Brownbag Luncheon Series
Puzzle Theory
Elizabeth J. Pyatt
[email protected]
What’s a puzzle?
 Defining puzzle
o A puzzle is fun
o It has a right answer (or maybe 2)
–Scott Kim (http://www.scottkim.com)
 Also
o Can be played alone or collaboratively
o Can be timed or untimed
Puzzles vs Games
Games
Puzzles
Multiple Solutions
Limited solutions
Opponents (person, computer) Solo play common
Formal Rules
Formal Rules common, but not
required
Puzzles can be incorporated
into games (particularly
“quests”)
Games should be fun
Puzzles should be fun
Common Puzzle Types
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Word Puzzles
Math Puzzles (some solitaire here)
Logic Puzzles (many card solitaire here)
Trivia Puzzles
Visual Puzzles (e.g. jigsaw)
3D & Mechanical Puzzles
“Lateral Thinking” (think outside the box)
Puzzles in Real Life
 Assembling a prehistoric pot
 Find the shortest trucking route between
multiple destinations
 Deciphering an ancient text
 Probability that it will snow today
 Optimal furniture placement in an office
 How big a fan does my dorm room need
 Calculate no. PSU workers by county
Problem Sets vs Puzzles
 Limited Answers, but NOT fun
Adding Fun? Graphics
 Graphics?
o x+y+z = xyz = 6
+
x
+
=
x
=6
Chem Blaster Evil Genius
Russian Puzzle (Map of the США)
 What is the Russian char for /p/ - Л П Ш
Real World Context
 Write numbers 0-10 in terms of 2,0,1,1
(2011)e.g. 0 = 2+0-1-1
o http://mathforum.org/yeargames/
 Eng Quest: Learn new formulas to build
better dams
 Can you (tastefully) add
o Flash Floods (Fluid Mechanics)
o Dead Fish? Stranded Snakes? (Ecology)
o “You’re Fired!” (Business)
Adding Humor
 Some Perils of Educational Games
o /studɛnts so bɔrd, ðe ple saləter/
o /rəǰɛktəd bay æpləl ay-tunz stɔr/
o /bɔs kæčəz yu pleyɪŋ gem ɪn mitɪŋz/
o /bɔs wont giv yu wi rəmot bæk/
Grammar “Nitemare”
Control Difficulty Level
 Fun = Not too easy
o Although everyone enjoys easy homework
 Fun = Not too hard
o Fun for instructor may be too hard for
students
Fun with “Cheating”?
 In entertainment puzzles, there is no
penalty for:
o A do-over
o Peeking in the answer key
o Getting help from a friend
 Can we leverage this?
o More practice?
o Homework less difficult than practice
o Do overs with partial credit?
Add a Narrative
 Construct Narrative with a series of
puzzles
 Demo Time! or Emergency Demo
The “Tung Masters”
 Linguistics students study languages on an
extraterrestrial planet
 Must pass through language academy (the
Tung Master Institute)
 Field Work Missions
o Explain English grammar to local population
o Learn new linguistic forms of local
population
o Determine related languages
Motivation Paradox
 Can accounting ever be fun?
o If you said no, what will the students say?
Some Online Puzzles
 http://www.jigzone.com
 http://www.physicsgames.net/
 http://www.coolmath-games.com/1strategy-games-01.html
 http://www.scottkim.com/education/ten
ways.html
Emergency Demo
Semi-Animated Dialogue
Crime Scene
Side Puzzle
Some Assembly Required