Fun Ways to Waste Time Online, part 1

Like much of the general computer-using populace, I’m always on the hunt for a good way to waste time online, whether I’m vegging out on the sofa at home or brazenly avoiding schoolwork. I thought I might share some of my favorite online time-wasters, in the hopes of enlightening you poor lost souls, trapped in a dark morass of lolcats, Solitaire, and wacky dog videos. So, here’s the first entry in “Amy’s Fun Ways to Waste Time Online.”

Several years ago, I was introduced to a type of logic puzzle called, variously, “paint-by-numbers”, “Picross”, and “Japanolle.” It consists of a empty grid with numbers on the left and the top. The numbers tell you the length of groups of colored-in squares: 7 3 2 1 means that seven squares are colored in, then three, then two, and then one, with at least one blank space in between each group. When all the right squares are colored in, a picture appears. It’s a good way to give your brain a workout, plus you get to make a pretty picture!

I found a website that had an online version of this puzzle. On this website it was called “Japanolle.” I liked the Japanolle website, but after a couple of years I seemed to have solved all of their posted puzzles (which displayed at random). I had to search for another site.

Thanks to the suggestions of the gaming blog www.jayisgames.com (ANOTHER great place to find time-wasters, btw), I was introduced to www.griddlers.net. The basic concept is the same, but the site has a few unique aspects:

1. You can register (for free) and save puzzles, so you can go back and finish them later.
2. Players can submit their own Griddlers, from 5×5 to 50×50 grids.
3. Some of the puzzles include triangle shapes, instead of just squares in the grids.
3. They also have “Triddlers” (which have numbers on three sides, to make a more 3-D image), “Multigriddlers” (which combine several Griddlers to make one big puzzle), and “Kiddlers” (easier puzzles for kids).
4. Puzzles are organized by themes, such as Art, Folklore, History, etc.

I like the fact that there are a lot of 50×50 puzzles–these provide a greater and longer-lasting challenge. However, I really like working on puzzles of buildings or other structures, or landscapes, but I’ve done all the 40×40 to 50×50 houses, and the smaller ones seem too easy. Of course, there are more challenging options, but I haven’t yet gathered the courage to try the Triddlers or Multigriddlers. Perhaps I will, someday.

Anyway, I highly recommend www.griddlers.net for your time-wasting amusement. “Griddle” away!

~ by Amy on June 30, 2008.