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Bad news for real puzzle lovers?

Thinking too hard may actually damage the brains of some older people, it is claimed.

Engaging in activities such as doing crossword puzzles, reading and listening to the radio has long been thought to delay mental decline.

But new research shows that while at first they slow the decline of thinking skills, brain work-outs actually speed up the progress of dementia once it set in.

Study author Robert Wilson, of Rush University Medical Centre in Chicago said mentally stimulating activities may enhance the brain’s ability to function relatively normally despite the build-up of lesions associated with dementia. However, once diagnosed with dementia, people with a mentally active life are likely to have more negative brain changes than others.

Dr Wilson said, as a result, those with more mentally active lifestyles may experience a faster rate of decline once dementia begins.

He added: “This reduces the overall amount of time a person may suffer from dementia.”

Researchers evaluated 1,157 people aged 65 or older over 12 years – awarding each points for the mentally stimulating activities they engaged in.

They found the rate of mental decline in those without dementia was heavily reduced the more mentally-active they kept. But for those with Alzheimer’s, the rate of decline was heavily increased the more mentally-active they tried to be.

The research was published in American medical journal Neurology. (via Mirror.co.uk) Happy Puzzling!

Tags: Puzzle

Tropix is another on-line bubble shooter / match three on-line puzzle game.

Head to your very own private tropical island to play this fun matching game. Happy Puzzling!

Tags: Puzzle Game

Another Living Room Escape is as the name already says another living room Escape The Room game.

Again, you are trapped in a living room. Find objects and clues in order to escape. Happy Puzzling!

Tags: Room Escape

Bubba Time is an addictive action/puzzle game.

In Bubba Time you must use your ability to bend time to avoid different obstacles. Use the cursor keys to move Bubba. Push levers to open exit doors. Push up while standing in front of a door to go to another room. If Bubba is crouched the pink blocks are placed from the floor’s level. Hit the blocks from below to break them. Happy Puzzling!

Tags: Puzzle Game

IcoSoku will soon be the next addition to my puzzle collection. At first side I think it looks a bit like Dodek Duo puzzle.

IcoSoku is a brilliant Brainteaser with literally thousands of challenges. Place the number buttons randomly, then match the dots to the numbers. First remove all the dotted tiles and number buttons. Then place all twelve number buttons randomly on the Brainteaser. Now position the twenty dotted tiles so that all the dots surrounding each number button add up exactly to the number on the button.You’ve succeeded when you’ve placed all the dotted tiles correctly so the numbers match the surrounding dots, with no dotted tiles left over.

To create a new challenge simply swap a few number buttons and you have a new challenge to solve. IcoSoKu offers you endless puzzle pleasure. You can buy IcoSoKu at Amazon.com. Happy Puzzling.

Tags: Puzzle

Nonograms Pro is a lovely version of Nonogram puzzles (aka Griddlers) for your iPhone.

Nonograms are logic puzzles that use number clues around a grid to create an image. Each clue indicates a group of contiguous squares of like color. Between each group there is at least one empty square. The clues are already in the correct sequence. Groups of different colors may or may not have empty squares between them.

No problem if you don’t have an iPhone you can also play Nonograms Online on our online puzzle games webpage with each week a new Nonogram puzzle. Happy Puzzling!

Tags: Puzzle Game | iPhone

Two mind challenge puzzles from the Dr Wood classic series are the latest addition to my puzzle collection.

Object of Square off is simple, just place all the nine pieces in the game board to create a single square.

Sanity – Lose it! consists of four cubes. Each cube has the Dr. Wood hallmark in four colors represented on each face but in different arrangements. Arrange the four cubes in a row so all four colors appear one each of the row’s four long sides. Happy Puzzling!

Tags: Puzzle Game

Cryptoquote Challenge is a word puzzle game that consists of short pieces of encrypted Quote made by a famous author.

Each letter of the encrypted text represents the correct letter of the quote and is located below the white box. To solve the puzzle, you mist uncover the original lettering that represents the full quote along with the name of the author of the quote.

Complete game instructions are included in the game. Happy Puzzling!

PS: check-out our webpage with lots of puzzle quotes.

Tags: Word Puzzle | Cryptogram

Bubble Town is another bubble shooter / match three on-line puzzle game.

Object of Bubble Town is to collect three or more of the funky Borbs of the same color in time before they move into the danger area, and make sure you look for power-ups to get special bonuses. Happy Puzzling!

Tags: Puzzle Game

Old Shop Escape is yet another Escape The Room game.

Game story : In this escape the room game you are stuck in the old shop, it’s time to balance the scales. Happy Puzzling!

Tags: Room Escape

Grow Valley is another grow puzzle game.

Click the seven panels in a order you select. Items you click will grow and grow each turn. You will complete the game when all panels reach maximum level. They affect each other as the grow. So think about the order before clicking. Happy Puzzling!

Tags: Puzzle Game

Color Infection 2 is another physics based online puzzle game.

The goal of Color Infection is to infect all yellow balls with the brown color by colliding them with brown balls. Don’t affect the green balls. To play left click a pink object to destroy it.

There are 25 puzzling levels to solve and you can also design your own levels with the online Color Infection Editor. Happy Puzzling!

Tags: Puzzle Game