Does This Happen To Anyone Else?

[humbersloop]

Not for the first time, I set a cryptic aside yesterday after maybe an hour's fruitless staring at four last clues. I picked it up again this afternoon and answered all four in under a minute.

Does this ever happen to anyone else and if so, any thoughts on why it does?

[sandyRoe]

Sometimes the longer you look the less you see. When you come back to it afresh the answers jump out at you.

[atsgran]

Happens all the time, must just be a fresh look

[Baldric]

In my case it's Sudokus I do that with.

[hellywelly4]

Frequently, it's so annoying!!

[grasscarp]

Happens because your brain unconsciously carries on thinking. Sometimes I have started thinking. Stopped and done other things. Then randomly an answer spits itself out. We underestimate our brain's abilities. Imho

[Tilly2]

Your sub conscious has been working away all that time. Hey presto!

[aelmpvw]

for some reason missing answers come to me while i'm taking the dog for a walk

[askyourgran]

I often do that humber. I have sat with a crossword nearly all evening then got up to do something and got the answers straight away. About an hour ago I came on here for an answer that I should have known - considering I get an occasional flare-up of eczema on my hand. Clearing the clutter I call it.

[Butterbun]

Oh yes, happens to me frequently. I give up, ask a question here, then work it out before coming back on AB.

[Dee Sa]

happens to me too, take a break give your eyes and brain a rest then go back.

[humbersloop]

so it happens with numbers as well as words then?

I think it does feel like fresh eyes at the time, but I've also had answers come to mind while doing something else entirely, so something must be chugging away in the background

[DaisyNonna]

Was once told if you exercise or move around so does your brain and answers to problems become clear.

[askyourgran]

I haven't yet been able to work out soduko without looking at it, don't know how you do that baldric.

[humbersloop]

I thought it wouldn't just be me, so if it's something to do with the way we process information to solve problems, has anyone ever studied it or given it a name?

[sandyRoe]

Has anyone else ever posted here asking for help and as soon as the submit buttons pressed the answer pops into their head?

[Tilly2]

Going for a solitary walk is a great brain stirrer.

[chrissa1]

That happens to me too. Pick a crossword up in the morning that I have been puzzling over all the previous evening and, as you say, Hey Presto, the answers are there.

[Psybbo]

Thought transference?

[humbersloop]

well if it is Psybbs, when I dropped a new, open tin of paint and thought "9d - autodidact, doh!" I'd hate to imagine what the other poor s*d was thinking.. ;)

[Captain2]

Can and does happen to me too. That's why I can't understand some people who ask for up to 15 answers to a specific crossword before 10.30am. Just chill, put it down, come back to it later, etc etc. There's all day to do it.