The 5 E's of Exile
General Puzzle Strategy
Follow these five steps to solve puzzles more easily and efficiently:
- Explore. Make sure you check out all accessible areas, as an important
clue may be hidden away from the puzzle.
- Experiment. Once you get your bearings, try something with the given
materials (controls, etc.). If you do something wrong, you can always go back and try
again.
- Examine. Take note of what happens during your experiments. Use what
you learn to come up with a theory of how the puzzle works.
- Execute. Test your hypothesis, but don't become too attached to a single
idea. Even if it seems like there's no way it could be wrong, always remember to keep an open
mind. You may have to change your theories a bit along the way.
- Exhale. Don't forget to take a breather every once in a while. You'll
solve puzzles much more efficiently after a break.