There’s a classic game in which you’re given a grid of 3 x 3 dots and told to connect all the dots without breaking your pencil line, visiting any dot twice, and only using 4 straight lines.
If you haven’t tried it yet, feel free to give it a go (spoiler below the fold!)
. . .
. . .
. . .
Well, it’s impossible, isn’t it?
In fact, no. It is quite possible. You just also have to be ‘alternative’ and ‘creative’ enough to get the solution.
You might even have to, as they say, ‘think outside the box’
Even games have to have life utility, huh.
I understand the uses of such an exercise; I inwardly roll my eyes at the too-delighted face of the teacher who thinks she is revealing something so clever; I find it elegant and instructive; I believe in all that changing your perspective stuff and not being bound by rules you’ve only assumed to exist.
On the other hand, a purr-y, furry, soft animal advocated another point of view just the other day, and I found myself quite convinced.
Sometimes what you need isn’t to think outside the box at all.
Sometimes all you need is a perfectly sized box.
woops, missed a VERY important restriction - you can only use 4 lines :D
**edited above