Brain Games

"It's enjoyable to puzzle alongside others..."

26/11/2024

Only four of us at the final session but enough to conquer everything, with some combined efforts.

We warmed up the brains with some sketching, mirror-image drawing and finger-brain coordination.

With both left and right hemispheres alert and with new pathways forming, we tackled reasoning, superimposed pictures and words which needed linking ideas or missing letters supplied.

The last challenges had us searching for the patterns in grids and shape series and participants took home a page which seeks similar pattern completions but in number sequences and shapes.

It's encouraging to find that confidence and creativity can be cultivated, and enjoyable to puzzle alongside others with similar determination to keep our brains flexible.

Elspeth Maconachie

October - 'Mind mazes, anagrams, cryptic puzzles ... & more'

26/10/2024

Our brains were treated to a range of exercises beginning with mind mazes. These require linking circles of the same colour without crossing any other line within the larger circle. Anagrams followed, which required us to match pairs of pictures, one being the anagram of another. This and the word puzzles were managed with relative ease as was the “think sideways” sheet which used pictures to create a message.

Then it was time for numbers. The task required study of the patterns and sequences to calculate the missing number.

Finally we attacked two cryptic puzzles which in the end became a team effort to complete.

Rae Jeffers

'We sped through an essay cryptic crossword and ... waded slowly through number puzzles'

28/9/2024

We had warm-ups with memory, maze and puzzles which needed a fresh angle.

We also looked at how we perceive, process and store colours and words and talked about cultural differences between stories written, told or sung. Do winners write history while losers write songs.

We sped through an essay cryptic crossword and slowed as we began to wade through number puzzles.

It seems that the best advice is to be sure just what each question is asking.

Elspeth Maconachie

"We spent quite some time on cryptic crosswords"

29/8/2024

After anagram and IQ quiz question warm-ups, we spent quite some time on cryptic crosswords. Getting to know the quirks of a different compiler is one of the challenges. We wound down with three drawings, one done with the non-preferred hand, one asking for a mirror image and the other requiring imagination and creativity - all good left/right brain stimulus.

Elspeth Maconachie

Hopefully our neurones are benefiting from the strength training!

30/7/2024

We're performing mental contortions, tackling mensa level problems, so hopefully our neurons are benefiting from the strength training. The work pays off in enjoyment though there is a fair bit of groaning too!

Birthday cake featured at July's coffee break!

Elspeth Maconachie

Keeping our brain muscles toned in May...

26/5/2024

Working both sides of the brain can help with problem solving and even physical balance.
We tried a variety which included geometric shapes, cryptic words and rebus decoding to keep our brain muscles toned.

Elspeth

"It's always easier if you read the instructions carefully..."

28/4/2024

In April we found that some answers make you groan, and some are obvious as soon as someone else says them but it's always easier if you read the instructions carefully.

We built mental muscle with geometric shapes, rebus and cryptic homophones and fired pathways across the brain by touching our nose with one hand and the opposite shoulder with the other.

Elspeth Maconachie

"I think we're ready for Mensa membership, ...."

29/3/2024

Verbal, numeric, visuo-spatial and lateral skills were exercised, and some participants might be googling Brain Gym for extra challenges.

There are various motivations which include honing memory and learning habits of problem solving and flexible thinking.

Are you stuck in habitual patterns? Try putting on the other shoe or sleeve first. It can free up thinking. This was February homework.

March was a hard slog, but I think we're ready for Mensa membership, as long as they accept team entries!

Elspeth

Our first neurobic workout for '24 - Tuesday 27th

26/2/2024

While the newsletter is in production, we'll be producing the best of our brain cells too in our first neurobic workout for '24 on Tuesday 27th.

Elspeth Maconachie

Answers will be available when Brain Games resume...!

27/11/2023

If a series starts with an, eb, ar, pr and ay, what 2-letter pair should come next?

What about the numbers 2, 5, 11, 23, 47 and therefore ___?

Supply a word that can follow the first word and precede the second to make a fresh word or phrase , for example, fish & mix can be fish cake and cakemix:

drawing & cushion, hedge & wash, jack & luck, tooth & axe, t & bow

Answers will be available when Brain Games resumes next February!

Elspeth

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About Brain Games

It is well established that new skills can help build brain pathways with benefits for memory, confidence, happiness and even falls prevention. Brain Games offers a variety of entertaining and informative ways to challenge, inform and exercise your brain. Thus we might solve word, number, shape, picture or logic puzzles, take part in a quiz, brainstorm solutions to a dilemma, draw a picture or maybe even learn to juggle! We may, at times, read or view material on topics such as dementia, brain repair...etc), gender differences, optimism and pessimism, lateral thinking and creativity.

Convenor and contact details

Elspeth Maconachie
0418 621 764

Meeting Times

4th Tuesday 2 to 4 pm, U3A Meeting Room 1, Fawckner Drive.