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1/ On the danger of "Puzzles".
A puzzle is an activity which takes brains but not effort, like Sudoku, crosswords, Hearthstone/MtG, bridge, chess, or brain teasers. They are dangerous because they feel like whole brain exercise, but aren't.
A puzzle is an activity which takes brains but not effort, like Sudoku, crosswords, Hearthstone/MtG, bridge, chess, or brain teasers. They are dangerous because they feel like whole brain exercise, but aren't.
2/ The standard puzzle generator is a fixed rules plus random content (the "scenario"). Rules are chosen to maximize the analyzability of scenarios; ie the ability to sink brain cycles into analysis and get answers at satisfying intervals. chesspuzzle.net
3/ This kind of brain-heavy recreation has some benefits. Scenario analysis is a useful skill in life; practicing useful skills is not a complete waste. But like any addiction, we justify it as way more useful than it is.
4/ It's fun to use our big brains to peck at puzzles for the dopamine hits of wins, losses, and "answers". And so we do it out of proportion to any possible benefit. Like the bro who always skips leg day, we build unbalanced mental muscles while thinking "I SO SWOLE!" 
5/ As when I question any addiction, people get defensive and imagine I'm saying "never rest", or "never have fun". I'm not. No one has infinite discipline, and our minds are not built for anything close to 💯 uptime.
6/ So of course spending time on recreation like puzzles is OK. Bicep curls are OK too. So are carbs. But all bring the temptation to overindulge and create an imbalance that reduces or eliminates the ancillary benefits.
7/ Sedentary puzzling crowds out movement, and since we're made of meat, movement matters much on many life metrics. (Hence why kinesthetic puzzling like BJJ or rock climbing, is so great for us brainiacs).
8/ Ceaseless puzzling is like idling an engine too fast & too long. Research on meditation shows that constant analysis increases stress, anxiety, and disease. Puzzling feels like a brain break - but it isn't.
9/ Solitary puzzling fails to meet our social needs. We're apes, we live in tribes, and we must interact or die. Some puzzling is truly social (puzzle hunts, boardgames IRL), but often the social element is superficial (most online games). simplypsychology.org/bowlby.html
10/ And finally, puzzling is myopic. If we spend all our spare cycles analyzing scenarios within fixed frameworks, we train ourselves not to question the rules. Always execute, never innovate.
11/ I love puzzles, and I'm proud of having a mind that enjoys being "on" and can run endless sims for fun. I'm just pointing out, with empathy and from experience, the dangers of having that kind of mind.
12/ Puzzles are elegant systems for absorbing infinite mental output. But generating mental output has costs, even if it feels fun or resembles relaxation. Just because you're using your brain doesn't mean it's a smart choice.
13/ You may achieve Diamond Legendary rank, reach the TopCoder leaderboard or achieve GitHub fame for your ceaseless efforts. But you won't be happy or healthy unless you balance puzzling with movement, meditation, and multiplayer interaction. Fin.
