A Brief History of Puzzles and Riddles

A world like ours needs a smile from time to time,competence, crowning the winners with laurel.
and there is nothing better that spending our leisureThroughout time, riddles and puzzles have been
hours with fun and entertaining activities, such asspread widely all over the world by one means or
puzzles, riddles and trivia solving.Puzzles come fromanother.Nevertheless, trivia also contributed to fun in
ancient times, and archaeologists have foundcommunal gatherings and family reunions often
evidence of puzzles with a history that can be tracedassociated with tongue-in-cheek riddles to make the
back thousand of years. In Persia, puzzles were partevents more fun and entertaining. There is reference
of mystical practices and religions.Temples in Tibet,of riddle tournaments held in remote places such as
China and Japan have been found with engravedthe Fiji islands were the losers were placed laying on
puzzles that reveal mathematical formulas engraveda feast for the champions.Trivia and puzzles in Africa
on the walls by monks. However, puzzles were alsowere used as ritual for young people that could not
used as trivia to pass time and the origin of boardbe considered an adult if they failed to solve them. In
games such as chess.On the other hand, riddles arethe Middle East, trivia and riddles were used as
considered a modern entertainment form, butoracles consultation so women could find if they
because they are more likely associated with thewere meant to marry with the man of their
bards of the Middle Ages. The format of riddles,dreams.The history of puzzles, riddles and trivia also
forming a question to be solved by guessing,fascinate authors, painters and artist of all times that
facilitated their job as traveling entertainers.Riddleshas contributed to the preservation this form of
were also a sort of trivia, passing messages onentertainment until today.Natalie Aranda writes on art,
between people needing to share information thatrecreation and entertainmet. A world like ours needs
others could not understand, often compared witha smile from time to time, and there is nothing better
"undercover information."Puzzles, riddles and triviathat spending our leisure hours with fun and
were, in fact, the way to go when justice wasentertaining activities, such as puzzles, riddles and
behind dreamers wanting a better world, fightingtrivia solving. On the other hand, riddles are
against governments and rulers that otherwise wouldconsidered a modern entertainment form, but
quiet their voice.However, researchers consider thatbecause they are more likely associated with the
both puzzles and trivia have a common origin inbards of the Middle Ages. The format of riddles,
religion, running parallel one to another. Many biblicalforming a question to be solved by guessing,
verses and prophecies were written as a sort offacilitated their job as traveling entertainers. Puzzles,
guessing game, and you can easily find these riddlesriddles and trivia were, in fact, the way to go when
in the Torah, the Koran, the Rig-Veda, and even thejustice was behind dreamers wanting a better world,
Bible itself.Ancient Greeks liked all the challengingfighting against governments and rulers that
games, celebrating banquets where trivia, puzzles,otherwise would quiet their voice.
and riddles were both entertainment and