NATIONAL PUZZLE DAY! Exercise your brain with a puzzle, January 29th. Whether it’s a crossword, jigsaw, trivia, word searches, brain teasers or Soduku, puzzles put our minds to work. Studies have found that when we work on a jigsaw puzzle, we use both sides of the brain, and spending time daily working on puzzles improves memory, cognitive function and problem solving skills. Putting a brightly colored jigsaw puzzle together, puzzles stimulate the brain, keeping it active and practicing its skills.