The Puzzles That Challenge Our Thinking

Puzzles often reveal the limitations of our cognitive processes, particularly when they rely on common assumptions rather than logical analysis. For example, in a puzzle involving three people with different marital statuses, many participants incorrectly conclude that there isn't enough information to answer the question. This misconception stems from a reluctance to engage deeply with the problem, highlighting how easy it is to fall into patterns of lazy thinking. Despite the simplicity of determining a married person’s relation to an unmarried one, the majority fail to see the solution because they overlook critical details about the relationships presented.