Of Puzzles that Spark the Imagination...

I like puzzles. Last night my granddaughter was saying she didn't like Geometry, but it was my favorite math class for two reasons. It was like a puzzle and it involved logic. They both intrigue me and put my brain to work.

Every week when The Epoch Times arrives, I immediately go to the puzzle page to work on the big sudoku puzzle and the cryptic quote. Often the quote sets my mind thinking about what it means. Spoiler alert: If you get the Epoch Times and haven't done the cryptic quote but intend to -- STOP! Work on the cipher first and come back later to read the rest.

What's Your Strategy for De-Stressing? We All Need a Few in Addition to Prayer!

My favorite sleuth is Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot played by David Suchet!

Strange and stressful times we live in, eh? How do you de-stress amid crises, besides prayer, the sacraments, and spiritual reading? What’s your prescription for maintaining your equilibrium? When I need a respite, a total break from the bad news, I’d rather turn to a puzzle than the boob tube: jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, logic puzzles, cryptograms, sudokus, mazes – brain exercises of all kinds. Instead of fanning the flames of anxiety with one more news report on the coronavirus, or the riots, or Pope Francis’ latest crazy statement, I brew a cup of tea and turn to a puzzle.

As a teenager, I read books every spare moment and particularly enjoyed murder mysteries. I think I read almost every mystery by Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Dorothy Sayers, Ellery Queen, and G.K. Chesterton. How I love Chesterton’s beloved little priest, Fr. Brown! His keen understanding of human nature and his kindness to all, even criminals, inspired me. Perhaps I like mysteries because they are so much like puzzles; although I’m never much of a sleuth. I’m more like Sherlock’s Watson, or Poirot’s Hastings, or the blockhead detectives schooled by Jane Marple.