Logic puzzles such as Sudoku and other logical deduction puzzles are the cream on the cake when it comes to brain training. Sudoku puzzles started out popular in Japan and when introduced to western society, sparked a new craze for logic puzzles. While originally created through an intense manual process, these computer generated puzzles and their variations are now easily available in their thousands, all of varying difficulty.

Sudoku

Sudoku puzzles consist of a 9 x 9 grid which is split up evenly into nine 3 x 3 grids. Each row, column and 3 x 3 grid must contain the numbers from 1 to 9 without repetitions of the numbers. You are presented with a varying number of 'givens' which are numbers already filled in that enable you to solve the rest of the puzzle via logical deduction. To solve sudoku puzzles you must look at each open square and work out which number must appear there. The answer is not always available for each square as the game is designed so that you must find the answer for certain squares which open up solutions for all of the others. Most 'easy' and many 'intermediate' ranked puzzles can be solved through straigtforward logic alone, however the harder puzzles require the use of methods which can involve pencilling in all of the possible solutions for each square and cross-referencing those with other squares. However, it is possible and more beneficial for your IQ to solve the harder Sudoku puzzles without pencilling in all the possible numbers for each square. Sudoku puzzles can be very mentally demanding and are valuable as mental workouts for part of your brain training routine. There are a  few great videos that I would recommend watching about Sudoku technique which are located in the Videos section of this site.

Sudoku Variations and Other Logic Puzzles

There are countless variations of the popular Sudoku puzzle, some easier, many harder. When it comes to sudoku variations, the harder veriety tend to be pretty damn hard especially considering the techniques for solving them are not so readily available and must be figured out through intense concentration (well maybe not intense). Sudoku variations can be a lot more fun than the repettitive process of filling out sudoku after soduku and a lot more beneficial once you get used-to/bored of same old Sudoku. Many variations include logic deduction puzzles which involve letters, shapes, and even inter-linked sudokus.

Rubik's Cubes

The rubik's cube is one of those puzzles that is not easily solved through intuition or logic alone. However, in trying to figure out how to solve one, you are actully subjecting your mind to an intense workout, like with sudoku puzzles, which can relly boost your brain power and even increase your IQ score. The rubik's cube is an inexpensive product and can prove to be a great tool for brain training. Every time you mix up the cube it's a different puzzle to solve. There are however, several methods you can learn to speed up the process of solving the cube, but once learned, you don't get the same benefit as trying to figure out the cube yourself. That said, learning the various methods and algorithms for solving the cube is a good way to train and improve your memory and various memory techniques.

Rubik's Cube Variations

In true logic puzzle style, there are also variations of the standard 3 x 3 x 3 rubik's cubes. The easier to solve cubes include the 2 x 2 x 2 rubik's type cubes which do not require the use of algorithms or complex mehtods for solving. If you look at a mixed up one and really think about it you can easily solve it without help, the more you do it the easier it becomes. Then you get the harder variations such as the 4 x 4 x 4 cubes and the 5 x 5 x 5 cubes which are exteremely difficult to solve through pure logica alone and do require the use of complex algorithms. There's even a twelve sided cube with fifty moving parts, called the megaminx, which is also extremely difficult to solve without the aid of pre-determined algorithms.

If you have not had ago at solving a rubik's cube or haven't been drawn in by the addictiveness of sudoku, I would strongly reccomend it. These puzzles are really great fun, addictive, and prove to be a great mental workout.