There is a plethora of games out there that you can use to while away the time on your iPad, but why not combine some fun with a challenge for your brain and expand your mind with some games? Use your free time to get smarter with this selection of fun puzzles, brainteasers and conundrums.
Wiki Hunt
It’s a pretty simple concept – you are given two unrelated wiki pages, for example ‘Load cell’ and ‘stained glass’. Your task is to figure out how to go from reading about a loadcell to the article on stained glass with the least amount of clicks.
Simple, but addictive, the game challenges you to make abstract connections and think ahead through multiple steps. It’s also a great game to play with friends. It retails at just $1.99, and will probably get you reading the articles you are given so that you are gaining knowledge as well as fun for less than $2.
Braingle
If puzzles and brainteasers are your thing then Braingle is the app for you. Currently the app boasts over 15,000 brain teasers, logic puzzles, optical illusions, mind puzzles and riddles, and more are added daily.
Puzzles are separated into categories for browsing, and you can add good puzzles to your favorites folder for easy access. Giving your brain a good workout has never been so easy. You’ll never run out of puzzles to ponder with this app, and best of all – it’s completely free!
Scrabble
Scrabble for iPad has all the fun of the board game with the added features that the iPad makes possible. You can play virtually with your friends by connecting over Facebook – up to 25 games at a time for the ultracompetitive – as well as using party mode to turn your iPad into a virtual board for physically present friends.
If you’re new to Scrabble or just want to hone your skills, you can use the teacher feature to show you what would have been the best word to make after you have taken your turn. At $9.99, it’s not cheap, but it won’t break the bank either.
NY Times Crosswords
Use this app to play the New York Times’ daily crossword. If you finish too early, access the archives for 4,000 more crosswords. Competitive types can save their times and compare them with their friends and other puzzle-solvers from across the globe.
If you get stuck, you can choose to reveal individual letters and words or the entire puzzle. If you’re not sure whether or not you want the app, you can play for a week for free before deciding if you want to take advantage of a subscription. A yearly subscription costs $16.99, while 6 months comes in at $9.99 and one month coats $2.99