Focusing Attention or Warming Up Groups

Fred Henney and Sandy Spain of Thomas Nelson CC use puzzles like the following with various groups.  As Fred stressed at his 2000 English Peer Group conference, the trick is for those who see the solution to ask the kind of questions that lead the partner or rest of the group to discover the solution, too.

Sample 1:  SIDE     SIDE    

Hints:  

1. Each puzzle solution is a common phrase.
2. How would you describe the position of these words?
3. (If the respondent says anything other than "by," such as "next to" or "beside," ask for a synonym.)

Answer: "side by side"

Sample 2:  YOU/JUST/ME

Hints:

1. How would you describe the relative position of these words?
2. In the phrase, "just" is mentioned first.
3. "You" is mentioned next.
4. What preposition characterizes the alignment of all three words?
5. (If the respondent says anything other than "between," ask for a synonym.)

Answer: "just between you and me"

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