ABSTRACT
Puzzles are wonderful mechanisms that form key parts of many games. Sometimes they are very visible, and other times they are so enmeshed into the gameplay as to make them hidden, but what all puzzles have in common is that they make the player stop and think. There is much debate about whether puzzles are “really games.” Well, sometimes when a player is about to give up on game designers puzzle in frustration and disgust, a well-timed hint can renew their hope and their curiosity. Puzzles can add a meaningful mental dimension to any game. Most puzzles are solved by taking a series of actions that are often small steps toward a chain of goals that leads to solving the puzzle. Of course, visible progress is important in more than just puzzles. It’s important in all aspects of gameplay, and even in life.
