The Puzzler: One Man’s Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaws to the Meaning of Life

“Puzzles are not a waste of time. Doing puzzles can make us better thinkers, more creative, more incisive, [and] more persistent,” argues journalist and avid puzzler Jacobs (The Know-It-All) in this riveting cultural analysis. Showcasing his knack for immersive detail with fascinating takes on crosswords, jigsaws, and secret codes, he makes a convincing case that, beyond helping “stav[e] off dementia” (which, he writes, there’s “mild evidence” for), puzzles can make people more evolved humans by requiring them to adopt “a mindset of ceaseless curiosity about everything in the world.” For centuries, he writes, anagrams have fueled humans’ obsessions with hidden meanings—Galileo loved them so much that he hid his discoveries in anagrammatic poems. And visual puzzles, such as Where’s Waldo, encourage people to question their first impressions and examine their surroundings more closely. Jacobs enriches his narrative with interviews with puzzle designers and devotees, along with accounts of his attending several puzzle tournaments—among them a jigsaw championship in Spain where he proudly placed “second to last.” The inclusion of tools to crack the code to all sorts of puzzles, and a section of original work by famed puzzler Greg Pliska, only add to the infectious charm. A rallying cry for “word nerds” everywhere, this is a delight. (Apr.)