Describe a puzzle you have played- IELTS cue card

One useful strategy for enhancing brain function and making it sharper and more active is to solve puzzles. There is nothing that people enjoy more than playing games. Similar to this, I enjoy playing puzzle games when I'm stressed. It helps to uplift my spirits and alters my mood. When I turned 11, my father bought a surprise gift, a 200-piece jigsaw puzzle.

The goal of a jigsaw puzzle, which is a tiling puzzle, is to fit the pieces together to create the ideal image or scene. Since I was a little child, I have always enjoyed playing jigsaw puzzle games with various themes. This game came in excellent packaging with 4 different different themes. 

The problem seemed quite difficult to me when I first started playing it initially. However, at that time, I had time to play it over the weekend because I was so busy with school and studies. Many times, when I couldn't figure it out, I considered giving up. But my inner player spurred me on to continue. So, I played it with discipline and devotion and resolved at least one puzzle daily, either online or offline. One day, I ultimately prevailed and solved it after a four-hour effort.

Small puzzles take me 15 to 20 minutes to solve, and the difficulty increases as the number of pieces increases. Similarly, the large-scale jigsaw piece took me about an hour to finish. Everything is hard and unachievable at first, but with perseverance, anything is achievable. We get better at this game the more we play.

I breathed a sigh of relief, as I didn't want to give up. I was joyous when I shared this news with my friends and parents. 

While solving that puzzle that day, I discovered a valuable lesson: "Persistence overcomes resistance." I can still clearly recall that day when I won.

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There are many indoor games that I played as a kid, such as Ludo, Carrom, and crosswords, but today, I want to talk about a unique game that is truly great. I believe everyone has played this game at some point in their youth, and it even seems interesting for adults.

Here, I would like to talk about Sudoku, which I started playing when I was barely 9 years old. As its name implies, this game originated in Japan and is well-liked by players of all ages. I still clearly recall how my father got me started in this game. It is an excellent mental workout that promotes cognitive development.

Initially, I found it difficult to solve, as it included mathematical calculations. But my father challenged me to solve this puzzle, which consists of nine-by-nine grids with one to nine digits per column that must not be repeated. He taught me how to solve it. I took the challenge since it looked doable and easy, but I quickly discovered it's not that simple.

I finally figured out the puzzle one day. I used to solve it with great passion when it appeared in every Saturday newspaper. As my interest grew, my father purchased me a book of Sudoku puzzles, which contained hundreds of puzzles that my brother and I would tackle every evening.

Unlike other puzzle games, Sudoku never gets old and forces us to use our brains more. To be honest, I still play it frequently. I downloaded an app with multiple difficulty settings on my smartphone. Every time I solve the puzzle, it gives me satisfaction and an adrenaline rush.

If you haven't played Sudoku before, I strongly advise you to do so. You'll find that it's a fun way to pass the time and maintain mental and physical fitness.

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Puzzle games help with mental skill development in addition to being entertaining. I enjoy playing a variety of puzzle games in my spare time. Owing to time constraints, I spend my weekends playing these games. It also relieves some of my stress.

I have played a number of offline and online puzzle games, but my favourite kinds of puzzles are crosswords. I never consider my days complete until I've solved the newspaper crossword puzzles. A crossword is a type of word puzzle where the square or rectangular grid of shaded white and black squares is typically used. You must make words or phrases, fill in the white squares with letters, and figure out the clues that lead to the solutions.

While some Crosswords are relatively simple to answer, others can be difficult. In online games, the level of difficulty increases as you reach a higher stage. Regarding newspaper puzzles, the Monday Crossword is relatively simple to answer; the Saturday Crossword is the week's trickiest challenge. The Monday hints are specific, whereas the Saturday ones are more ambiguous. In contrast to the crossword problems on Saturday, the one on Sunday is easier to solve.

The crossword puzzle's level of complexity affects how long it takes to solve. Expert solvers may finish the puzzle in ten to fifteen minutes easily. However, novices find it difficult to complete the puzzle even in ample time. One can become a better crossword solver with consistent practice. I could not solve it quickly at first, but I practised solving at least one puzzle daily, so my vocabulary improved. However, sometimes, I was still unable to answer the difficult crosswords. But I'm hoping to make it eventually.

After doing a crossword puzzle, I feel happier and more at ease. My language, social skills, and concentration have all improved since I started playing this puzzle. Now, I am quite fond of solving the crosswords.

In addition to being entertaining, crossword puzzles can help you learn new words and phrases and improve your English language proficiency. Thus, my favourite puzzle game is this one.

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Question: Why do parents let their children play with puzzles?

Answer: Parents help their kids solve puzzles to improve their problem-solving abilities. Working through puzzles can enhance one's learning and comprehension skills, and certain clever and humorous riddles can also serve as brainteasers.

Question: What kind of puzzles improve people’s intelligence?

Answer: Given that players must employ a variety of strategies and logic to solve the riddles in these games, puzzle games of all kinds are beneficial for increasing IQ. Puzzle games, such as jigsaw, sudoku, crossword, and others, are made to keep players' minds engaged and sharp. As a result, many individuals enjoy spending time on these kinds of games.

Question: Why are detective stories attractive to people?

Answer: These tales have a suspenseful quality to them, keeping the listener guessing until the very end. Therefore, they are appealing, and since kids and teens adore this range of feelings, they are devoted to watching detective stories. Actually, a lot of flawed tales, like the one about Sherlock Holmes, have gained global popularity.

Question: Which do you think is better: A detective movie or an original novel?

Answer: In my opinion, original novels are far superior. Novels are more in-depth and have no time constraints. Some significant passages and elements should be included in movies since they have to condense the entire book into a few hours. Additionally, because reading books requires you to visualise the action, they are more imaginative and mentally engaging than watching movies.

Question: Which age group plays puzzles the most?

Answer: Puzzle games are available in three difficulty levels: simple, medium, and complex. While many people of all ages like solving puzzles, adults frequently find it difficult to set aside time for this hobby because it requires a lot of time. Still, some adults are able to schedule puzzle time. The age range of 6 to 9 years old is typically the one that plays puzzle games the most. In my opinion, solving puzzles is a worthwhile and valuable pastime for both adults and children.

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"Describe a puzzle you have played" is an opportunity to demonstrate linguistic proficiency and reflect on personal experiences, not only an IELTS topic. Whether you describe it as a jigsaw, sudoku, or crossword puzzle, how you express this experience is crucial.

We hope you know how to answer the “Describe a puzzle you have played” cue card questions in your IELTS speaking test. But, if you want to get further details or would like to prepare for IELTS, you can contact our expert counsellors at Meridean Overseas Education Consultants (MOEC). You can also take free online counselling through our website. Our expert counsellors will provide you with the best support and guidance you need for admission and visa. In addition, they will help you shortlist the universities according to your profile. For more information or any queries, contact application02@meridean.org or 1800-1230-00011.