Keep reading and doing those puzzles as you get older.
In fact, if you are younger, and don't do puzzles – start now and keep doing them … it's good for your brain –
According to a study:
Doing puzzles and reading books have been linked with a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease, and a new study may explain why — it reduces the accumulation of harmful proteins in the brain.
I've always believed that games play the same role – they keep our brains active. And they provide, what I found, were some therapeutic results for people of many ages.
Of course I do have a bias.
I am, and have been, a big game player. I started out with pinball, moved on to amusement park arcades, video games and now computer games.
Just ask my son who played his video games more – him or me? 
I grew up with crossword puzzles and still do them. And the same with reading. Guess now I am glad I did so much of what others tended to call a "waste of time."
Do you play games? Do puzzles?
Have some favorites to share? Thanks……
I wish you had pointed out the benefits of doing these things by hand (as opposed to on a computer). We are killing our creativity by reading and doing everything on computers and machines. Nothing can replace an actual, real-life book. And look, it’s even in 3-D!
Thank you Amethyst. That’s an idea for yet another post 🙂 Just think – 3D! Great comment. [We kill creativity in many ways, especially in children, and I write about that elsewhere.]
Lynn
I love Sudoku, air hockey, ping pong, card and board games, lots and lots of reading and my husband & play racquetball.
Thanks Jane. Sounds like you too will avoid brain plaque! Brains needs to do work – use them or lose them!
Lynn