Here's a fun puzzle from Martin Gardner's book, Amusing Experiments.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO LEARN TO WRITE
Now, when you have learned to write and draw pictures, you may think that it is very easy to do all that. But it is very difficult for a little child. He has not yet built up all the reflexes that could tell him how to move his hand to draw or write correctly.
If you want to feel like a child and understand his problem, the problem how to make his hand and eyes work together, here is an interesting way to do that.
Put this page on your table and put a mirror in front of the picture. Now raise your left hand and hold it over the picture in such a way that you cannot see it; you can only see its reflection in the mirror. Take a pencil in your right hand and put it at the place START. Now look only in the mirror and try to draw a line from START to FINISH, but you mustn't go over the borders? It isn't easy because your reflexes don't work so well when you see a reversed image. So now you will understand that it is very difficult for a child when he begins to learn to write or draw pictures. You have felt it like a child.
If you don't want to use a mirror, here's a web-based version with a timer. Making it through the maze without going over the lines was difficult at first, but after trying it a few times I started getting used to it and got pretty quick!
Previously:
• Martin Gardner puzzle: red, white, and blue weights
• The beautiful 'Four Bugs Problem'
• Martin Gardner's 'Science Magic,' fun tricks you can try at home
