If you're like me, you undoubtedly enjoy a good crossword puzzle, but surely there are other things that someone with an inquisitive mind can do. Even though I would be the first in line to do an IQ puzzle game any day of the week, there are moments when I need something else to keep my mind occupied. This made me consider equally enjoyable substitutes for IQ puzzles.

Thus, You need to take a break from crossword puzzles at this stage in your life. Perhaps you've completed them all, or perhaps you simply need a vacation. In any event, there are tonnes of other games that are also excellent mental exercises. Let's examine them in more detail below.

Try these substitutes instead of the crossword puzzles and give them a try!

Word Lookup

There are several names for the word search puzzle. Some refer to it as an IQ Puzzle game, Word Find, or even Word Seek. In this word game, players have to search a square or rectangular grid for concealed words. Mark off and circle each word that is hidden in the grid. Playing these IQ puzzles for adults can help with vocabulary and spelling development, pattern recognition, language acquisition, and problem-solving abilities. Word searches come in a range of topics and sizes.

Yahtzee

Milton Bradly created the dice game Yahtzee, formerly known as Yatzie, in the 1940s. Rolling five dice to make different combinations and score points is the game's main goal. Players can win points from several combinations by rolling the dice three times in a single turn. Yahtzee games consist of thirteen rounds, wherein the player chooses the scoring category to be used in the subsequent round after each of the thirteen rounds. The Yahtzee champion is the player who finishes with the most points. Playing Yahtzee can help with stress release, memory recall, and logical reasoning.

Chess

Chess has a fascinating history. Although the game's precise beginnings are uncertain, it can be traced back to the sixth century AD. It is thought to have started in India and then moved to Persia. It is an indisputable fact that chess is a household favourite in many homes, regardless of its origins. The primary goal of the strategy-and logic-based game is for the player to checkmate the opponent's king.

Playing chess can help you solve problems more effectively, raise your IQ, sharpen your memory, avoid brain disorders like Alzheimer's, and give your brain a solid workout on both sides.

Risk

Risk is a two to six-player board game. The French director Albert Lamorisse created it in 1957. Strategy, combat, conquest, and diplomacy are the game's main focuses. Typically, a globe map has six continents and 42 categories. Players can establish and break alliances during the game as needed. The aim of the game is for each player to take control of every area on the board.

The advantages of playing Risk are comparable to those of many other board games of a similar nature: increased confidence, stress alleviation, greater strategic thinking and planning abilities, and an excellent brain workout.

Pictionary

The word-guessing game Pictionary was inspired by charades. It was first released in 1985 and is meant to be played by two people alone or in two groups. Each team has one player who receives a category card with a list of words on it that they must then doodle. The term needs to be drawn by the player in an image without any letters or digits. The remaining members of the team must then guess what is drawn. When the team correctly guesses the word, points are given.

Playing Pictionary has several advantages, such as lowering stress, releasing endorphins, fostering better relationships and social interactions, and improving one's capacity for mental imagery.

Scrabble

Scrabble is a two-to-four-player game. American architect Alfred Mosher Butts designed it in the 1930s. Like IQ puzzle, it's a word game. By forming words on a gaming board using a set of given lettered tiles, players hope to score points. Every tile features a single alphabetic letter. The grid of 15 by 15 squares makes up the gaming board. Playing board games like Scrabble can help with brain stimulation, stress relaxation, spelling and vocabulary development, blood pressure reduction, and memory enhancement.

Play These Games to Strengthen Your Brain

Every one of my favourite substitutions for crossword puzzles, as you can see from my list above, is a thinking game. These are fantastic possibilities to think about if you're seeking an enjoyable method to challenge your brain in addition to your usual crosswords. I love to challenge my brain. There's a good reason why a lot of these games remain beloved for a long time and are unlikely to go out of style: they are simply that amazing.

A game that truly forces you to think is the best thing you can give a curious mind.