Seth

“The chief lesson here is the importance of recognizing analogies. Here, we can see that the Quarrasi lock problem is analogous to the fox, goose, and corn problem. If we discover that analogy early enough, we can avoid most of the work of the problem by translating our solution from the first problem rather than creating a new solution.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“The broader lesson is that thinking about the problem may be as productive, or in some cases more productive, than thinking about the solution. In many cases, the correct approach to the solution is the solution.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“The main lesson from sudoku is that we should look for the most constrained part of the problem. While constraints are often what make a problem difficult to begin with (remember the fox, the goose, and the corn), they may also simplify our thinking about the solution because they eliminate choices.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“When solving problems, working with a specific goal in mind is always better than random effort, whether you achieve that specific goal or not.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving