Brainteasers are great for maintaining sharpness and concentration so here’s a particularly tricky example only the most eagle-eyed can solve in under a minute
With the Fifa Club World Cup around the corner, it’s time for a fiendishly difficult brainteaser. Five footballs have been cleverly concealed within a picture of the pitch, presenting a challenge to even the most avid puzzle lovers.
The brainteaser was created by Live Football Tickets, which said it takes readers 1 minute 23 seconds on average to complete. It claimed one in four people struggled to complete it altogether, challenging Mirror Online readers to get the job done in under 60 seconds.
Don’t worry, however – if the quiz proves too difficult, the answer can be found at the bottom of the article.
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Brainteasers prove popular because people enjoy the satisfaction of cracking puzzles and giving their mind a workout at the same time. Puzzles can enhance a range of skills including focus, logic, observation and reasoning too.
They can also help you to switch off from daily stresses and strains, giving your brain a welcome sense of relief.
So was your mind is sharp enough to beat the clock and find the hidden footballs? The answers are circled below.
Brain workouts have been shown to help reduce the risk of dementia, with research showing 40 per cent of cases are preventable. The condition is a set of symptoms caused by different diseases, for example Alzheimer’s, which can damage the brain and over time can affect memory, problem-solving, language and behaviour.
Although ageing is one of the biggest risk factors for developing the condition, evidence shows that there are things you can do to reduce the risk. With regular practice, puzzles can help build up “cognitive reserve”, which is a person’s ability to cope with dementia, and is built up by keeping the brain active.
The more cognitive reserve a person has “the longer it takes for any diseases in their brain to cause problems with everyday tasks,” according to experts from the Alzheimer’s Society. “People with a smaller cognitive reserve are at a higher risk of getting dementia in their lifetime,” a spokesman from the charity added.
“Our brains, like any other muscle in our bodies, require exercise to stay sharp,” added psychologist Neha Cadabam. “Daily brainteasers serve as a mental workout, engaging different cognitive processes and pathways, which can have a remarkable impact on cognitive function, especially as we age.
“Taking a moment to challenge our brains with a brain teaser can feel like a welcome mental respite,” said the executive director at Cadabams Hospitals. “But beyond the immediate satisfaction of solving a puzzle, these little brain teasers might be doing a lot more for us than we realise.”