NOW most of the leaves have fallen off the trees, winter is well and truly on its way.
And as the frosty weather creeps closer, many of us will be curling up indoors to get away from the cold.
Fortunately, there are many puzzles and games to keep you entertained on a winter evening, like this tricky brainteaser.
People are being challenged to find the incorrect word hiding in the flurry of ‘winter’.
Creators of the puzzle, Event display reckon that only 1 in 10 people manage to locate the odd word in under 10 seconds, so can you do it?
The white lettering is sat in front of an icy blue background – and you have just 10 seconds to identify the outlier.
The word causing such havoc is ‘Vinter,’ but most give up after their eyes glaze over from the frosty repetition.
The puzzle seems simple, but the repeated pattern makes it devilishly difficult.
Hidden somewhere in the sea of “Winter” is the Scandinavian-style misspelling “Vinter”, and it’s far easier to overlook than you might think.
And if you’re struggling, there are a few ways you can narrow it down.
Start by dividing the image into quarters.
There are 11 words across and 19 downwards so splitting it into smaller sections might make it more manageable.
If you’ve failed to beat the 10-second timer, and have had enough of hunting for the odd word, scroll down to see the answer.
Using puzzles as a pre-sleep ritual
Dreams’ Sleep Expert, Sammy Margo, has shareed her expert advice on using brainteasers and optical illusions as pre-sleep rituals.
- Puzzle ‘pairing’ with scent
“Lightly scenting your space with lavender, chamomile or other scents while you puzzle creates a sensory link which your brain will start to associate with rest. Over time, the combination of the puzzle and calming scents may become a sleep cue in itself.”
- Try the ‘reverse puzzle trick’
“Instead of working towards completing a crossword or sudoku, deliberately stop just short of finishing. Leaving that last word or number undone, may trick the brain into feeling closure without over-engaging, avoiding the frustration that can keep you up.”
- Double it up with doodling
“If puzzles aren’t your thing, try doodling alongside them. The repetitive hand movements are soothing and combining it with a puzzle engages both logic and creativity – a surprisingly powerful wind-down for the brain.”
- Use mini puzzles as a ‘thought swap’
“Keep a pocket-sized puzzle book by your bed. When intrusive thoughts creep in at 2am, swap them for a quick and easy puzzle. It’s a gentle distraction that redirects your focus away from anxiety and back towards sleep.”
But if you managed the frosty brainteaser with time to spare, why not challenge yourself with another one – like the tricky puzzle which asks readers to find the odd one out in a sea of TikTok logos.
If you need another challenging test, only the most eagle-eyed readers will be able to spot the six items that need tidying up in this spot-the-difference puzzle.
You can also test yourself by trying to spot the pine cone in this Autumnal image.
And if you’re already missing bonfire night, why not test yourself to see if you can spot the bonfire with the missing log in this brainteaser.
Puzzles that ask you to find the hidden object are a good way to improve your visual skills – such as focus and observation – while spotting the odd one out might be a good IQ test.
And you can also expect to get an injection of dopamine when you solve the puzzle – leading to an element of stress relief.
“Puzzles are small-scale versions of this ‘quest for understanding,’ even though there is nothing new at the end of the hunt when a solution is uncovered,” Dr Danesi, professor emeritus of semiotics and anthropology and author, told Reader’s Digest.
“It is the hunt itself that is likely to stimulate various areas of the brain that involve discovery and a sense of satisfaction at once.”
