Take Your Own Advice

This CAN’T be original … it’s more of a realization sinking in. I constantly criticize strategies I see as pointless … and yet my own strategies are often pointless, too. Aha, I realize: You need to figure out how to give yourself advice. OK, let’s try that painful exercise. The Mucha rules: (1) Do some market research! Know your Read More …

Puzzle: Top ‘Jeopardy’ Payout?

What’s the most money one set of contestants could win on a single show of Jeopardy? This is using the rules from the regular nighttime show. No bonuses for tournament wins. I’ll post the answer later in the week. (After I double-check my calculations by watching again.) Hint: It’s way more than anyone has won in a single show.  

The Collaborations Lab

I’m inching forward with a spinoff from Steal My Ideas, Please. Rather than just give away ideas, through posts or emailed answers, I’m moving into developing some with friends and even total strangers. If you’re an illustrator, software designer, writer or JUST LOADED AND LOOKING FOR PLACES TO INVEST, check out www.wackydadandfriends.com. I hope to Read More …

How to Solve ‘Differences’ Puzzles in Seconds!

Here’s a trick for almost instantly solving those “Can You Spot the Differences” puzzles. Do the cross-eyed “stereovision” trick! Remember those Magic Eye puzzles? You kind of looked “through” two pictures till they combined to make a 3-D image? The “differences” will pop right out at you! Obligatory warning: Always check with your eye doctor before attempting Read More …

More Word Quirks: Anti-Antonyms & Pseudo-Synonyms

Some words look like they should be opposites but really aren’t, I’ve noticed. They’re anti-antonyms. Examples: hottie and icy, inlaw and outlaw, onset and offset, upset and subset, postman and foreman, topping and bottoming, undertake and overtake, uppercut and undercut, expect and inspect, retail and detail, demote and remote. Forgive and forget are especially odd, Read More …

i-Brain / i-Puzzle / i-Smart

Take the i-Pod Shuffle idea and offer a stream of brain teasers and trivia. The pitch: Entertaining way to sharper your brain. Might be a Jeopardy! version. Or stuff from almanacs and encyclopedias. Games Magazine. Samples from various popular games, such as Scrabble. Tests with word problems from math books. Tricky lateral thinking problems from Read More …