I'm Puzzled

Anyone who reads my Facebook Page knows I have an ongoing board game challenge with three of the Borum Grandchildren. During the Christmas break we sit down to play every game known to man. And every year they beat me. In almost every single game. I don't feel too bad, since they beat most of the other adults as well.

Normally I am not competitive; however, board, card, and word  games are the exception.  In these games, I  play to win. To the point that I've had Church Friends refuse to play games with me.  I tell them it's biblical--Philippians 3:14 admonishes us to Run the race to win it. And Colossians 3:24 tells us  to Do everything as if we were doing it for God.  You wouldn't want to do a half-baked job for the Creator and Savior of the world would you?  Of course not!

So go for the win. I do. Even when playing with children.  There are no "participation trophies" at my table. 

However, I  also keep it in perspective--after all is said and done, it's only a game. A game I seek to win--but nevertheless, in the big scheme of things, it really is just a game.

It's not just the BorumGrands that like to play--the adults join in as well.  Even Santa stuffs an IQ puzzle in our stockings. This year Santa left us a pair.  I'm unsure if that's because we are so smart, or because he thought we needed remedial help.

Last night, after I ate dinner and read a little, I took a puzzle break. Several weeks ago I actually solved the Fifteen Puzzle Santa gave us a few years back.  I was thrilled when it happened--almost effortlessly. The win encouraged me to try the pair of puzzles we received this year:  the Classic Wooden Cube (that, when undone resembles a long snake chain of small connected cubes, but when reassembled correctly, forms a larger  perfect cube), or Klotski (the IQ puzzle based on a Chinese strategy game in which you maneuver the largest of 10 multi-sized tiles around the board and out through a thin slot, through which only the large thin tile can fit).

I'm hoping to be able to post a photo of the puzzles (blog readers may have to see my Facebook page to see it).  My cube needs a little more work--it's really more of a free-form impression of a cube.  I guess I could call it my attempt at PicasoCubism.  

However, like my Fifteen Puzzle, my Klotski now sports the correct solution.  I've only been playing with this Klotski  puzzle a little over a month.  Noone has solved it in less than 81 moves--not even the computer (and a slightly different version can not be solved in less than 100 moves); however, I literally found the solution for Klotski  in my sleep.

Impressive, you might say.  But then I would have to tell you that I actually had help.

Of course, after persusing the Facebook photo, you may have already deduced I had help (and just who helped me) by the slightly soggy appearance of one of the small red-dotted tiles.

You see, when I fell asleep, I dropped the puzzle and the tiles scattered. I retrieved one small tile from Moggy, before he could bat it into oblivion--and Bandit found another small tile and thoughtfully hid it from The Cat until I could retrieve it, from inside the mouth of The Dog. Hence the soggy.

I can't wait to tell Santa, and the Borum Grandkids, I solved this 81-move puzzle in under 15 moves. I'm pretty sure that's a record even they can't beat.

Two puzzles down. One to go.  I'm on a roll (dice pun intended).  Perhaps I should tackle the cube-to-snake-back-to-cube puzzle).  After all, I've already got the cube-to-snake part perfected, so I'm over halfway there. 

I think Moggy, my Hunter Extraordinaire,  is pretty adept at killing snakes, maybe he can assist me with whipping the snake back into the cube-shape...