Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz Review

When I first heard about the controller for the new Nintendo system, once called Revolution, I immediately thought “Hey that would work great for a Monkey Ball game.” Well, I guess Sega had the same idea because Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz was a launch title for the Wii. Would Banana Blitz fall into the dreaded black hole of mediocre launch titles as just a quick port of another game already released? Even with a few awkward steps Banana Blitz doesn’t disappoint fans of the series or owners of the Wii.

In case you didn’t know already Super Monkey Ball is a puzzle game that centers on a group of monkeys rolling around inside of a ball. You control the monkeys by rolling them from the start of the puzzle (think of them as a maze) in hopes of making it to the end without falling out of the maze. But the twist to this simple design is in the way you control the monkeys. Essentially you’re moving the monkey but the game almost makes it feel like the stage is moving along with the monkey. Besides the main puzzle/maze mode you always get a wild and crazy selection of party (mini) games that are always a blast to play.

Now with Banana Blitz we get to play Monkey Ball in a way that just seems natural by actually moving the controller around to control the monkeys. The main game can be played by using just the Wii Remote (Wiimote). By tilting the Wiimote either left or right you steer your monkey. By lowering the Wiimote your monkey will speed up and by titling the Wiimote back the monkey will slow down. Sounds easy, right? Well, it is but it does take some time to get adjusted to controlling the monkeys. Just be prepared to have your monkey bouncing all over the place and falling off of the stage.


Making slight moves with the Wiimote will give you a better feel of controlling the monkeys. After a few minutes the controls become intuitive but that’s around the time the difficulty starts to ramp up. The levels always have some type of obstacle to make you work for finishing the stage. I do wish the game allowed you to control the monkeys by holding the controller sideways (like the NES or Excite Truck layout). I think twisting the controller left or right would have worked just as good as tilting the Wiimote.

There are a few new additions to Banana Blitz, besides the Wiimote controls, that have not been in previous Monkey Ball games. One is the ability to make your monkey jump by either pressing the A button or by flicking the Wiimote up and holding the B button at the same time. Two new characters are also included; YanYan and Doctor. The biggest new feature has to be the boss battles. Yep, boss battles in a Monkey Ball game. What is the world coming too? The boss battles felt unnecessary and added more frustration than enjoyment to the game. My wife felt the same way and told me several times that the bosses cheat when you fight them. Usually because of the board layout the boss battles seem to be more luck than skill. One wrong move or hit from the boss and you’re falling off of the stage.

To me the best part of Monkey Ball has always been the Party Games. Banana Blitz offers gamers 50 different party games that could possibly cover almost every control scheme for the Wii. Some of the games only require the Wiimote while others require the Wiimote and nunchuk attachment. Sure the Wii Sports game includes several different sports games but so does Banana Blitz. For example, both Wii Sports and Banana Blitz come with a Baseball, Boxing and Golf game.

You probably wouldn’t even be able to guess all of the different types of Party games included. For example would you have even guessed that Fencing, a Jigsaw puzzle, Squash and Rock-Paper-Scissors are Party games? I sure wouldn’t have expected those games or even a total of 50 mini games to be included. In fact, I would say that 50 games might be too much since some of the games just aren’t that interesting. I mean, come on, a Jigsaw puzzle game, how many people want to stand around watching someone put together a puzzle? I found myself sticking with the classic Monkey Ball Party games such as Monkey Golf and Bowling. But I do have to give a big shout out to Sega for including Disk Golf as a mini game. I love Disc Golf and I’m proud to see it represented in Banana Blitz.

As much as I enjoy the variety of the mini games the controls can still be a challenge at first. All of the games offer an on screen guide to show you how to play each mini game but I found myself overcompensating on the controls. Since the mini games are usually only a few seconds to a couple of minutes long you will probably have to play the mini games a couple of times before you get use to the controls. This can be a problem with some gamers but this seems to be a similar issue with other Wii games. You just have to get into that comfy spot where you just “get” the controls and it’s no longer an issue.

Even with a few sore spots Banana Blitz is still an impressive title for the Wii. The single-player game offers the same intense puzzle experience found in previous Monkey Ball games. Sure, the boss battles could have been left out but sometimes you have to go through the crap to get to the good stuff. The Party games are where you could spend countless hours either by yourself or with your friends playing through all 50 party games. I just wouldn’t be surprised if we look back at Banana Blitz and rediscover that it included a large collection of control movements used future Wii titles. If you were lucky enough to get a Wii on launch day then make sure you check out Banana Blitz.

Review Scoring Details for Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz

Gameplay: 8.3

The single-player game is the easiest to pick up when compared to the huge number of mini games to learn.

Graphics: 8.3

This really doesn’t look much different than the previous Monkey Ball games that appeared on the GameCube. In fact, I would say this game could probably appear on the GameCube visually intact. If you’re looking for a graphical spectacle to show off the Wii you probably want to skip this one.

Sound: 8.0

The sound effect and music do a great job of fitting in with the game. The music reminded me of Japanese pop music with a mix of rock music.

Difficulty: Medium

As I’ve mentioned Banana Blitz does have a learning curve when getting use to the controls. As we move away from the classic controller setup towards the motion-sensing technology used in the Wii (and PS3) controller this learning curve could diminish. But for now getting use to the Wiimote’s motion sensing can add to the difficulty.

Multiplayer: 8.2

Almost all of the Party games support up to four players with a few supporting just two players. If the game offered Wi-Fi online multiplayer you could have added an extra point to the multiplayer score.

Concept: 7.0

I’m not going to include the ability to use the Wiimote in the game since you have to use the Wiimote to play the game in the Concept score. The score is based off of the newest updates compared to previous Monkey Ball game. The ability to jump is a welcomed feature and the two new characters are a nice addition for the hardcore Monkey Ball fan. The boss battles are the biggest problem with the game since the battles just don’t fit in the Monkey Ball universe. This is puzzle game not the atypical action game.

Overall: 8.0

Yes, the game has a few problems and one of those is a distraction (I’m looking at you boss battle) from the rest of the game. But the Party games are enough to give you a workout and keep you entertained at the same time. If you want a game to show off the number of different control options available with the Wiimote this is a good game for that chore. Play the single-player game up until the boss battles and then let out your frustrations in the mini game.

The Shield Review

The mean streets of Los Angeles can swallow a cop whole if said cop doesn’t watch his or her back, and worst yet the crime rate never seems to go down in this town … it’s enough to make a cop think that it’s almost not worth risking life for a measly paycheck. Then again, Detective Vic Mackey has gotten over it by keeping all the cash and contraband found in a crime scenes for his, well, retirement. Based on the hit show on the FX channel, The Shield: The Game is joining the ranks of Alias, The X-Files and 24: The Game on the PS2. Unfortunately, even with the show’s controversial subject matter and powerful characters, this game just isn’t entertaining at all.

You assume the role of Vic Mackey, a Detective and leader of the Strike Team police unit that cleans the streets their own way while collecting any money or other contraband that makes up their “retirement fund.” Taking place after the events seen in the third season (and before the beginning of the fourth), the Strike Team finds itself one man short and now Shane is threatening to leave. It’s also no surprise that Captain Aceveda is threatening to disband the Strike Force if nothing is done about the growing threat of two rival gangs, the Byz-Lat and the One-Niner gangs. So it’s up to Vic and his team to put an end to the gangs while making some money on the side.

This, of course, means that Vic and his team will do anything to get the job done and, for a team that’s never heard of the words “police brutality,” this means you’ll apply any force necessary to complete each segment. You’ll participating in planting drugs in a gangbanger’s house, interrogate another gangster by smacking him in the face with a phone book and then putting a bullet into a scum bag who was about to give them up in court. Ah, it’s just another day in the life of Mackey only the story isn’t deep or involving or filled with interesting twists. In fact, the weak story is but the start of the train wreck that is the game.

Part of the show’s focus is on the way Mackey and his team pick up contraband and here it is done in a search mini-game that’s uninventive and complex. A badge icon will appear and you’ll move the left analog stick until the L disappears. Yeah, it’s not my idea of a fun mini-game and the bad part is that this is the only way to find hidden goodies around the areas you’ll visit. Then the game adds some stealth moments that doesn’t really work. There are a few times I stumbled my way past a meat plant while bad guys were mere inches away and another time I was spotted while behind a wall.

There are also moments where you’ll need your gun and by the time you get into your first gunfight you’ll start wishing you went back to the awful stealth moments or the jerky fistfights (more on that in a second). You’ll have a limited amount of ammo in this game and that’s fine seeing that this is realistic but does it have to take a complete clip to bring a bad guy down. At one point I had to waste one clip, reload, and then pump three extra rounds to bring a dangerous gangster down. Sure you can bring them down faster with a headshot but the shooting controls are so clumsy that you’ll have to be really up close to put a bullet into some bad guy’s cranium. Worst yet are the fistfight controls that will have Vic punching a suspect for several minutes before the takedown option comes up. It’s even hard to put cuffs on a guy since it turns into a lame mini-game where you have to rotate the right analog stick various times before the suspect turns and slaps you in the face.

Lastly, there’s very little that has you feeling like you’re actually participating in an episode of the show. 24: The Game at least had breaks in the action and the familiar clock that’s counting down. Instead, the game places no emphasis on character development and no surprising twists. You go from scene to scene while stopping at The Barn to drop off contraband for the “retirement fund” while getting a tongue-lashing from the Captain. Sure you can push the police brutality envelope as far as you can but even this feels very limited thanks to the annoying Heat meter.

On the graphics front, The Shield manages to render the character models exactly like the real actors on the show so expect Vic to look exactly like Michael Chiklis during the cut scenes as well as during the game’s action. What doesn’t work, however, are the environments that - while filled with plenty of detail - look washed out for a PlayStation 2 game. And while the game uses the show’s intro in the beginning of the game, it loses the overall presentation that would have been great for fans of the show.

The sound is something of a disappointment especially when it comes to the voice acting. There are times when the acting is handled well during certain cutscenes but then again there are times when the delivery is wooden. Very little effort has also been placed on the sound effects. There are no barking dogs in these empty neighborhoods and The Barn sounds just as lifeless as it looks on the game so you won’t hear ringing telephones or catch other officers in conversation. Even the bullets sound lifeless in this game. At least the soundtrack is true to the show and gets dramatic at all the right moments.

As a game, The Shield for the PS2 lacks the intensity and the gritty drama that the show throws at its viewers since it was introduced to us. It also lacks any fun or a story that is able to captivate gamers and throw them into the role of a protagonist that is so bad he’s so good to watch. As a loyal viewer of the show, I cannot recommend this game to anyone. If you must, please rent this game but anyone looking for a fun game where you play a cool rogue cop will only find great disappointment.

Review Scoring Details for The Shield: The Game

Clunky controls make Vic Mackey a very clumsy dirty cop who easily gets a beating if it comes to fistfights, gets blown away during gunfights or gets caught while attempting to sneak into places. Forget the aiming reticule because he won’t hit his target unless the suspect is up close and grilling bad guys is a major chore. Add all these things together and we get a game that isn’t fun at all.

Dull backgrounds with washed out textures will greet you throughout the game but at least the character models slightly resemble the show’s actors during cutscenes and during the game’s action. The game attempts to bring the same flashy presentation seen on TV but it just doesn’t work out the way it should have from start to finish.

Sound: 4.0
The voice acting occasionally goes from pretty good to pretty wooden throughout the game and the sound effects are very limited. The show’s music is present and it does a great job of setting the mood just right.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard

The game isn’t hard to figure out so the real challenge comes in the gun battles and the stealth elements. What makes this game hard isn’t the AI or challenging stealth moments but rather the awful controls and the poor aiming. Also, why does it take a whole clip to bring down a bad guy?

Concept: 3.5
Vic Mackey is as tough as it gets and the game does manage to portray him in the same light as the show. The story and situations, on the other hand, just aren’t as interesting as the show. Sure you get to kick down doors and push a suspect’s head in a toilet but that’s as far as it goes. The search mini-game is also seriously lame.

Overall: 3.0
Sadly, The Shield: The Game plays like a bad episode of the show and there is hardly anything here that will entertain fans of the show or gamers who are looking for a gritty action game. How can a game that stars a dirty cop who is willing to do anything it takes be this boring? Sorry but this is one game everyone should just skip.

Razer DeathAdder Review

The world of competitive gaming is quite an intense one, people are always searching for the latest route to get an edge on their opponents, not only through just breakneck speeds and response but for response and comfort that meets their needs as well. In the gaming market there are only a handful of real hardware producers that can deliver technology that pushes the industry forward. Today we focus on one of them, Razer, possibly one of the most well regarded gaming hardware companies around.

The DeathAdder is the latest mouse by the company making many waves in the marketplace, for obvious reasons really, moving to an IR sensor, using a polling rate of 1000MHz as well as 1800dpi of precision. While many mice are touting 2000dpi out of laser counterparts we'll see how well things end up when it all comes down to a 200dpi barrier between the two technologies.

Packaging is quite simple in the DeathAdder:

1x DeathAdder Mouse
1x Driver Disc
Instructions / Manual
It's basically everything you need to get the product going and straight into massive frags.

For reference the test setup used:
ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe
AMD Athlon X2 4200+
1.5GB Corsair XMS PC3200
ATI Radeon X1800XT 512MB
Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic
Windows XP SP2

Logitech G5
Razer DeathAdder

Logitech Driver:
Setpoint 3.10

Razer Driver:
DeathAdder 1.03

Battlefield 2 is an amazing test of tolerance and precision, many gamers I've known to be capped at USB 1.1 or just using inferior mice often find themselves at their limits trying to fight their battles be it a dogfight or attempting to play the role of sniper. In these cases high DPI mice with ultra precision are key to making things work. Personally I've been unable to live in BF2 without at least something around 1200 - 2000DPI.

With that said the challenge was set, man the toughest positions in the game and do it well with the DeathAdder mouse, from the jets to the sniper shots to the attack copter as pilot and co-pilot.

First up: Sniper (L96A1) - The initial settings on the DeathAdder seemed just right for the game, upping the sensitivity in game though sent the response levels flying off the charts, after returning those down things leveled, with a higher polling rate things did seem a bit more *fine tuned* in precision shots but it wasn't a consistent result. Across multiple maps the mouse retained a high level of precision aiming, allowing for many shots to take off without trouble. After the break in the G5 was hooked up and put to the test being an equally ergonomic based mouse unlike it's brother the G3.

In response testing the G5 seemed to carry some slightly higher levels of precision but the overall steady control of it seemed to be lacking even if caused by the feet on the mouse, generally noticed in the area of actual scope position to mouse jitter while clicking. The DeathAdder was able to defy the dpi gap and still perform at a level of precision needed and retain steady control of the mouse in more situations when compared to the G5. When playing with the DPI and Polling Rate things didn't change up much. Overall the DeathAdder came out on top though even if just by design choice, The mouse delivers 3 top buttons and two thumb buttons restoring what for me is a large feature missing from the G5 but found on it's little brother the MX518

J-10 Control - Being one of the fastest and most hated planes in the game at times the J-10 is certainly a candidate for testing, in the focus I played a controlled environment of Gulf of Oman using a dedicated host server on 64 man level settings for maximum space.

The difference here became a little bit of an interesting situation, generally when flying for maximum response I leave the sensitivity level at peak (10.0) as well as the other settings. As a result I've grown used to the general response from the G5 and G3 technologies in their performance, in the testing I think the most noticeable difference in the gaming was the DeathAdder response levels when performing quick changes in direction or just rolling the plane in general for a consistent response in performance. The G3 and G5 did perform well in this but it suffered some slight hiccups in the process. In jet performance it seemed the DeathAdder allowed for last minute changes in flight path giving a slight edge in any possible dogfight scenarios against other mouse players, against flight stick players, that might be another story and it's certainly a different technology.

Day of Defeat is a personal return for me, most maps and weapons are easily recognized and the hitbox system at times seems like total chaos at best, either way it's always interesting as a test of accuracy for mice, how close the cross-hair lines up and how well things are executed when it comes to making that critical shot.

Class Choice: Rocket, Sniper

DoD presents simple maps with fast action and lots of targets if you get on a heavy traffic server. In the case of testing we take on the classic roles of the Rocket support man and the sniper, personally I love the rocket way more and so this is going to focus on the art of the bazooka sniper.

The DeathAdder is first up on this test of might, using full settings in software and default ratings in Source we take off into the battle, the speed of the DeathAdder is just impressive, given all the time I've spent with 2000dpi G5's and G3's it feels like I haven't skipped a beat when stepping into the IR powered 1800dpi beast. dod_flash is the map of choice, taking up the rocket and hitting the center firefight is always a good marker for how things are going. Using the classic axis spot I went prone, dug back towards the hotel and then lined up my shots one after another into the exposed hole in the opposing allied room which generally plays home to an MG, even stretched shots hitting down the hallway connected were hitting with high precision. The DeathAdder was fluid and fast, the extra buttons on the DeathAdder were a must for me for reload and drop weapon, overall accuracy was high with minimal lag / jumping.

The G5 returned to the battlefield, a veteran when it comes to the game it still holds up well even after time, reflecting often what was seen in the past, the problem that came up into a head to head comparison was that the G5 just didn't do it when it came to button options, while the tilt is an interesting twist on a design, the extra thumb buttons are just a must have feature for many gamers. Overall I was still satisfied even when presented with the DeathAdder's options. They serve their designed goals through their own style. If I had to lean for a victor though, I would have to call the DeathAdder simply based on the layout of the mouse and options for the gamer to use without having to adapt themselves too far.

I have to say, given the leaps made in input technology over the past few years things have been quite impressive, this release of the DeathAdder marks yet another avenue to explore in technology, I have to say that Razer has brought a heavily refined product to the marketplace for a first generation attempt. The DeathAdder brings heavy precision and a comfortable design that brought me back to ergonomic styling after spending so much time on the Logitech G3 which I could say I pretty much held as the absolute standard for my gaming.

This isn't to say that the review went absolutely perfect though, as with all product reviews for gaming mice I prefer to test the compatible surfaces, just like with the G5 when it was reviewed it had some issues on surfaces that lacked diverse variation while other mice like the MX518 performed fine. The DeathAdder seems to have an interesting issue that we ran across, in use on high contrast surfaces using the color red, the mouse would stutter or skip completely until another color was brought into the mix, this happened across a Konami mouse pad for Enthusia as well as other surfaces making use of high amounts of red. In other color instances things stayed pretty fair but this was an interesting twist of response times, extra time was devoted to experiment with combinations of red papers, shades of red and so on but really it was only in pure hue levels that we picked up this item. Outside of that, things went smooth even using it on open glass surfaces which was quite a suprise to say the least.

Razer has done a lot with the DeathAdder and their products in general, raising the bar so that average gamers can get their hands on technology just like the professionals and higher end gamers even if they'll never actually take it to the full potential. The DeathAdder brings precision and killer looks to the PC gaming realm in a way that only Razer would be able to do it. For me personally, upgrading to the DeathAdder has been a treat, it's almost like Razer tapped into my mind and dug out the key features I would die to have in a single mouse and they physically manifested it into this piece of hardware, and if they did such a thing, I take my hat off to them.

Coming in at $59.99 at many retailers the DeathAdder is quite a deal, in the battlegrounds for future reviews the DeathAdder will be taking the throne that the G3 once held.

http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/deathadder_r/5.html

The Development of Word Find Puzzles

Word Find puzzles have a unique place in our collective hearts. Many of us have worked a word find or two when we were waiting on the bus or simply having coffee. The word find is a great way to exercise the mind a little and remind us of a few neurons that we may have forgot existed.

The word find is used in just about every news publication and many magazines as filler and for entertainment. They learned early on in publication that people will buy more newspapers and do so consistently if there is something in the paper that they have to regularly look forward to. This ‘discovery’ led to the creation of many favored fillers, such cartoons, horoscopes, advice columns and the beloved word find.

From there word finds found their way into their very own books or puzzle books. Some people loved the word finds and other word games so much that there became a demand for puzzle books. These books are usually published on newsprint and are bound in paperback because they are intended to be cheap enough to toss out or recycle as you complete all of the puzzles. These books make nice gifts for older puzzle maniacs, and a themed kid's puzzle book makes a great addition to the yearly Easter basket if you feel guilty about all that candy.

From there the word find made the jump to the personal computer with many software companies creating word find and other puzzle making software. Later with the advent of the internet word find puzzles broadened their horizons into the world wide web and thus we have a range of sites that offer free word find puzzles, themed word finds and even a couple sites that allow one to create their own word find.

Printable Puzzles: Create Your Own Custom Puzzles!

Depending on the age of the party guests, the party theme, and type of party, it is easy to create printable puzzles to be used at any party. Whether you create a picture find puzzle, where Sesame Street characters are printed onto paper in an interesting Hollywood (Sesame Street) Squares pattern, and in a line below, for smaller children to draw a line connecting one to the other, or word find puzzles for an older Barbie party crowd, printable puzzles are a great activity.

Even at baby showers, printable puzzles can be such fun! Have each guest give you a baby photo. Scan and print sheets with baby pictures, and have a photo identification puzzle to match the baby to the adult.

Create an Acrostic puzzle where the answer to the question is revealed when you name that baby item. For example, you can create a puzzle where the question to solve is, “Who is most excited about the new arrival?” and the questions could be

What starts out white and ends up wet and smelly Diaper
What is used to clean little noses? Aspirator
What is Mommy’s Name? Denise
What is Grandma’s Name? Debbie
Who is taking this Quiz? You!


The answer to the quiz question: “Who is most excited about the new arrival?” is DADDY!!!

Send printable puzzle crosswords as cute invitations. Have questions like: Who sits in front of Bobby Smith in Mrs. Collin’s class? Which girl in my class has long blonde hair, wears glasses, and has a Spongebob backpack? Then, at the bottom, you can print: “The girl with long blonde hair, wearing glasses, who has a Spongebob backpack, wants YOU to come to her birthday party!” and include all the required information. Most teachers love to help with this type activity, and if you contact them ahead of time, they will allow children to complete the puzzles in class during activity time, so if they have any problem, she can help them figure out the answers.

Or make a collage of famous new parents, like Britney Spears, Brad Pitt, Brooke Shields, Catherine Zeta-Jones, or Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, just using photos of their eyes, have a list of the celeb parents’ names, print copies for each guest, and then see how many can guess which eyes belong to which famous, fab parents, for an interesting and fun printable puzzle game!

Three Lateral Thinking Puzzles

Lateral thinking - what is it? The word was invented by Edward DeBono in 1967. Somewhere along the way it became a part of the English language (it's in the Oxford English Dictionary and others now). DeBono says there are several ways to define it.

Lateral thinking is a way of attacking problems from other angles, as opposed to the more traditional linear and logical ways. Debono uses chess as an example of the latter, where logic normally suffices - because the pieces are a given. In real life we mostly just assume the pieces are given, when really we need to change those pieces or look beyond them for the most useful solutions.

Lateral Thinking - Three Puzzles

Enough with the definitions. try these three lateral thinking puzzles instead. They'll give you a feel for what the term means, and let you practice this "out of the box" thinking.

Choosing The Coin

Bill is on a raft, adrift in the ocean with several survivors of a shipwreck. All but one of the others are too weak, so either he or Frank will swim to a nearby island to look for help. Unfortunately, it is almost certainly suicidal, due to the circling sharks, but they have little else to hope for.

Frank puts two pennies in a hat, telling Bill that one is a 2005 penny, and the other dated 1975. If Bill picks the newer penny he can stay on the raft, and Frank will risk his life. If he picks the older penny, he must go. Bill has seen that both pennies are actually dated 1975. He doesn't want to say anything, because Frank is a big guy, so how does he win, and get Mike to go, without exposing him as a fraud in front of the others?

The Superior Mother

A man visited a convent while the superior mother was out of town. Before she returned, he left, and was careful to leave nothing behind. The nuns kept quiet about his visit, so how did the superior mother figure out that a man had been there?

Switching On Your Lateral Thinking

Outside a closed room there are three switches on the wall. Inside the room, there are three lamps. Flip the switches as much as you want while the door is closed, but then you must enter the room just once and determine which switch is connected to which lamp. How will you do it?

There are very logical answers to all three of these lateral thinking puzzles. The way to arrive at them, however, may be less logical and more creative. Have fun!

A Brief History of Puzzles and Riddles

A world like ours needs a smile from time to time, and there is nothing better that spending our leisure hours with fun and entertaining activities, such as puzzles, riddles and trivia solving.

Puzzles come from ancient times, and archaeologists have found evidence of puzzles with a history that can be traced back thousand of years. In Persia, puzzles were part of mystical practices and religions.

Temples in Tibet, China and Japan have been found with engraved puzzles that reveal mathematical formulas engraved on the walls by monks. However, puzzles were also used as trivia to pass time and the origin of board games such as chess.

On the other hand, riddles are considered a modern entertainment form, but because they are more likely associated with the bards of the Middle Ages. The format of riddles, forming a question to be solved by guessing, facilitated their job as traveling entertainers.

Riddles were also a sort of trivia, passing messages on between people needing to share information that others could not understand, often compared with "undercover information."

Puzzles, riddles and trivia were, in fact, the way to go when justice was behind dreamers wanting a better world, fighting against governments and rulers that otherwise would quiet their voice.

However, researchers consider that both puzzles and trivia have a common origin in religion, running parallel one to another. Many biblical verses and prophecies were written as a sort of guessing game, and you can easily find these riddles in the Torah, the Koran, the Rig-Veda, and even the Bible itself.

Ancient Greeks liked all the challenging games, celebrating banquets where trivia, puzzles, and riddles were both entertainment and competence, crowning the winners with laurel. Throughout time, riddles and puzzles have been spread widely all over the world by one means or another.

Nevertheless, trivia also contributed to fun in communal gatherings and family reunions often associated with tongue-in-cheek riddles to make the events more fun and entertaining. There is reference of riddle tournaments held in remote places such as the Fiji islands were the losers were placed laying on a feast for the champions.

Trivia and puzzles in Africa were used as ritual for young people that could not be considered an adult if they failed to solve them. In the Middle East, trivia and riddles were used as oracles consultation so women could find if they were meant to marry with the man of their dreams.

The history of puzzles, riddles and trivia also fascinate authors, painters and artist of all times that has contributed to the preservation this form of entertainment until today.

Free Online Games - Solving Puzzles Can Sharpen The Mind

Online games have been under fire for some months now as addictive. The facts are different. Some games are surely addictive, but benefits far outweigh the negatives. For example there is a big range of puzzle games available free online. Can puzzles be addictive? Can puzzles spoil children? Let us look at the benefits of online puzzle games in detail.

Online puzzle games benefits- every puzzle that we solve needs application of mind. No puzzle can be solved without concentrating the mind on the problem. Ultimately puzzles lead the student improve his/her logical and analytical ability. Subjects such as operations research need these qualities in abundance. Higher mathematic involves lot of game playing. Those games are different, but once your mind sharpens solving online puzzles, you can proceed to higher levels of games in mathematics that can help solve many problems.

We have been solving puzzles since ages. The only difference now is that one need not search for a book or a magazine to look for puzzles. One can get them online for free. Puzzles that involve alphabets, and numbers are a fantastic method to sharpen the ability of children in thinking. Please encourage your children solve puzzles. By depriving them that, you may drive them to something bad. Better to give them the satisfaction of solving online puzzles and sharpening their mind. Sit down with them and make the selection with them. After that give them the freedom to play and solve puzzles. You will find out the results yourself after sometime.

Kid's Jigsaw Puzzles

One of the best ways to educate your child is to provide him with activities that would allow him to learn new things on his own. It has been proven that children remember lessons better if they undergo educational activities, as opposed to just being spoon-fed the information. Given this, there is a need for parents like you to provide your child with mental activities that would enable him to learn new things in a way that he would remember. In addition to this, the activities you should expose him to should also pique his interest, because providing him with activities he considers dull would not be effective in making your child learn. One of the best activities for your child is solving colorful jigsaw puzzles, which can stimulate his brain and his other senses as well.

Advantages

Letting your child solve jigsaw puzzles serves a lot of purposes, which can be very advantageous to your child. One of these is that solving puzzles can stimulate several aspects of your child's thinking process. Apart from being able to see what objects should look like, he is also being made aware of how objects should be oriented. In addition to this, simple puzzles, especially for very young children, would help them recognize that it is important for a puzzle piece to fit well in the hole in order to complete the picture.

Another advantage is that, through the process of trial and error, a child can practice his memory, as he would try to avoid doing the same mistake over and over again. Lastly, puzzles can also provide the opportunity for other types of learning, such as reading. Learning that a certain piece only fits one way is a pre-reading skill. Fortunately, puzzles that are designed for children are readily available, especially in toy stores.

It has been proven that children learn better if they undergo an activity that aims to teach a lesson instead of just being told about it. Given this, parents need to provide the appropriate types of activities that would foster more learning for their children. One very good example is to let their children solve jigsaw puzzles. This is because jigsaw puzzles can help develop the reasoning, deduction, spatial awareness, matching, sorting, and language skills they would find useful as they grow.

Free Online Sudoku Puzzles - Your Ultimate Brainteasers

Sudoku is a logical puzzle that is made into varying levels from beginners to black belts. The aim is to enter the numbers 1-9 into the grid of the puzzle. The grid consist of a 9x9 square and inside of the square are 9 3x3 squares.

The idea is to make the numbers match up in both the sub square as well as in the lines of the larger square. Clues are given so that there can be only one correct way for the player to fill in the puzzle.

If this sounds a little tricky, you are right. There is no easy way to explain Sudoku, as it is a very logical and puzzling game. Once the player has learned the game and the strategies used to solve the puzzle, it gets easier and easier.

History Of Sudoku

Modern day Sudoku puzzles were first created in 1979 in Indianapolis by a man named Howard Garns and gained popularity in Japan in the late 80s. Since then, the puzzles have become popular worldwide.

Solving Sudoku Puzzles

Sudoku Puzzles require strategy and solutions can be found by using three methods. These are called scanning, marking up and analyzing. Scanning is used at the beginning of the puzzle and through the whole process. It requires the player to use the process of elimination to find which numerals belong in each row and square.

Once no more numbers can be found through the process of elimination, the player then needs to use logic. The best way to use the logic process to your advantage is to write the logical answers beside the box, then, once all of the logical answers are written down, use the process of elimination to find out which numbers belong in which box.

By writing down possible answers, the process of elimination is far easier. Often, sudoku puzzles are very small. If this is the case, it is often a good idea to copy them onto a larger sheet to mark them up.

Analysis is the final approach to solving a Sudoku puzzle. This is the process of eliminating the numerals that were written in the mark up box, leaving only one solution to the square. While doing this, the player will need to keep scanning to make sure that the number in each box is correct. It is suggested that a sudoku puzzle be done with a pencil and eraser.

Sudoku has taken the world by storm quite simply because they are the ultimate brainteaser, providing a player hours of enjoyment while solving them. After the puzzle is completed correctly, there is nothing better then the sense of pride and achievement that is felt.

Personalized Jigsaw Puzzles

As jigsaw puzzles are considered a great educational tool, there is a high demand for personalized jigsaw puzzles. Students will generally use whatever jigsaw puzzles are available in the market. However, when it comes to an issue like corporate training, personalized jigsaw puzzles can be pressed into use. Corporate teamwork training exercises are given that extra edge with the use of jigsaw puzzles. Themes and difficulty levels are worked out according to need and orders are placed for personalized jigsaw puzzles for such corporate workshops.

Personalized jigsaw puzzles can be created in the comfort of your own home using printable and iron-on jigsaw puzzle kits. This gives you the satisfaction of having a hand in creating your own jigsaw puzzle.

Personalized jigsaw puzzles are a fantastic advertising tool. Several companies, both large and small utilize jigsaw puzzles for their special impact promotions. Not many people can resist putting a jigsaw puzzle together. And what does one do with a completed jigsaw puzzle? Display it, of course. This way, the company gets advertisement and the user gets the fun.

Everyone can find a use for a jigsaw puzzle, and advertisers capitalize on this fact and personalized jigsaw puzzles are used as giveaways and corporate gifts. The logo of the company can be worked into an eye-catching scene and turned into a jigsaw puzzle. These are then given away for creating brand awareness. Personalized jigsaw puzzles are used as gifts by airlines, companies at trade shows and exhibitions, promotional campaigns and as free Christmas gifts from malls.

Personalized jigsaw puzzles are also used by institutions that care for children who are differently-abled. Puzzles are created according to specific needs of these special children. Extra care is taken to ensure durability as they might be subject to rough usage.

Ample safety precautions are taken with a view to minimize damage in case of misuse. Lightweight wood or good quality plastic is the generally preferred material for this kind of usage.

An Introduction To Puzzles

Puzzles are problems intentionally designed to stimulate the brain into devising solutions. Puzzles can be differentiated from games as the latter are aimed primarily at entertainment, although games like chess, checkers, and solitaire are made up of many puzzles.

Puzzles are broadly categorized into riddles and word plays, logic and mathematical puzzles, and physical puzzles. Some of the popular riddles are conundrums, charades, crosswords, and anagrams. Paradoxes and magic squares are two of the popular mathematical puzzles, which include a wide array of puzzles including geometric puzzles, decision puzzles, number sequences, action sequences, analytical puzzles, and logic puzzles. Jigsaws, labyrinths, and mazes are some of the examples of physical and mechanical puzzles.

Puzzles have been ingrained into the human culture since the very beginning. One of the oldest and most popular puzzles is Tangram, which has been teasing minds all over the world for thousands of year. Humans have been known to devise oral puzzles since the advent of languages. Riddles have been integral part of ancient scriptures and religious literature, including the Koran, Bible, Sanskrit scriptures, and Greek mythology.

The development of arithmetic in Egypt resulted in birth of mathematical puzzles. The interest in mathematical puzzles grew from the fifth century to the fifteenth century. The popular mechanical puzzle labyrinth was incorporated in the floor designs of many churches in France and Italy in the twelfth century. Sam Loyd of the United States and Henry Dudeney from Britain are considered greatest puzzle inventors in their countries. The duo devised numerous puzzles in nineteenth century.

The extent to which puzzles have become part of daily life can be gauged from the popularity of crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, and Sudoku.

Sudoku-The Logic Puzzle That Can Drive You Crazy

Sudoku, or number placement, puzzles are sweeping the country. Even though the game involves numbers, it is not mathematical. And people who feel they don't have a good vocabulary will choose them in preference to crossword puzzles. Soduku is nothing more than logic.

Howard Gams is given credit for inventing the puzzle in 1979. His puzzles never caught on in this country but became an instant success in Japan. Now it is carried by more newspapers than crossword puzzles.

Soduku is a nine-by-nine cubical grid. When properly completed, each of the rows and files will contain all the numbers between 1 and 9 as will each of the 3 X 3 cubes comprising the whole. The puzzle will appear as a completed grid with certain numbers missing. When read across and down, each of the three contiguous inner cubes will have a different digit in a different position. For our purposes we can designate these rows as ranks and files. Ranks run horizontally across the puzzle and files, vertically. If, for example, the number one appears in rank 1 in cube one and rank 3 in cube 2, the third one must necessarily appear in the second rank in cube 3. This would seem to imply that it could appear in any of three positions in the second rank, but most often, there will already be a number in one position, leaving a choice of two possibilities. Let's assume you have a choice of two positions.

The next step is to check the files. If by some chance a one appears in one of the files of your choices, you now know the numeral must be placed in the other. This simple cross check should be your first step in solving the puzzle. Anytime you find a HARD number, one you have logically determined cannot be another, I recommend you write it in with a Pen. This will save unnecessary erasures when you make an inevitable mistake.

Your second step should be to scan each of the smaller cubes for their missing numbers. Usually you will be able to place one or two numbers by the rank-file cross-checking. After you have done that, read across each of the ranks and files to determine the missing numbers. Let's say that you are missing a number one in the top rank and you have missing numbers in all of the smaller cubes. Let's say that the middle cube has a number one as one of the given numbers. That means that the number one you need to place must be located in the left or right cube. Instead of 9 potential placements, you now have only 6.

After you have determined all the missing numbers, you will find that you have many with two or three possibilities. Hopefully you will be able to write these possibilities in the squares. The best you can hope for is to have two contiguous squares with only two possibilities. In the top rank, squares one and two are either a six or an eight, but you can't tell which. You still have learned a great deal of information because it means that those two numbers can't appear in any of the other empty squares across that rank. As I suggested before, every time you find a "hard number," one that cannot be placed anywhere else, fill it in with pen.

Another way to come up with information is to use the "what if" method of placing numbers. Let's say that you have a six in the second rank of the small cube in the upper left corner. Even if you have no other information where the other two 6s are located, you you know that the other 6s must be in first and third ranks. By placing it in the first rank, you will then have to locate the last placement in the third rank of the remaining cube. By testing the placements you will often run into a contradiction in one of the ranks or files. If you don't shrug your shoulders and try placing another number and see what happens.

Kerep at it. Sooner or later you will have filled in most of the numbers. On more than one occasion I have run into a contradicition on the very last number. There's nothing to do about it but back up and start again. Patience is the greatest skill required to solve thse puzzles.

Sooner or later, you, your pencil the paper or the puzzle will call it quits. Let's hope it's the puzzle.

Play Online Jigsaw Puzzles and Rise up to the Challenge

When young, I had a wonderful set of jigsaw puzzles that occupied hundreds of all us us, siblings' hours. The jigsaw puzzle game must be one of the oldest puzzles ever invented. Who amongst us hasn't learnt their geography by putting together the puzzle of the world map? Frankly, the charm and the allure of the jigsaw puzzle game is potent as ever, weaving it's magic on tiny tots of today's generation as well.

The adults haven't really come out of the grip as well. The only difference is that the mode of playing is a bit different now. Online jigsaw puzzles is what keeps adults hooked to their computers these days. These puzzles are extremely popular amongst computer-savvy netizens of the age group 15 to 75.

In order to play online jigsaw puzzles, all you need to do is register at one of the sites which feature this game. You can either download it on to your computer or play it live on internet. The puzzle can even be customized to compete with other players. The winner has to simply finish the puzzle in the fastest time possible.

There are various kinds of jigsaw puzzles available. Right from kindergarden stuff to more mature versions, every variety is usually featured on all major jigsaw puzzle websites. In fact several online championships are also organised for jigsaw puzzle game enthusiasts.

So the next time you want to revive some sweet childhood memories or simply want to rise up to the challenge, play online jigsaw puzzles. You sure will come away delighted.

3D Jigsaw Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles have always been fascinating; the concept of putting small pieces together to make a beautiful picture provides a certain thrill. The more difficult the puzzle, the greater the sense of adventure and challenge. Jigsaw puzzles are still one of the most popular games even on the Internet. With colorful animations, varying difficulty levels in a single game and availability of hundreds of patterns, jigsaw puzzles are attracting a lot of new players as well. These puzzles come with different difficulty levels such as easy, average, and difficult.

The three-dimensional jigsaw puzzles are the most challenging as well as exciting. The designs are unique and include almost any theme under the sun like fairytale fantasies; natural beauty comprising of flowers, globes, maps, space, landscapes, ocean, beaches, plants; festivals such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween; or everyday things like school, automobiles, sports, summer, traveling, weather; and movie-based themes like Lord of the Rings, Mickey Mouse, Finding Nemo and Winnie the Pooh; as well as enthralling castles, buildings, airplanes, ships, world-famous landmarks, and even huge forests, whole cities and even the Empire State building! Some even glow in the dark. The sizes also vary greatly ranging from 150 pieces to 3000 pieces or even more, with varying difficulty levels. Prices range from $8.00 to $45.00 or more. The smallest puzzle measures around 6”x7”x8” while the largest may be as large as 60”x50”x25”.

Another model is the wooden 3-D jigsaw puzzle. Wooden puzzles are made of high quality plywood and are suitable for people of all ages. They also make unique gifts. Some of the popular designs in this are whales, air crafts, carousels, roosters, crocodiles, elephants, dolphins, cars and buildings. Prices of these puzzles start from $5.00.

Most of these 3-D jigsaw puzzles can be bought from games stores. They can also be purchased online. There are several sites that are offering these puzzles for sale. These can be viewed, compared, and even ordered online.

Photo Jigsaw Puzzles

Photo jigsaw puzzles are made from photos, magazine pages, children's drawings or any image printed on paper.

Technology has improved jigsaw puzzles too. The latest trend is pre-cut blank jigsaw puzzles. These are specially created to be used with heat transfers made from color laser copiers, sublimation, thermal wax transfers and ink jet transfers. Other uses for these puzzles include screen printing or airbrushing. One such technique now enables the use of a home household iron to create a magnificent one of a kind personalized photo jigsaw puzzle.

There are several puzzle manufacturing companies that offer you the option of e-mailing a photograph to them and getting it back in the form of a jigsaw puzzle. Size, number of pieces and other such details are left to the customer to decide.

Photo jigsaw puzzles are made unique by using specific piece styles. The customer is given a wide range of styles to choose from. A very popular piece style among youngsters is the shape of cupid. Photo jigsaw puzzles are a favored Valentine';s Day gift. Several shops offer personalized Valentine?s Day jigsaw puzzles.

Photo jigsaw collage puzzles are very popular nowadays. These puzzles are exactly what the name indicates -- collages of different photographs. The photos are generally linked by a theme. These photographs are put together in an aesthetically appealing manner and some text is also added as a special touch.

Sports fans appreciate collages of photographs of their sporting heroes. Grandparents treasure one featuring all their grandchildren, or photos of themselves with their grandchildren. Parents appreciate a collage made of photographs of happy family occasions.

Putting together bits and pieces of personalized photo jigsaw puzzles of your family, pet or vacation memories is a great way to spend quality time with the family. These puzzles are often treasured as family heirlooms.

Custom Jigsaw Puzzles

Puzzle mania reached its peak in USA in 1933. People found them so entertaining that they wanted them last forever and ever. So, all jigsaw puzzles at the time were made of wood. And as ideas flowed forth gustily, the concept of custom jigsaw puzzles came into being.

Custom jigsaw puzzles are usually made of wood. Experts in the field add special touches to make the puzzles unique. For example a jigsaw puzzle with a flower theme will have flower shaped pieces.

Custom jigsaw puzzles can be used to propose marriage, celebrate family traditions, and create cherished family heirlooms. A very popular idea in marriage proposal jigsaw puzzles, is to keep the message in a single piece. The ploy suggested is to remove the piece and keep it as a surprise element for when the rest of the puzzle is done. A winning and romantic idea, it has created a huge demand for custom jigsaw puzzles for marriage proposals.

Expert craftsmen in the field of jigsaw puzzle creation offer an extensive range of design options. Customers can choose their custom puzzle. Specifications regarding levels of difficulty are readily catered to. Easy puzzles with larger pieces or difficult ones with many pieces, anything can be created given specific directions.

Custom jigsaw puzzles can be used for several occasions. Some examples are preserving wedding memories with a photo collage puzzle, delighting grandparents with a photo puzzle of all their beloved grandchildren and celebrating special occasions like graduations, bar mitzvahs and the like with a related image in jigsaw puzzle form.

Custom jigsaw puzzles make great Father's Day and Mother's Day gifts too. Friends will also appreciate carefully chosen custom jigsaw puzzles. Just be sure to choose a suitable image.

Difficulty levels can be adjusted as per requirement while making custom jigsaw puzzles. If you are planning one as a family heirloom, then a challenging one will fit the bill. If it is meant to amuse little ones then an eye catching one with only a few challenging twists will be appreciated.

The Paranormal Puzzle

There's a lot of paranormal puzzles out there. Sightings and stories are released daily on websites and in news publications everyday giving us more and more questions to try and solve.

Every weird event or encounter has it's own fine details too. How tall were the aliens? How fast was the UFO traveling? Was there any hair left at the Bigfoot sighting? How many witnesses were there? Who were some of the sailors in the Philadelphia Experiment? What scientists were involved?

Maybe these are just pieces to the puzzle. Whether the subject is time travel or telekenesis they are not the whole puzzle themselves, but part of something bigger? Without a doubt there is more paranormal research now going on than there's ever been. Most seem to be specialists honing in on ghosts or aliens or mysterious creatures, and fewer of them are trying to find connections to prove their existence outside of our own modern science. As a community we probably have it figured out, but we just can't see the whole picture because of investigations into things that seem unrelated and their researchers are not communicating with other researchers to see if they have overlap and notes to compare.

Some paranormal subjects have things in common with other paranormal subjects. Whether they can help prove or disprove other areas is debatable, but connections and commonalities are there. So, for all you of that like thinking outside the box, what if it's all connected?

Maybe the biggest paranormal puzzle of them all might be what the entire picture looks like when we take a step back.

How Logic Puzzles Can Help You Become a Better Problem Solver

I have to admit that I am a confirmed puzzle-head. I love crosswords, acrostics, and cryptograms. But I am becoming ever more intrigued by logic problems. For one thing they teach you how to become a more attentive listener or reader to catch the nuances of language that can provide invaluable clues to their solution. For another, they teach the step-to-step process of processing information. These are skills that are valuable for nearly all reasoning situations.

To illustrate the process, the following is a problem I have composed that will take you step by step from recognizing the essential elements to the final solution. I have not provided a matrix but if you are familiar with the technique you can construct one yourself from the description.

I call the problem The Wilson Elementary Subject Olympics. Ed, Bob, Susan, Anne and Wayne (in no particular order) are five bright 6th-Grade students attending Wilson School. They recently competed in the school's annual competition. The subjects were: reading, writing, arithmetic, art & poetry, and gym. For scoring purposes, the winner in each subject was awarded four points; the second place three; third, two; fourth, one; and fifth, zero. At the end of the competition the principal said that it was the closest competition ever. Each competitor was within one point of the next highest finisher. Every competitor got at least one four. From the following clues, determine the score and order of finish for each of the students. [N.B. You may want to construct two different tables, one with the names of the students and the subject, the other simply the subject and total number of points scored in each subject.

(1) Only one student got 5 different scores. Bob scored four more points than the last-place finisher. The student in second place had no zeroes.

(2) Wayne, who did not finish fourth or fifth, got a four in gym and got a higher score than (Bob) in arithmetic.

(3) Susan finished in third place in two subjects but she finished first in arithmetic.

(4) Bob's best subject was writing and his worst was gym, where he got a zero.

(5) Anne got identical scores in writing and gym and a four in reading. She did not finish last.

(6) Ed, Bob, Susan and Anne finished 1 through 4 in that order in art and poetry.

(7) Ed finished fourth in arithmetic, but second in gym. He also got identical scores in reading and writing.

(8) The third place finisher got a one in writing; the fourth place finisher a zero in arithmetic.

From the above we have more than enough information to solve the problem. For one thing, we know our students finished within a point ahead or a point behind their competitors. If we add up the total number of possible points for each category we get 4 plus 3 plus 2 plus 1 or a total of ten. Since we have five categories with ten points in each we have a total of 50 points. Since each student finished within a point of each other, the scores will be consecutive integers such as 11,12,13,14,15 for example. If you want to, you can sit down and experiment to see which five integers add up to fifty, but there is a simple algebraic formula that will give the number. The smallest number will be x. The next number will be x+1, then x+2, X+3 and x+4. Written out x + (x+1) + (x+2) + (x+3) + (x+4) = 50. 5x+10 = 50. 5x = 40 so x equals 8. The five integers are 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Now let's turn to the clues.

Clue number one tells us that Bob had 4 more points than the last place finisher. The last place competitor scored 8 points. Bob must have scored a total of twelve, which means he finished in first place.

From Clue number two we know that Wayne did not finish 4th or 5th. Since Bob finished first we know Wayne must hsve finished 2nd or third and will have a total of 11 or 10 points.

Clue number six gives us four actual scores. Ed got a 4 in art and poetry, Susan 3, Bob 2, and Anne 1. By inference, Wayne got the zero. Since clue one tells us that the second place finisher had no zeroes, Wayne must have finished in third place with a total of ten points. We also know that he is the student who received five different scores because 4+3+2+1+0 equals 10 and clue one tells us that only student had five different scores.

Clue four tells us that Bob's best subject was writing. This means he got one four only and it was in writing. He scored 0 points in gym. Since he scored a total of 12 points, he must have gotten a total of 8 points in Reading, Arithmetic and Art& Poetry. The clue also tells us that he got the same score in two subjects. He only got one 4, so he must have gotten 2s or 3s in the remaining subjects. The only numbers that add up to eight are 3, 3 and 2. From clue 2 we know that Wayne got a 3 in arithmetic and this was a higher score than Bob. We now know Bob's standing and all of his scores, viz, Reading 3, Writing 4, Arithmetic 2, Art and Poetry 3, Gym 0.

Clue five tells us that Anne got the four in reading and that she didn't finish last. Bob finished first, Wayne 3rd and Anne 2nd, or 4th. By the process of elimination, either Susan or Ed must have finished in last place. Please remember that the last place finisher scored a total of 8 points. Susan has been identified as having seven points so far and has at least another for her second third place finish.

Clue eight says that the third place finisher, (Wayne), got a 1 in writing We now know 8 of Wayne's total of 10 points in four subjects. This means he must have gotten a score of 2 in Reading, the only remaining blank. The rest of the clue tells us that the fourth place finisher got a zero in arithmetic. Susan got a 4 which means that Ed or Ann finished in Fourth place.

Clue nine indicates that Ed got the same score in reading and writing. The only scores he could have got were ones or zeros. We know that Anne finished in fourth place, so Ed finished fifth with a total of 8 points. We already can account for 7 of them so he scored a total of 1 point in three subjects. Since he got the same score in reading and writing, these must be zeroes and his one point would be in arithmetic. By the process of elimination, we now know that Susan finished in second place with a total of 11 points. Furthermore Ed, Bob, Anne and Wayne account for 9 of the 10 points in reading, meaning Susan scored 1.

In the arithmetic column we have now accounted for all ten points without Anne's score. Thus, her score must be zero. We're almost finished.

Clue 5 reads that Anne got identical scores in writing and in gym. At this point she has a total of 5 points. The identical scores must be 2s. That leaves he last two numbers to fill in for Susan. She got a 3 in writing and a 1 in Gym.

At long last we have the standings and the scores. Bob, first, reading 3, writing 4, arithmetic 2, Art and Poetry 3 and Gym 0.

Susan, second, reading 1, writing 3, arithmetic 4, Art and Poetry 2 and Gym 1. Wayne is third with 2 in reading, 1 in writing, 3 in arithmetic, zero in art and poetry and 4 in gym. Anne, who came in fourth, has the following: 4 in reading, 2 in writing, zero in arithmetic one in Art and Poetry and 2 in gym. Last but not least Ed got a zero in Reading and writing, 1 in arithmetic. 4 in Art and Poetry and 3 in gym.

From a step by step approach, we began by finding the total number of points available from the clue about the numbers of points scored. After that we determined Bob finished first with 12 points. Each clue from that point on provided more information either by statement or inference. What seems at first to be an unintelligible mess gives way to logical analysis. If you enjoyed it, get yourself a logic book and have a ball!

PureSim Baseball 2007 v1.20 update

Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com), in association with PureSim (www.puresim.com) is pleased to announce that the v1.20 update for the full version of PureSim Baseball 2007 is now also available at the Matrix Games site.

The v1.20 update for the full version of PureSim Baseball 2007 is a major update. In addition to resolving a number of minor issues, this update adds support for Internet Explorer 7, Multi-base throwing errors, improved management AI, and improved time period specific pitcher usage. In addition, there is a new Player Affinity mode, which will make teams highly likely to try and keep their makeup similar to what it was in real life. These changes combine to increase the historical feel of the game. The new update for PureSim Baseball 2007 has over 50 different tweaks and fixes that truly enhance both the game-play and the visual experience. The only thing missing is the random celebrity throwing out the first pitch! “PLAY BALL!”

PureSim Baseball 2007 uses an automatically-generated dream almanac containing thousands of pages of detailed stats on players and team histories. Directly integrated into the game, it uses standard HTML formatting which allows it to be published onto the web. The Lahman database is fully licensed and integrated into PureSim Baseball 2007, making it easier than ever to play with historical players and teams from 1900 to 2005! PureSim Baseball 2007 includes multiple levels of minors (A, AA, AAA), flexibility in allowing players to simulate any Major League season from 1900 to 2005. The game's unique player aging system, completely customizable parks and leagues, and the ability to edit any aspect of any detail found within the game all round out a sharper, quicker, and more intense baseball simulation.

Digital downloads as well as boxed copies of PureSim Baseball 2007 are now available at the Matrix Games Online Store. Download it today and finally feel as close to the action as you can get without actually buying season tickets!

Mobile Phone Games: Glory of the Roman Empire -mobile

HandyGames™, one of the leading independent developers of mobile games and the German publisher and distributor of PC and video games, CDV Software Entertainment AG, launch together "Glory of the Roman Empire". The title is set during the peak of the Imperium Romanum.

As Curator Viarum (lat. for city planer) the player has not only to please the Roman senate by arranging strategically wisely buildings but also to ensure the provision of a prospering Roman city. If your plans are approved by the senators you'll get promoted up to a Prokonsul and chests full of shining sesterces.

22 different buildings, 14 production chains as well as randomly generated maps will present the player constantly with new challenges. "Glory of the Roman Empire is a mix of puzzle and build-up strategy – so far a unique concept for mobile phones. I am convinced that we have proven once again that HandyGames™ is known on the market as innovative developer of unusual game concepts," says Markus Kassulke, CEO of HandyGames™. "We want to strengthen the brand "Glory of the Roman Empire" with this mobile version and expect that it has positive effects on the sales of the PC title in the long run," comments Teut Weidemann, Technical Director of CDV AG, the cooperation. "With "Glory of the Roman Empire" we are the first to bring the successful genre build-up strategy puzzle to mobile phones."

All prospective city planers have the chance to be remembered for their impressive settlements in the history books from August 1st on. "Glory of the Roman Empire" will then be released for all common handsets at operators and portals worldwide.

Features:
- Based on the successful PC title "The Glory of the Roman Empire"
- Innovative combination of puzzle and build-up strategy game
- Endless hours of fun (randomly generated levels)
- 22 different buildings
- 14 different production chains to produce and supply goods
- Start as Curator viarum and become a highly respected Prokonsul (10 different ranks = difficulty levels)
- Difficulty level adjusts to the player's ability
- Easy access to the game (5 tutorial missions and training mode)
- Intuitive controls

*(I came, I saw, I builtch kam, ich sah, ich baute))

About handy-games.com GmbH:
HandyGames™ is one of the leading independent developers of mobile games. The company has offices in Giebelstadt, Germany and Bucharest, Romania with its own international distribution network. The company was founded in 2000 by the Markus and Christopher Kassulke and Udo Bausewein and currently has more than 50 employees and plans to expand further. The vast and extensive product range is characterized by its high quality and comprises of downloadable and pre-installed games and applications for mobile phones (based on J2ME) as well as applications for the mobile internet. The company is one of the pioneers in this sector. HandyGames™ has developed top sellers like the Townsmen and Flitzer. The company’s success is also reflected in long-term co-operations with leading handset manufacturers and operators and it has also received various international awards.