By Emily Schilling

What can be seen once in a minute, twice in a moment and never in a thousand years? Are you perplexed by the question? 

That’s what I love about brain teasers. You can ponder them for hours weighing all the possible — and impossible — answers. When you finally have that “aha” moment, or just finally give up and ask for the answer, it all suddenly makes sense. That moment of clarity is worth the sometimes tough mental workout you just underwent.

Brain teasers are a good way to keep your mind nimble when you notice it could use a tune-up. I enjoy engaging in these logic exercises because they force me to really listen and focus on just the facts. They prove that when we revise our way of thinking, we can come up with new solutions to everyday challenges. That’s something we all need to work on. Anyway, here are some of my favorite brain teasers. 

What belongs to you but other people use it more than you? Your name.

What can travel around the world but stays in one corner? A stamp.

What’s full of holes but still holds water? A sponge.

How can you throw a ball as hard as possible only to have it come back to you (without bouncing off anything)?
By throwing it straight up in the air.

And, in case you’re obsessing over my first question, the answer is the letter “M.”

EMILY SCHILLING is editor of Indiana Connection