Jigsaw Crossword have been enjoyed by people for generations as a way of challenging the intellect and an excellent way to relax. For many people the puzzle is a throwback to a simpler period where the trappings of modern life such as television and computer games did not exist. But with many modern innovations and research into the benefits of challenging the brain the jigsaw puzzle is perhaps making a resurgence as a source of entertainment and relaxation.
The jigsaw puzzle is typically thought of as a relatively modern creation. However, it is John Spilsbury who is largely credited for the commercialization of the Jigsaw puzzle in the 1760s. As a mapmaker and engraver he pasted maps onto wood and cut them into small pieces. It is not clear as to what it was that motivated Spilsbury to do this but one interesting theory is that it he used this as a method for teaching geography. This theory has some merit as many of us, as children, would have encountered Crossword of geographical areas which perhaps without us realizing it were used as an entertaining way of teaching us about the world around us.
Crossword for adults emerged in the 1900s but initially these were extremely tricky and expensive. These early Crossword were challenging because they tended to be cut exactly on the color lines with no two color transition pieces. It was therefore difficult for the person doing the puzzle as there was no signal to suggest when the ground for example moved into the sky. Also the pieces did not interlock so one careless sweep of the arm and all the hard work could be undone. As most early Crossword were made from wood, the pieces needed to be cut out one at a time, which made the process very time consuming and therefore very expensive. It also meant that no two Crossword were the same.
The two innovations that were to bring the puzzle to a wider audience were the invention of introduction of die-cut cardboard and interlocking pieces the jigsaw Crossword. These two developments transformed the fortunes of various puzzle makers so much so that in the US, at the peak in 1933, 10 million Crossword were being sold per week.
Sadly since this peak in 1933 sales have declined but modern innovations such as the 3D puzzle has made an entry into the new generation to create an aura and adding to joy of Crossword. Furthermore there is a growing body of evidence to support the idea that exercising your brain can help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s lending weight to the idea that doing a jigsaw puzzle is a great thing to do. Some of the most well-known forms of puzzle games include jigsaw Crossword, Rubik’s cube and crossword. These classic types of Crossword have been easily transformed into computer games, but the virtual trait of digital games allowed expanding the crossword puzzle answers concept even further creating new genres.
The popularity of puzzle computer games and crossword puzzle answers, rapidly increased thanks to the Internet, as many of them became online, browser-based games. The easy access, affordable prices and large variety are the main advantages that led to the success of online crossword games correlated with the increasing number of people that play games online. There are many types of computer puzzle games, and below you will find a list with some of the most important categories.
Main types of Crossword
Action Crossword contain the “problem solving” component with extra challenges, such as time limits per game or per level. There can be “falling-block” action Crossword, such as Tetris, and even more refined combinations of several elements such as platform games and crossword puzzle answers. These usually require controlling a character’s actions to advance through levels built as platforms. While action elements can consist of various obstacles and enemies which have to be dealt with in various ways such as shooting, fighting or avoiding, the puzzle element is still present, requiring the player’s logic to find objects, open doors, disable traps… etc.
Tile-matching games are a kind of puzzle that requires matching three or more objects based on their shape, color, and other characteristics in order to eliminate them until the entire board is cleared. Some of them are also known as color-matching games or match-three games. The tiles/pieces can be matched in multiple ways such as “falling block” (e.g. Tetris), swapping (e.g. Bejeweled) or shooting (e.g. Zuma).
Physics Crossword require the player to use the physics while playing to complete the puzzle. Some of the physics games also require good reflexes as the player need to quickly perform a series of actions like launching/shooting objects to destroy/ clear paths structures (e.g. Angry Birds), triggering power-ups or removing objects to create a chain of actions (e.g. Cut the Rope).
In hidden-object Crossword the player has to find items hidden within an image. Many of them are free, but even paid ones are usually inexpensive. Hidden-object Crossword became very popular as casual games.
Many traditional Crossword such as Solitaire, Mahjong and Chess have been implemented as computer games. Word Crossword, spot the difference, mathematical Crossword such as Sudoku and others are among the large number of classic Crossword that can be played as online games.
There are many kinds of games, but through their endless variety and online availability, online puzzle games are currently the most popular. Dedicated websites allow users to play games online at no cost, Crossword or crossword puzzle answers included. However, the game variety goes way beyond Crossword, from action, shooting and strategy games to arcade, card and board genres. Play online, build your vocabulary and teach the world about your new adventurous journey.