Mazed and Confused

Here's the first thing you learn about a really great puzzle: You can't solve it with brute force.

Sure, you'll try. Let's say you're playing a classic adventure by Infocom, or LucasArts. You try every verb, click on every pixel. If the game gives you objects to carry, you take them out one-by-one and use them on everything in sight, hoping that the process of elimination will get you the answer to whatever problem you're facing-a door that won't open, a river you can't cross, a monster who's just standing in your way.

And then suddenly you think of an answer. The answer is clever. It makes sense, but it's not logical, and it entails doing something you've never done in the game before; that's why you didn't think of it sooner. But you make a creative leap and try your idea, and wow, damn, it works!