A puzzle is a problem or enigma that tests the ingenuity of the solver. In a basic puzzle, one is intended to put together pieces in a logical way in order to come up with the desired solution. Puzzles are often contrived as a form of entertainment, but they can also stem from serious mathematical or logistical problems — in such cases, their successful resolution can be a significant contribution to mathematical research.

Solutions to puzzles may require recognizing patterns and creating a particular order. People with a high inductive reasoning aptitude may be better at solving these puzzles than others. Puzzles based on the process of inquiry and discovery to complete may be solved faster by those with good deduction skills.

History

By the early 20th century, magazines and newspapers found that they could increase their daily subscriptions by publishing puzzle contests. Puzzles may also include letters, numbers, shapes, and riddles.

Contemporary puzzles

There are organizations and events catering to puzzle enthusiasts such as Ravenchase, the International Puzzle Party, the World Puzzle Championship and the National Puzzlers' League. There are also Puzzlehunts like Maze of Games or the Rittenhouse Chronicles.

The Rubik's Cube and other combination puzzles are toys based on puzzles that can be stimulating toys for kids and are a recreational activity for adults. Puzzles can be used to hide or obscure objects. A good example is a puzzle box used to hide jewelry.

Games are often based on a puzzle. For example there are thousands of computer puzzle games and many letter games, word games and mathematical games which require solutions to puzzles as part of the gameplay. One of the most popular puzzle games is ''Tetris''.

A chess problem is a puzzle that uses chess pieces on a chess board.

Types of puzzles

Etymology

Their research, based on the "chronology of the words, and still more the consideration of their sense-history, seem[s] to make it clear that the verb came first, and that the noun was its derivative."

Related categories

See also

References

External links

Ane Brun (), real name Ane Brunvoll is a songwriter, guitarist and vocalist, born in Molde, Norway in 1976. Since 2003 she has recorded six albums, three of which are studio albums, a live DVD and a collection of duets. She has lived in Stockholm, Sweden since 2001, where she writes, records and runs her own label (Balloon Ranger Recordings) when not on tour.

History

After playing a few minor shows and recording her first demos in Bergen in 1999, she moved first to Uppsala and then to Stockholm in 2001, where she started to take her musical career seriously.

Ane recorded her debut album ''Spending Time with Morgan'' in 2002 in both Stockholm and back in Uppsala, with engineers and producers Katharina Nuttall, Cécile Grudet and Kim Nelson. It was released on the label, DetErMine, which she formed with Ellekari Larsson from Swedish band The Tiny. The debut album came out in 11 European countries in 2003 through a licence/distribution deal with V2 Music.

After releasing the first album Ane toured around Europe but soon took some time out. She had been working intensively for two years and felt somewhat burnt out and in need of a break. After a six month breather she started touring around Europe again and within the next year had her second album ready. ''A Temporary Dive'' was again produced by Katharina Nuttall and was released in 2005 throughout Europe, the US, Japan and Australia. This album took the darker themes of ''Spending Time With Morgan'' further, through songs like "The Fight Song" and title track "A Temporary Dive", but there was also space for the lighter "Song no 6", a duet with Ron Sexsmith.

''A Temporary Dive'' was well received all over the world, especially by the press, and it picked up many rave reviews in magazines and newspapers from Time Magazine to The Independent. She received award nominations from all over Europe too, and that year took home the Norwegian Grammy for Best Female Artist.

After enjoying the collaboration on the previous few duets she had recorded, Ane was inspired to ask some artists whom she adored to sing with her on a full album called, of course, ''Duets''. This album was released in November 2005 and besides another recording with Ron Sexsmith it also included songs with artists such as Syd Matters and Teitur. It was a collaboration with the band Madrugada on the single "Lift Me" that gained her another Norwegian Grammy for the shelf at home.

Ane spent much of the next couple of years touring the world in many different stage arrangements. She's played with a full band including string section, just herself and string section at times, sometimes just a cello, perhaps with one backing vocalist – or maybe three. Of course it all started with her and the acoustic guitar, so she often ends up coming back to these solo performances too. "There is something about the focus in playing by myself that fascinates me", she says. "There’s nothing to hide behind when I’m alone on stage and it becomes almost meditative for me when I play."

One of her tours was with a string quintet, and it was recorded and released as ''Live in Scandinavia'' (2007) and featured Nina Kinert and the guitarist Staffan Johansson. The album includes songs from Ane's first two albums with new string arrangements by Malene Bay-Foged.

The next year she released her third studio album, ''The Changing of the Seasons'' which was produced by Icelandic Valgeir Sigurdsson (Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Múm, Coco Rosie). It includes string arrangements by American composer Nico Muhly (Antony and the Johnsons, Grizzly Bear, ''The Reader'' Soundtrack).

Back on the road, a concert at the Stockholm Concert Hall was filmed and released as a live DVD in 2009. Also in this year came the album ''Sketches'' which included acoustic, demo versions of the songs on ''Changing of the Seasons''. The ''Sketches'' tour featured a stripped down, sparse sound and now touring with musicians Rebekka Karijord, Jennie Abrahamson and Linnea Olsson, there were memorable gigs in places such as the Union Chapel in London.

Late in 2009, Ane organised the ''No More Lullabies'' concert to bring attention to the issues of climate justice. She assembled 24 well-known Swedish artists such as Robyn, Loney Dear, Titiyo and Benny Andersson of ABBA to take part in seven hours of live music and visuals to mark the International Day of Climate Action (October 24, 2009). They succeeded in making some noise on the issue before the upcoming COP15 conference.

She is currently working on a new album with producer Tobias Fröberg.

Ane is also currently touring as support act and back-up singer on Peter Gabriel's New Blood Tour.

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

Also appears on

External links

Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:Norwegian female singers Category:Norwegian singer-songwriters Category:Spellemannprisen winners Category:Norwegian people of Swedish descent Category:People from Molde