if either is too difficult, most people will just give up. (And, if they are too easy, why even bother?)
A good puzzle may become a great puzzle if it is presented in an entertaining manner. Everyone likes to be entertained.
A good puzzle should make you think in new ways, and even teach you something.
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Dustin
2006-01-20 11:49:51 |
Re: Truly Great Puzzles
My favorite puzzles are ones where you can feel like you're making progress, as opposed to the kinds of puzzles where you are nowhere until you have a solution revelation. XX is one of my favorite puzzles, even though it doesn't match to the criterion I just gave. |
Hugo
2006-01-20 14:10:04 |
Re: Truly Great Puzzles
Why don't you all make your top ten list in the Commons Forum thread "Most popular problem"?
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Avin
2006-01-20 16:25:11 |
Re: Truly Great Puzzles
Because I don't remember the titles for most of the puzzles I've really enjoyed. |
Percy
2006-01-20 17:52:30 |
Re: Truly Great Puzzles
With the new, "skip to page function" found in categories, it is easier to search your fave prob types for the ultimate problem. |
