Comments on: crosswords or scrabble? what kind of puzzle-solver are you?

By: Tina Mammoser

Tina Mammoser — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:23:45 +0000

Interesting… as I read your description just kept thinking I play Scrabble with the mindset that there IS a solution and I just have to find it. That’s how I did math too (which I love btw) and how I do my art too. To me the joy is that you can approach it from various angles or employ whatever means you need to reach that goal (and that goes for Scrabble, math and art too) – there’s no one path to get there. Crosswords to me are rote information and rather dull, the answers may be certain but the path to finish it isn’t very creative or interesting.

I admit I can also be inappropriately competitive. Moving to the UK changed that.

By: KDG

KDG — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:47:14 +0000

Your comment about being inappropriately competitive made me smile. My family playing Scrabble nearly defines inappropriately competitive Your insight on the differences definitely makes sense…and I have thought about your post over this long weekend of playing lots of games with the kids about what kinds of games they enjoy and what that says about them. Definitely interesting. And after many sessions clocked with “Sorry”, cards, Hearts, Apples to Apples (super fun – I recommend it, but it’s not rocket science), and what not, I was definitely ready to check out for awhile with the Sunday Times Crossword. A long while Thanks for a thought provoking post.

By: BethDunn

BethDunn — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:11:20 +0000

You’re right — they’re not exclusive. My point was merely that there is a substantive difference between the two, which I had been eluding me for some time. It is also certainly true that there are many, many ways to solve problems, and to go about it; I’ve been interested lately in discovering which ways work best for me, and why. Once I understand that, I find it’s easier to move out of the comfort zone and into playing with other cognitive models. I’m a very solitary person — I get recharged by spending lots and lots of time alone, in silence — so crosswords are almost meditative for me. I tend to be, quite honestly, inappropriately competitive with games like Scrabble, which not only makes it less fun to play (for both me and my opponent) but also distracts me from HOW to play, and makes me far less capable at the game.

I’ve *never* heard of Apples to Apples — but it sounds fascinating. Less about problem solving and more about solving the problem of the person across from you… very cool!

By: KDG

KDG — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:50:08 +0000

Interesting article, but I just don’t see how Scrabble and Crosswords are exclusive – why only one? I love them both: Scrabble when I feel social, and Crosswords when I want to curl up alone with a pencil. It seems you are limiting yourself to only one mode of problem solving, when you could choose so many more. Some problems may not have one right answer you have to tease out. Or may require some level of randomness for something really fabulous to emerge. If you want to go to a completely different set of skills still inside of the word game genre, go for Apples to Apples. This game requires much less knowledge about a word (although nuances and irony are great additions) as it does knowing the person who will be judging the answers. People who want there to be a right answer HATE this game. But people who are good at this game are good at reading other people. Play ‘em all!

By: BethDunn

BethDunn — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:44:52 +0000

Jim, thank you for that awesome insight into what Scrabble is really all about! I understand its appeal so much better now — and have a better understanding of why I continue to be incompatible with it. (I was also always very bad at/not interested in RISK, which I am starting to see some parallels with.)

And you do a great job of extending the metaphor of how it helps you with problem solving. I love your emphasis on knowing what you can control and what you cannot, and the implicit trust in yourself and your abilities to see you through.

Because you always have to count yourself among your assets in the first place.

(Along with a wheelbarrow, which is also always handy to have around.)

By: Jim Hill

Jim Hill — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:34:26 +0000

I love both crossword puzzles and Scrabble, but for very different reasons. Your take on crosswords is very apt, but with Scrabble you’re off the mark.

Scrabble isn’t a puzzle game it’s a war game. You have:

tiles – assets with limited distribution and different values
the board – real estate to control
drawing from the bag – random events that affect your outcome
intelligence – knowing tile distribution and tiles left in the bag

Sure, you also have to make words from your tiles but you also have to shape how your opponent can play theirs. Building a vocabulary of root words helps to chain together, or build out, shorter words. Using words that can’t be added to or pluralized is also an effective strategy.

So how do I use this in my everyday problem solving? I face each problem/opportunity in a similar way. Understand my resources and what events I can control, adjust accordingly during the process and trust my knowledge and experience to carry the day.

My Scrabble Fu is strong.