A Challengers Handbook
by
Caesum
Logic
In some ways all challenges could be classed under this category however some sites will specifically call some problems a logic puzzle. It is difficult to advise on how to approach these problems given the wide diversity of questions that can be asked. However most problems do require:
Some lateral thinking. The only real way to develop problem solving skills is through practice. This lateral thinking could simply be finding a similar puzzle somewhere else on the internet and applying its solution to your own problem, or it could just be approaching the problem in a different manner. The former type of problem is often the more formal logic problem like 'if A can see what B is wearing on his head and B can see what C is wearing then...'. Whereas the latter type of problem is often initially seemingly impossible until viewed from the correct perspective.
Some literal thinking. By which I mean that very often sites have posed questions which should be taken very literally. I have seen quite a few 'the answer is found on the internet' type of puzzles. And what is the answer ? Well, I just told you - it is 'found on the internet'. Don't be fooled by this kind of reply. Even now it can still catch me out when I see it in a different form, until realisation dawns sometime later.
Perseverance. Never give up, but if something defeats you then leave it for a bit and come back to it later. Sometimes the answer will come to you in a few days, perhaps when you are not even thinking about the problem. At other times you may come back a few weeks later and instantly know the right answer.
It pays to be familiar with the standard logic problem as it appears in most puzzle magazines, where normally you are given a lot of facts and asked to find the correct combination of items. You can find examples of this kind of problem here. These puzzles have appeared on challenge sites before, and I am sure that they will again.
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