Nowadays, learning is a more important issue than ever for both children and adults. With the expansion of technology, especially the internet, information has become endlessly obtainable. But in the quest for entertainment and distractions people have fallen into a trend of not persuing the information, but only killing time. Sites such as luminosity have created a market for interactive fun learning, but they cost money and are very time consuming. Direct alternatives that are free and effective are hard to come by, but you may be looking in the wrong place. One fun and easy way to work your brain that most people are introduced to at a very young age is riddles. These literary gems are questions or phrases that have hidden meanings that create a puzzle. These puzzles can be very useful in building cognitive and creative skills.

For thousands of years the ability to solve and understand riddles has been prized as a leadership skill and one that displays ones inteligence. It is even mentioned in the bible as an ability that is treasured as a characteristic of men of high standing (Daniel 5:12). They have been the topic of high status magizines and childrens books, but regardless of where they are featured they are framed as an exersize in problem solving and a test of your creativity. All intuitive riddles have several parts that offer clues to the solution that must be put together and thought of in unusal and uncommon ways, allowing one short riddle to contain numerous problems that must be solved and overcome in just a few lines of text. In this way riddles can be just as strainuous and mind-expanding as any games that attempt to increase your cognitive abilities.

The great thing about riddles is that they are all different and they all offer different paths to the solution. Since all riddles are different they have different methods to get to the solution, and they each offer a unique and increased change in cognitive ability over the repetitive online games that claim to optimize your mental abilities. There are many different types of riddles. There are those that are poetic and multi-faceted that are very tradition, those that are childish and funny meant for children, and all that fall in between. Each of which have their own use as far as improving your brain goes. Another great thing about riddles is that they can work in two directions. Aside from just solving riddles you can also write your own riddles. In doing so you increase your creative ability just as much as you do your cognitive and problem solving abilities.

Riddles have been a badge of inteligence for a long time and are a great way to give your brain an occasional tune-up.

For all things riddles please visit Good Riddles now.

For more information about riddles visit the Wikipedia riddle page.