1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910779828603321

Autore

Danesi Marcel <1946->

Titolo

The puzzle instinct : the meaning of puzzles in human life / / Marcel Danesi

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Bloomington : , : Indiana University Press, , 2002

©2002

ISBN

1-282-06278-6

0-253-10919-1

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (283 pages)

Disciplina

793.73

Soggetti

Puzzles - Psychological aspects

Puzzles - Social aspects

Games - Psychological aspects

Games - Social aspects

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. [254]-263) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Contents; Preface; 1 Why Puzzles?; 2 Puzzling Language; 3 Puzzling Pictures; 4 Puzzling Logic; 5 Puzzling Numbers; 6 Puzzling Games; 7 The Puzzle of Life; Solutions; Bibliography and General Reading List; Index; About the Author

Sommario/riassunto

"Humans are the only animals who create and solve puzzles -- for the sheer pleasure of it -- and there is no obvious genetic reason why we would do this. Marcel Danesi explores the psychology of puzzles and puzzling, with scores of classic examples. His pioneering book is both entertaining and enlightening."--Will Shortz, Crossword Editor, The New York Times ..". Puzzle fanatics will enjoy the many riddles, illusions, cryptograms and other mind-benders offered for analysis."--Psychology Today ..". a bristlingly clear ... always intriguing survey of the history and rationale of puzzles ... [A] splendid study ..."--Knight Ridder Newspapers