What if the key to life’s toughest problems is hidden in the way you approach a simple puzzle? From childhood jigsaws to escape rooms, Andrea dives into the surprising power of puzzles to shape our minds, strengthen our relationships, and even help us see the world from a new perspective. Andrea has always enjoyed the challenge of solving puzzles, having completed over 100 escape rooms and puzzle hunts to date. As a dedicated member of her school's math team, she helped lead her team to victory at the INTEGIRLS all-female puzzle competition with her passion for problem-solving. From these experiences, she began to explore how puzzles foster collaboration and creativity, and why we can all benefit from embracing the problem-solving mindset puzzles encourage. Andrea is also a driven athlete on her school’s golf and lacrosse teams, and plays the viola in her school’s symphony orchestra. When not solving puzzles, you can find Andrea immersed in a good book or playing the guitar. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx