For some years, people have been pondering deep philosophical questions such as this one, and we don’t blame them. It’s right up there with why the chicken crossed the road or whether a pizza can be a pizza if it’s not a deep-dish and other unanswerable, life-altering inquiries.

But we’re an intrepid bunch around here, not least because we’re purveyors of some of the finest entertainment a family can engage in these days. As a result, we’re going to wade into the fray and try to find an answer.

Frankly, we love jigsaw puzzles, and who could blame us? With all of the different sizes and pictures, there’s no better way to spend a lazy afternoon — whether inside or “out of doors,” as Grandmother used to say.

Hello, Brainiac!

Firstly, let’s address the elephant in the room. He never forgets a thing, and that’s funny because puzzlers tend to be rather brilliant, too. If you’re good at jigsaw puzzles, even your trousers will be smart (because people call you smartypants, naturally).

Here’s the deal: People who regularly solve puzzles are smarter than the average bear.

Since the average person only reads for fun for about ten minutes a day, you’re way ahead of the power curve as a puzzler. Not only does your hobby make you sound like a Batman villain, but you also forgo slumping on the couch for hours streaming online content, whatever that might be.

And since you regularly sharpen your mind by solving jigsaw puzzles, you’re a lot better than most at finding solutions for problems. Have you ever thought of running for office?

Better Memories

Whoops, that was supposed to read, “Better Memory.” Oh well. Same difference, really, because while your neighbors are nuking their dinners to dine by the light of an LED display, you’re sitting at the kitchen table making memories actually worth being able to remember.

Sure, there’s one of those 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles taking up all of the available space at your table, but even if you have to hold your plate on your lap, at least you can do a puzzle while you eat your dinner.

Life has a rule, and that rule says that if you don’t use it, you lose it. Regularly solving puzzles means you’re working those brain circuits properly and exercising them well. That means you’re far more likely than most people to enjoy healthy brain function long into the autumn of your life, which is pretty cool.

Solving puzzles means you’re far more likely to remember important stuff than not. Even if you do occasionally walk into a room and forget why you came, you’re still going to be a lot better off than the next person if you make jigsaw puzzles a regular part of your routine.

Lower Your Stress Levels

Did you know that puzzling can reduce your stress levels? Talk about a great benefit — especially these days, when prices on everything are rising, and it costs an arm and a leg just to drive your car down the street!

Listen. The modern world is stressful. There’s a lot going on. You can’t even go to the store for a new puzzle without hearing another Chicken Little on the radio warning of one impending doom or another.

Why not just order a puzzle online? Sit down at the kitchen table with a nice, fresh 300-piece puzzle. The beauty of puzzling is that, even if you don’t finish it in one sitting, you’ve still managed to solve a lot of problems by the time you get up — and that’s a whole lot better than Mr. Little can manage.

This has a major positive effect on your well-being, too — solving a jigsaw puzzle is an immersive activity; you don’t have the bandwidth to be concerned with all that other not-so-terribly important business. It ultimately causes you to relax and destress!

Sometimes, it’s the fact that you’ve walked away from a hopeless tangle of challenges and solved an entirely different problem (ahem, a puzzle!) that enables the eureka moment about that all-important tangle.

Do you know how sometimes you’re not able to see anything in the dark until you stop looking directly at it? Maybe working on a puzzle will spark the brainwave you need to solve some of the other challenges in your life! And that definitely means you’ll lower your stress.

Increased Productivity at Work

In case you weren’t aware, banging your head against the wall only manages to burn about 150 calories per hour. Perhaps it’s time to consider an alternative.

Solving a 1000-piece puzzle is a great way to increase brain activity, forge new neural pathways, and gain an edge over the competition (even if the competition is yourself, just the uncaffeinated version).

Positivity begets positivity, so as you gain confidence from solving puzzles on a regular basis, you take more confidence with you as you head out into the great wide world. So whether you’re working on an assembly line, building houses, crunching numbers, or teaching a classroom filled with kids, you will be your best self if you make puzzles a part of your routine.

Jigsaw Puzzles: The Fountain of Youth?

Maybe the reason Ponce de Leon never found that mythical fountain in Florida was because it doesn’t exist — at least, not as a fountain. Maybe it can be found by simply continuing to stimulate your thinker — and jigsaw puzzles are a fantastic way to do that.

Making a regular routine of solving jigsaw puzzles for adults is not just good for you; it’s downright fun. And when it comes to activity — whether physical or mental — most human beings who are not batty are far more likely to make a routine of the stuff they enjoy rather than the stuff they expend more energy avoiding.

The most beneficial part of solving jigsaw puzzles is that while you certainly can do it alone, you don’t have to. Sometimes, it’s even more fun solving a puzzle with the people you love. And there’s a lot to be said for how healthy you’ll feel when you’re enjoying life in the company of others.