Appendix
The nine dots (Idea 7)
The reason you may not have been able to solve the problem is that unconsciously your mind imposed a framework around the nine dots. You have to go beyond that invisible box. From this problem, which I introduced in 1969, comes the phrase ‘Think outside the box!’
The six matchsticks
Again, ask yourself the reason you couldn't solve it. Were you making an assumption or imposing a constraint that the puzzle must be solved on one plane or in two dimensions?
Breaking out of the two-dimensional unconscious assumption and into three dimensions gives the most elegant solution:
The six coins
Move the bottom coin up and ...
Get John Adair's 100 Greatest Ideas for Amazing Creativity now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
