Mind Boggling!

No matter where you are in Neopia, there is no lack of brain-teasers, puzzles, and math problems for you to enjoy. There are probably as many as there are places in Neopia to go to! So remember that wherever you are, there is hope for your poor, out of practice mind. That's right, there is no excuse!

I have gathered together a list of some of the best brain teasers to tantalize your brain with wherever in Neopia you may happen to be! I've chosen ten locations which have some of the most remarkable and brain puzzling puzzles. So let's get started with Roo Island.

Roo Island

Beautiful Roo Island, home to King Roo of the Blumaroos and the infamous and evil Count von Roo. But there is more to it than just luck and chance dice games. In fact, it houses one of my personal favorite brain teasers: Roodoku. Sure, if you do really well in it, you may find King Roo after you to become his new treasurer (after that tragic incident involving Dice-a-Roo prizes and his old treasurer, who can blame him?) but I'm sure that's worth the risk.

Roodoku, despite all the numbers that might fool you into thinking it is a math game requiring addition, subtraction and other horrors, is actually a logic puzzle. Every row, column and 3x3 square must contain the numbers from one to nine. So if there is one blank space in a row that has every number but eight, you can be sure that blank space should have an eight in it! See what I mean? So the next time you're visiting Roo Island, be sure to stop by and try out a game of Roodoku; you won't regret it!

Kreludor

Been on Kreludor lately? Who hasn't! Its hard to resist snacking at Cafe Kreludor and keeping up to date with the newest Booktastic Books. But Booktastic Books aren't the only things up there to work your brain up there on Neopia's favorite (and only) moon! Which brings us to our next game: Time Tunnel. In this game you're helping Gorix and Cylara unlock a mysterious door to find out what it hides! To do this you need to work out what secret code of four coloured stones opens that mysterious door. This is another logic puzzle which is a lot of fun to do. Solving those secret codes fast enough to earn time bonuses with a limit of twelve guesses per code is not easy but it is exciting! Your mind will certainly thank you for it.

Faerieland

After you've spun the Wheel of Excitement, don't just get up and leave! Why not try a little Maths Nightmare before going? Everyone loves maths, right? Okay, okay, no need to throw your Faerie Bubbles at me... they're so hard to get out of your hair, you know! Well, anyway, your brain loves maths, even if you don't. In this game you have to help poor Imiya the White Aisha sleep by solving the maths problems brought to you by cute little Babaas. This game has everything: different levels of difficulty, addition, subtraction, division, multiplication (or product) and for those especially in need of a challenge, a mix of all four! And it comes in three difficulties, so anyone of any level can get a good workout. For avatar collectors, this game is an extra challenge, for if you can get in the coveted top fifty a shiny avatar just might be added to your collection. So, come on, you all know numbers are fun, right!

Hey! Who threw that Faerie Bubble at me! Well, let's move on to our next location.

Krawk Island

This can't be right, you might be thinking. Krawk Island is filled with pirates and arrrs and dubloons and arrrrs and smugglers and more AARRRRs, not good brain-stimulating games! Not so! It is home to one of Neopia's best word games: Word Poker! In this game you are given a random set of letters that you must make as many words out of as you can in a 60 second limit. There are six rounds altogether. Don't be afraid of the Elephante that glares at you if you make too many mistakes; he has a kind heart deep down and will cheer for you whenever you're doing particularly well. So if word games are your favorite kind, do not miss this one the next time you are in the neighborhood.

Haunted Woods

There's more to the Haunted Woods than just the deserted Fairground. It houses our next game: Chemistry for Beginners. What could be more fun than making atoms from shiny molecules provided to you by a rather scary looking scientist? True, there are plenty of safer things to do, but this is a fun as it gets! Completing each successive level gets increasingly harder as you start out with more and more molecules and higher target scores. Start off on the higher levels if you have enough confidence in your skills, if not, the beginner levels are for you. Just beware of the deadly Slothite which can explode ad ruin everything if too many of them get together! You don't want that scientist getting angry with you.

Meridell

Home to giant Marrows, King Skarl, and coin games of luck and chance, Meridell also offers one of our favorite and most challenging puzzles, Shapeshifter! Created by that ingenious Ixi Sinsi, in this game you are required to turn every symbol on the board to the goal symbol. Don't be fooled, for it is not as simple as it sounds! By the time you get up to level five, it's becomes more than a little challenging! Don't forget to read the rules, even if they are lengthy; they'll tell you all you need to know to become an expert! This is one game that will have you puzzling for hours on end and scribbling many notes on any notebook you may have handy.

And maybe reading Sinsi's success story will inspire you to create your own game, one to rival the best that Meridell has to offer! Or at the very least, you might get your hands on the lovely avatar this game offers, if you can beat enough levels.

Kiko Lake

Ah, colorful Kiko Lake, with its glass bottomed boats and adorable shops that smile right at you. If you've been there recently you'll know all about the next game on the list: Kiko Match II. Get that short-term memory of yours into action because Kiko Match II will use all of it and then some. This game is all about matching Kiko pairs together against the clock! Some people think it's simple a game of lucky guessing, but matching sixteen cards with only thirty seconds on the clock takes a lot more than luck! Many strategies are involved, including giving Kikos of the same color but different backgrounds names to remember them easily and searching through the cards in specific orders.

Maraqua

Underneath the sea and there is still plenty to do! In our next game, Raiders of Maraqua, we help a young Koi looking through the ruins of Maraqua to collect treasure! Not only is it a challenge to figure out how to get the treasure into the chest without getting them stuck against a wall, but you are also being followed by some local Jetsams who mean you no good! Who says puzzles can't can have an edge to them? This game will be putting all of your skills to the test, are you up for the challenge?

This game is also the third one on our list that can get you an avatar! So, avatar collectors, this is all the more reason to get your brains into shape! Can't complete that daunting list of shiny avatars unless you're multi-talented.

Lost Desert

It's hot and there's sand everywhere but it's worth the journey to play our next game, Grand Theft Ummagine, located in none other but the Lost Desert. You play a young Kyrii named Stan stealing food all around Sakhmet and running away from scary guards. Every level is a puzzle that requires you to think about how to trap the guards, get the fruit, and escape without getting caught. There are also levels that are free from guards but are huge and complicated mazes instead. There is no limit to the lives you have, so puzzlers can enjoy this game for as long as they want without having to worry about restarting! Can you find all the secret rooms, gather all the treasure, and escape? If you can, there may just be another avatar waiting for you at the end.

Brightvale

Ironically enough, our beloved Brightvale, home to the smartest Neopians of all is somewhat lacking when it comes to brain teasing games. It is home, however to the great Kind Hagan whom you can impress (or try to impress) with your wisdom every day! I'm sure thinking up new and creative things to tell him will give your brain that much-needed workout after a long and boring day. You might get thrown out of the castle if he's in a bad mood, but on the other hand, maybe you'll win a cool book! Impressing King Hagan is as hard as it gets but I'm sure that an expert at any of the above games is ready for the challenge.

King Hagan is kind to avatar collectors as well; if he is really impressed, get ready for one more lovely avatar!

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And there you have it, some of Neopia's finest puzzles and brain-teasers from ten different locations around the globe. Whether you like logic, math, or just good old memory games, there's something for everyone, no matter where you may live, or whichever location you and your Neopets are spending a vacation. Even if you're only playing for the many avatars available, there's no doubt you'll be rewarded on more than one level.

So the next time your brain is feeling lazy and listless from lack of use, check out these games and I guarantee they'll wake it up in a few minutes and get it strong and ready for the next exam in Neoschool or next week's Lenny Conundrum. The key to a sharp mind is to always keep it in practice!

Hmm... I think I'll go and tell King Hagan that, maybe he'll finally be impressed with my wisdom.