I love puzzles! I have been working jigsaw puzzles since I was a child, often spending hours and hours hunched over a table fitting those pieces together. Now, I can work them on my iPad, and do just that while watching the TV in the evening. I also love working Sudoku puzzles, and really, just any other puzzle that will challenge me.
For those of you who love puzzles and even those of you who also love games, Puzzle Master is for you! They have all types of puzzles, wood and metal, jigsaw puzzles, and rubik’s cube puzzles just to name a few. They also have all types of games and toys, even the popular, fidget spinner!
Who Are They?
Puzzle Master is a distributor of a large assortment of disentanglement puzzles, brain teasers, jigsaws, puzzle rings, trick locks, boomerangs, chess sets, etc. The company started because of an interest the owner, Allan Stein, had in collecting wire puzzles. Allan collected these puzzles for a few years before he thought of making them himself. When he found that he was able to make the puzzles successfully, he thought, “Why don’t I try to sell some of the puzzles at craft shows and see if there are people who like them as much as I do”. At the craft shows he found that not only did the people like the puzzles, they loved them. These craft shows were the first way that Puzzle Master marketed these puzzles.
After selling at the craft shows a few years, Allan decided to sell at some of the malls. He rented a temporary location 2 weeks prior to Christmas and was totally amazed how quickly the puzzles sold. He subsequently ran out of the puzzles in 7 days. It was at that point that he realized that he had a business that was going to be viable. To this day they still have many businesses who sell at temporary locations a few weeks prior to Christmas.
In the beginning, Allan made traditional puzzles that were invented hundreds and even thousands of years ago. Now, Allan is taking those traditional designs and adding his own unique touch.
It is very exciting to hear that there are health benefits associated with working puzzles. Also, the health benefits are for all ages, not just for the older generation. I found the following information regarding the health benefits of working puzzles at https://www.dumblittleman.com.
The 5 Benefits of Puzzles Solving for Adult
For a long time now, philosophers have questioned and developed physiological and psychological quests that demand determination, patience, and logic to work out. Such mental activities were particularly widespread in most of the historical civilizations, making our primitive types of puzzles, and the most common of these early forms of puzzles was the maze, which was an actual life-size maze. The jigsaw puzzle closely followed the maze and was effectively applied in teaching world geography in the 18th-century, after which came the later date word puzzles used by 20th-century newspapers to entertain readers. Over time, more puzzles have been developed and expanded to take on the many varied forms of fun puzzles available today, such as the snake cube puzzle.
For a long time now, researchers have continually made efforts geared towards the determination of the benefits of fun puzzles to solve, especially to the human mind, which has resulted in a majority of the scientists concurring on the fact that puzzles significantly enhance the human intellectual process. However, the benefits of puzzles rely on various factors which include the capacity of psychological endurance, the degree of commitment to solving puzzles, and whether an individual does or does not opt for the more demanding puzzles. Furthermore, scientists have discovered that solving puzzles on a daily basis more often than not, results in the best possible benefits. Although puzzles offer more than psychological benefits, almost all the other benefits, such as the subsequent increase in work productivity, are consequently due to one or a combination of several of the mental benefits. The main advantages of puzzles include:
Enhanced memory
Working out puzzles reinforces the existing connections between our brain cells and boosts the generation of new relationships, both of which greatly enhance our mental speed and thought process. It is also a verified fact that puzzles are beneficial for every age, seeing that the young possess highly malleable minds while adults and seniors are more vulnerable to recollection difficulties. Jigsaw puzzles are particularly useful for our short-term memories mainly because it needs a recollection of shapes and colors, plus an imagination of the bigger picture, in determining what pieces fit together.
Accelerated ingenuity
Great brain puzzles for adults lead the participants to give thought to issues in completely different approaches. And, although it might not be a problem’s solution, every thought outside the box assists our minds to operate efficiently in completely different ways. Puzzles typically necessitate trials and errors along with the utilization of a systematic approach. Through formulation of theories and testing these hypotheses, we gain the benefits of combining creativity with an empirical examination. This type of imagination often leads to innovative, precognitive and efficient problem-solving skills in any of the various fields.
Supporting the entire thought process
Mind puzzles for adults demand the ability to recognize different parts plus the whole picture of the problem. This requires both good logical judgment and ingenuity. As the diverse parts of our brains function as a whole to arrive at the most satisfactory results, continual studies reveal that for subjects such as geometry and arithmetic, an enhanced and better understanding is achieved when the whole brain functions in unison towards solutions. On the other hand, isolated brain parts are mostly able to appreciate a specific aspect of any given scenario. Educators today have realized that the whole brain approach is more effectual for profound and sustainable understanding. And,as a result, there is a significant improvement of brain power.
Production of dopamine
Our brains generate neurotransmitters which assist correspondence within the brain, and between our nervous systems and brain, instructing our bodies when and how to perform specific functions. Puzzles significantly assist our brains in the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter. The brain responds to either minute or massive breakthroughs, such as a serpent cube puzzle solution, by releasing dopamine. This neurotransmitter causes, improved motoring skills, an increase in concentration power, optimism, confidence, and an enhanced recollection. Working out puzzles gives our minds a natural desire to develop a more conducive and appropriate chemistry. An increase of dopamine reinforces the practice of solving puzzles. This is why individuals experience an intense desire to attempt puzzles that are increasingly challenging.
Meditation
On one hand, puzzles activate and invigorate our brains, and on the other hand, they also help us relax psychologically. Studies show skimming through puzzles thinking of possible solutions, encourages our minds to relax, and our brains go into a meditative state. This alternatively assists us to achieve a better mindset and tranquility, which goes a long way towards a better management of stress and stress related issues and leads to overall increase in productivity. Improved mindset and tranquility additionally lead to an improvement of self-confidence.
The Health Benefits of Puzzle Building for Children
Often, children are introduced to their first jigsaw puzzles at an early age. The first have large pieces, and evolve to include more advanced pictures, shapes, and smaller, more complex pieces.
Research shows that exposing children to toys like blocks, jigsaw puzzles and other shape games helps develop their spatial skills. These key skills play an important role in the development of their spatial awareness. And come into play when tackling subjects in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) field. Similarly for adults, keeping these spatial skills sharp help wards off early-onset dementia.
As a full-body workout is optimal for all over muscle-growth, puzzle building is a full-brain workout. The brain has two sides, the left and right. The right side governs emotions, creativity and intuitive thought, and the left side is the logical, orderly and systematic component.
When you build puzzles, both sides are forced to communicate and work together, thus increasing cognitive function. You also give your occipital lobe, the part of the brain that matches colors and shapes, a workout. Exercising the entire brain in this manner helps ward off future cognitive decline.
Puzzle building improves visual perception and coordination. Children encouraged to configure these brightly colored cardboard pieces often experience enhanced creativity, problem solving and motor skills. Puzzle building can also be quite therapeutic.
Conclusion
Puzzle importance is directly linked to how complex and demanding they are. Statistics show people are equipped to handle the various puzzles at specified ages, meaning adults should pay attention to puzzle complexity. Puzzles perform wonders for human minds. And everyone, be it children, adults, or seniors, benefit from improved memory, brain chemistry, disposition, and creativity.
Puzzle Master also has a page on their site that has free solutions to over 1100 puzzles! They ship worldwide, and also have free shipping on orders for $99 or more.
SO, CLICK HERE TO FIND YOUR PUZZLES, GAMES, OR TOYS!
