The Logic Bug

I thought I'd get more writing done with Shane out of town. Instead, I've been consumed by starting off the semester right, maintaining the barn, and taking care of Carrie and the pets.

But I still would have some time to write if I wasn't consumed by logic puzzles. I didn't even know I had the itch, but now I choose to scratch it over reading or anything if I have the time and spare brain cells. There's something addictive about having a problem to solve and working through to a solution....and before I know it "Just one puzzle" turns into an hour and I have to turn it off for bedtime!

The trend started further back with Shisensho Solitaire. I bought it for under a $1 on steam and have been working on slowing getting the achievements when I need to clear my mind for a couple of minutes.

The time attack and mini-games never took long, so it wasn't a large time sink. 

But then I discovered Hexcells.

I like to think. There's a certain level of thinking that's hard, but not too hard that's perfect for relaxing and processing. Sometimes I'll do a sudoku between classes or on my planning period as I think about things.

Hexcells was like that, but offered a campaign mode.

I had to win. I had to win them all.

I beat all three Hexcell games. There were user made levels and an infinite level generator I did for a while, but I missed the quest.

Then I found Tametsi. 

If you beat a level with no mistakes, the level number turns blue. I have definitely redone entire levels, because I wanted that blue number! Several times I thought I was in marking mode and clicked on something I didn't mean to!

Tametsi is a lot of fun, but it's a much harder version of Hexcells. Sometimes it's too much for where my brain state is. I'll get through it eventually, but I've found other puzzle games on Steam, too!

Squarecells is my current addiction. It cost me less than a dollar on sale and I'd happily buy it for any of my friends who want to try (though I'd recommend they try Hexcells first!).

It turns out there are lots of logic games on Steam and they're cheap. Dirt cheap. 

And they're killing my writing productivity! I've avoided "big games," because I have other things I want to do and don't feel like I have the time to learn them or get immersed in them. But these logic games? They promise to be quick and then I start solving things and scratching that itch....and that hour of free time I had is gone, gone, gone!

But they're a lot of fun. It's a need I didn't even know I had, but I probably could've guess since I'm a math teacher! I wish there was a way to turn playing Hexcells into an assignment for my students to play. I tried to show it to Shane, but I had to hold him down to make him try it!