National Puzzle Day
Every year on January 29, puzzle enthusiasts of all ages come together to celebrate National Puzzle Day, a day dedicated to the joy and mental challenge puzzles that bring us into our lives.
From crosswords and Sudoku to knotty jigsaw puzzles and word searches, puzzles influence a broad audience, offering an engaging, screen-free way to relax and exercise the mind.
Studies have shown that activities such as jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, brain teasers, word searches, and Sudoku engage both sides of the brain. Spending a regular and dedicated amount of time on these puzzles can improve cognitive function, enhance problem-solving skills, and boost memory.
Origin of National Puzzle Day
National Puzzle Day has a very interesting origin story, thanks to puzzle fanatic Jodi Jill. Jill initially shared her "Brain Baffler" puzzle in Official Freebies for Teachers, providing it to readers at no cost. As requests for free puzzles grew, she chose to limit her giveaways to a single day each year- her birthday, January 29.
By 1994, people had begun celebrating this day as National Puzzle Day. By 2002, National Puzzle Day acquired widespread recognition, urging puzzle lovers across the country to enjoy a day dedicated to mental challenges and brain-boosting fun.
Fun Facts about Puzzles
- Puzzles have been present for centuries.The earliest known puzzle, a dissection of a square, dates back to the 4th century BC and was created by Archimedes, a Greek mathematician.
- The first jigsaw puzzle was made in the 1760s by John Spilsbury, a London-based engraver. He mounted a map on a wooden board and cut around the country borders, creating an educational tool for children.
- The largest collection of jigsaw puzzles is 2,022 items, and was achieved by John Walczak (USA), in Carmel, Indiana, USA, on 9 December 2023.John and his wife began collecting jigsaw puzzles in 2019. The collection includes modern puzzles and vintage ones dating back to the 1940s.
How to Celebrate National Puzzle Day
Celebrating National Puzzle Day is a fun and engaging activity for friends and family. It is a perfect platform to show the ones you don’t like (secretly) that who is the puzzle wizard in a healthy competition. Here are some more ways to observe National Puzzle Day.
Host a Puzzle Party: Gather friends or family for a puzzle-themed gathering. Provide a variety of puzzles- jigsaw, crosswords, Sudoku, and brain teasers and set up stations for each type. You can even make it a competition to see who can complete their puzzle the fastest!
Puzzle Exchange: Organize a puzzle exchange with friends or community members. Everyone can bring puzzles they’ve completed and trade them for new ones. This way, you can refresh your collection without buying new puzzles.
Puzzle of the Day: Dedicate some time to solve a new puzzle each day leading up to National Puzzle Day. This can be a daily crossword, a jigsaw puzzle, or a challenging Sudoku. Track your progress and share your experiences on social media.
Mindfulness and Puzzles: Use the day as an opportunity to practice mindfulness. Set aside a quiet space, turn off distractions, and immerse yourself in a puzzle. Focus on the process and enjoy the meditative aspects of puzzle-solving.
Studies around the world believe that focus-centred activities offer similar mindfulness benefits, such as crocheting, knitting, adult colouring, painting by numbers, playing a musical instrument, or mindfully walking in nature.
Like puzzles, these activities allow you to be fully present, reducing stress and fostering a deep sense of calm as well!
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