1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,520 Speaker 1: Aero dot Net is more than just a podcast. It 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:06,759 is a podcast network. If you love home chefing, you're 3 00:00:06,799 --> 00:00:11,119 going to love Foody Paradise all of today's chefs and 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:14,679 authors who want you to eat right because it is right. 5 00:00:15,119 --> 00:00:20,679 FOODI paradise on arrow dot Net Aroe dot Net. Enjoy 6 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,280 the exploration. Good morning, Allison, how are you? 7 00:00:25,719 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 2: Good morning? 8 00:00:26,359 --> 00:00:29,239 Speaker 1: I'm great, How are you fantastic? I've had the best 9 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,920 time of my life over the past year with the 10 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:35,640 last time that we shared a conversation because as an adult, 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,039 and I know that these are for young adults and 12 00:00:38,079 --> 00:00:40,960 even younger than that, I'm telling you this is such 13 00:00:41,039 --> 00:00:44,399 the universal language what you're doing with Highlights. And I 14 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,039 thank you very highly for this new book, Puzzle a 15 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,439 Day Challenge. 16 00:00:50,759 --> 00:00:52,759 Speaker 2: Yes, oh my gosh, I'm so pleased to hear that 17 00:00:52,799 --> 00:00:54,560 you're a puzzle person. That's wonderful. 18 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,119 Speaker 1: Well, it's become that new thing that families are doing 19 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,640 around the kitchen table because we've heard it into a 20 00:01:00,679 --> 00:01:04,000 game and I'm going, wait a second, I've had highlights 21 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,840 in my life, my entire life, and it's like they 22 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:10,400 have figured out this way to bring people together. 23 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:14,799 Speaker 2: Yeah, pubbles are so unifying. We talk about that all 24 00:01:14,799 --> 00:01:17,640 the time, and how we can even create new materials 25 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:20,439 for families to puzzle together and create connections. And I'm 26 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:22,280 so happy to hear that you're doing that already. 27 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 1: So how are you able to do this when? Because 28 00:01:25,079 --> 00:01:27,400 I mean, I mean you're in charge of puzzle innovation, 29 00:01:27,799 --> 00:01:30,439 I mean that that makes you like a Frank Lloyd 30 00:01:30,519 --> 00:01:32,959 wrighte of design because look at what you're doing to 31 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:34,079 our imaginations. 32 00:01:35,879 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 2: Isn't that the cool job? I feel very lucky to 33 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:41,719 be the head of puzzle innovation at Highlights. It's the 34 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,799 puzzles are so important to us. All of our materials 35 00:01:45,799 --> 00:01:49,079 contain puzzles in one way or another, and we're constantly 36 00:01:49,079 --> 00:01:52,040 thinking about ways to make them fresh and fun and 37 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,920 in the moment, hence the puzzle innovation team that we 38 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:00,640 have thinking about news formats for puzzling can include stickers, 39 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,920 Can we use you lead glasses for code puzzles? Can 40 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,239 we do two player puzzles? And all kinds of new 41 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,960 formats and new ideas that we can keep making new 42 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,560 puzzle products that families can do together. 43 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,039 Speaker 1: What's fascinating about this, Allison, And this is just coming 44 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,159 from from me. I don't want to call myself a 45 00:02:19,159 --> 00:02:21,360 silver haired person. Not yet, I don't want to. I'm 46 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:23,759 still seventeen in my heart. But the thing about it 47 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,879 is you're giving us brain games. You take cognitive skills 48 00:02:28,199 --> 00:02:31,680 so important inside this book, and young adults they need 49 00:02:31,719 --> 00:02:32,520 this as well. 50 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,039 Speaker 2: Oh yes, there's so many benefits to puzzling, and there's 51 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:39,599 you know, there's the obvious ones, like a word puzzle 52 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:42,719 will help you with your vocabulary, a number puzzle will 53 00:02:42,719 --> 00:02:45,919 help you learn math. But then there's so many less 54 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:50,120 obvious skills that you learn from puzzling, like practicing, patience, 55 00:02:50,319 --> 00:02:54,479 and perseverance. But we call we have a phrase that 56 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,639 we say which is the satisfaction of the solves. And 57 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,000 it's very important to us that solving the puzzle is 58 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,879 satisfying so that kids learn that there's a payoff for perseverance. 59 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,199 And so some of the ways we do that are 60 00:03:07,199 --> 00:03:10,560 adding an extra layer so you finish a word search, 61 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,879 but also the uncircled words give you the answer to 62 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:17,000 a riddle, So there's always like some kind of payoff 63 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:20,439 for getting through the puzzle and feeling that satisfaction. 64 00:03:20,759 --> 00:03:22,599 Speaker 1: You know, what's so funny about what you just shared 65 00:03:22,759 --> 00:03:24,800 is the fact that we've got this gigantic storm headed 66 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,240 to the Carolinas and we're all just just built up 67 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,840 with anxiety right now. And I just wrote in my 68 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,439 daily writing about patience and perseverance, and I literally said, 69 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:35,919 I've got to be like Highlights and this, and I've 70 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:37,879 got to go to this book if I start feeling 71 00:03:38,199 --> 00:03:40,879 out of you know, overwhelmed, and then you bring it 72 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,599 up and I'm going, she's totally in touch with what's 73 00:03:43,639 --> 00:03:44,120 going on. 74 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, Yeah, it's so nice. Also to go analogs. Sometimes 75 00:03:49,599 --> 00:03:52,599 I think there's another layer of satisfaction to using a 76 00:03:52,639 --> 00:03:55,879 pencil to fill in the blank. So it's doubly satisfying. 77 00:03:56,199 --> 00:03:58,599 Speaker 1: How many people though and this this is going to 78 00:03:58,639 --> 00:04:01,719 probably knock out gen Z and Alpha and Beta. This 79 00:04:01,879 --> 00:04:04,520 reminds me so much of my Think and Do book? 80 00:04:06,639 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 2: Oh Thinking, Do do you remember that? No? I don't, 81 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:12,080 I don't. Oh my god. 82 00:04:12,159 --> 00:04:14,159 Speaker 1: It was the one book that we got well, I 83 00:04:14,159 --> 00:04:16,360 mean it started when I was in kindergarten and when 84 00:04:16,399 --> 00:04:18,480 I want to stay up to the third grade and 85 00:04:18,519 --> 00:04:20,439 that everybody at the beginning of the year got a 86 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:22,800 Think and Do book, and it would be I always 87 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:25,279 thought that Highlights and Weekly Reader was a part of it. 88 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,800 Because it was always so up to date with what 89 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,000 was going on. And that's why I swear to God 90 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,399 when I see highlights, even at the dentist's office, where 91 00:04:32,399 --> 00:04:34,759 do I go to? Not the People magazine? I go 92 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:35,480 to Highlights. 93 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 2: Got to go to the Highlights. Of course. Yeah, that's 94 00:04:38,639 --> 00:04:40,480 what we're doing. We're always going to keep our finger 95 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:45,040 on the poll, keep our puzzles and descriptions and books 96 00:04:45,079 --> 00:04:48,439 fresh and fun. You know, we follow the trends where 97 00:04:48,519 --> 00:04:52,600 we received letters from kids, actually thousands of letters a month, 98 00:04:52,639 --> 00:04:55,480 which helps us keep in tune with what they're into 99 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,040 so we can infuse all our materials for what the 100 00:04:58,120 --> 00:04:59,600 kids are really wanting. 101 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,199 Speaker 1: There's some research that I have done here that I 102 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:04,920 find very inspiring by Highlights, and that is is that 103 00:05:04,959 --> 00:05:07,519 you guys have really put a lot of attention in 104 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:12,279 strengthening our visual perception. And the research that I did was, 105 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,439 as I'm holding this book puzzle a day, challenge, there's 106 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:19,319 a little curve from the binding up and it's that 107 00:05:19,439 --> 00:05:21,920 perception that we need as human beings because we're not 108 00:05:21,959 --> 00:05:24,680 getting it on a flat screen. And it's like, I'm 109 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,879 going these guys know what they're doing when it comes 110 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,000 to keeping that eye on the game. 111 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a very tactile experience with paper. It's nice, 112 00:05:34,959 --> 00:05:38,000 it's you know, very satisfying to fill in the blanks. 113 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:43,079 And the puzzles are super colorful. It's honey illustrations. So really, yes, 114 00:05:43,639 --> 00:05:46,480 we pay attention to that. So keeping you super interested 115 00:05:46,519 --> 00:05:47,759 in the page. 116 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:50,600 Speaker 1: Please do not move. There's more with Alison Kine coming 117 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:55,000 up next. Highlights brand new book is one that people 118 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,199 are going to be talking about. I'm talking about every 119 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,079 age group puzzle a day challenge. More than just a book, 120 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,759 it's a movement. Find out more about it. Let's go 121 00:06:03,879 --> 00:06:07,120 back to Alison kan Now, when you've got problem solving 122 00:06:07,199 --> 00:06:10,040 taking place here, that can also lead to delegation. So 123 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,800 when we work as a team with Highlights as well 124 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:14,959 as those around us, I mean, I love the fact 125 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,800 that you are planting skills and I love going across 126 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:20,519 the street to my neighbors with it with their little 127 00:06:20,519 --> 00:06:23,079 ones that are just starting school now, and it just 128 00:06:23,199 --> 00:06:27,399 blows me away on how you've developed this language that 129 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:28,480 speaks to us all. 130 00:06:30,519 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that's true. I mean I think there's 131 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:38,439 a community of us right, puzzle people who can't resist 132 00:06:38,439 --> 00:06:41,120 the puzzle and we're bringing more and more people into 133 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,920 that community every day with highlights materials, especially with this 134 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,480 Puzzle a Day Challenge book that we're coming out with 135 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:52,240 the next week. We've issued this challenge to do three 136 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,319 hundred and sixty five puzzles across the course of the year, 137 00:06:55,519 --> 00:06:58,920 one a day, and the book itself we says for 138 00:06:58,959 --> 00:07:02,560 ages fixing up, but truly there's no limit to the appits. 139 00:07:02,639 --> 00:07:04,879 I think a lot of these things will be challenging 140 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,720 for us. Mostly I had a hard time with some 141 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,279 of them. So yeah, that's the idea, is to create 142 00:07:11,319 --> 00:07:14,560 this community of people who just who love puzzles, who 143 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,439 are doing puzzles every day. It sounds like you're one 144 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:17,800 of them. 145 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,639 Speaker 1: Well, you know, and I do like the challenges because 146 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:22,519 when you show me a picture of all of these 147 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,120 jellybeans and we have to go in there and try 148 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,199 to figure out where the crayons are, what do you 149 00:07:26,279 --> 00:07:28,879 think my imagination is doing. I'm gonna find them all. 150 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:30,199 This is my game. 151 00:07:30,959 --> 00:07:34,839 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, it's it's irrevisible, right, you have to find them. 152 00:07:34,959 --> 00:07:36,439 I do. That's how I feel anyway. 153 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: And you know what's really interesting about this, My wife, 154 00:07:38,519 --> 00:07:41,639 being a former school teacher, and she says that that 155 00:07:41,839 --> 00:07:44,360 the math problems that you put in here and how 156 00:07:44,399 --> 00:07:47,360 you strengthen up our math skills doesn't feel like a 157 00:07:47,439 --> 00:07:51,480 teacher's test. It's almost like Highlights is celebrating what we 158 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:53,879 do know and we're going to learn something new today. 159 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 2: Yes, we call it joyful learning. And if you're familiar 160 00:07:58,079 --> 00:08:03,000 with a magazine, that's actually magazin our tagline there is 161 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,720 fun with a purpose, and we always say the fun 162 00:08:05,839 --> 00:08:09,839 comes first. If the illustration isn't inviting, or you know, 163 00:08:10,199 --> 00:08:13,079 we don't include humorous language and fun tons and things 164 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,399 that kids are going to be into, then the puzzle 165 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,199 is not going to be fun. And we think about 166 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:23,040 all the time not crossing the line from challenging into frustrating. 167 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,720 That's the key to creating a good puzzle. You want 168 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,240 to challenge your brain, but you don't want to be 169 00:08:28,279 --> 00:08:30,879 frustrated because if the puzzle's stressing you out and you're 170 00:08:30,879 --> 00:08:32,759 not going to have any fun, so what's the point. 171 00:08:32,799 --> 00:08:35,519 So yes, we're always thinking about the fun part in 172 00:08:35,759 --> 00:08:39,159 equal celebration with the educational part. 173 00:08:39,279 --> 00:08:41,399 Speaker 1: Well, if you could hear us laughing at the kitchen table, 174 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,200 all of us, including my grandchildren with us that right 175 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:45,799 there tells you how much fun you're going to have 176 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:46,679 with a book like this. 177 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:48,639 Speaker 2: I love it. 178 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: Yes, is there any way that this can be attached 179 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:53,440 to like stam science in the way that I mean 180 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:55,639 with the way that you talk about science, you talk 181 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:58,960 about math, you talk about those different levels of education 182 00:08:59,039 --> 00:09:00,919 that people are kind of a right because like, oh, 183 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:02,720 I'm going to be one of the smart people. Now 184 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:04,840 it's an automatic. You've already got the gift. Just go 185 00:09:04,879 --> 00:09:06,919 ahead and share it with the rest of the world. 186 00:09:08,279 --> 00:09:11,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, definitely we say that, especially in this book 187 00:09:11,919 --> 00:09:15,559 and many of our publications, we intentionally include a variety 188 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:17,879 of puzzles because I think that he has different interests 189 00:09:17,879 --> 00:09:19,879 and likes to think in a different way, and it's 190 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,200 nice to challenge your brand to think in different ways. So, 191 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:24,759 you know, finding a path through a maze has you 192 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:29,519 thinking differently than solving a mass puzzle, or than filling 193 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:32,399 in a crossword puzzle or looking for hidden objects, so 194 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,440 it tickles every part of your brain. 195 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:39,639 Speaker 1: All right, I'm gonna ask you a serious question from 196 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:41,919 one author to another one here and that is my 197 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,080 first book, One Man's twenty one Thoughts took ony twenty 198 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,320 one days to put together. That was just writing it. 199 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:51,559 You're doing a puzzle a day. How long did it 200 00:09:51,639 --> 00:09:53,240 take you to put this book together? 201 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,919 Speaker 2: Oh? We have a wonderful team, thankfully, Annie, my colleague 202 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,080 is the one who related the hard work of arranging 203 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:05,279 and curating three hundred and sixty five puzzles, And honestly, 204 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,600 I think the bulk of the work is then creating 205 00:10:07,639 --> 00:10:10,559 the answer chees for three hundred and sixty five puzzles. 206 00:10:11,159 --> 00:10:14,879 And I believe she started how we started planning this 207 00:10:14,919 --> 00:10:16,799 book about a year and a half ago. So yeah, 208 00:10:16,799 --> 00:10:20,200 I think the longest to work on these kinds of things. 209 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,279 Speaker 1: Wow, where can people go to find out more about 210 00:10:23,279 --> 00:10:25,840 what you guys are doing with puzzle today? In fact, 211 00:10:25,879 --> 00:10:29,320 this is going into I mean you're spreading this into businesses, 212 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:32,320 in different organizations. I mean, this isn't just a book 213 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,240 in our hands. I mean you've made this into a 214 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:35,159 national movement. 215 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:38,639 Speaker 2: It's not. Yeah, you can find this book anywhere you 216 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:41,279 buy books, and you can actually pre order it now 217 00:10:41,279 --> 00:10:43,559 comes down on the twenty seventh. But in addition to that, 218 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:48,200 we are hosting puzzle parties across the US. There's one 219 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:53,399 thousand venues across the United States, who are receiving Highlights 220 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:57,519 Puzzle Party kiss that include principal printed out puzzles for 221 00:10:57,639 --> 00:11:01,799 kids to take home or do during the event. There 222 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:06,279 are highlighters and stickers and other giveaways. And if you 223 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:08,519 can't make it out to one of the venues, the 224 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:10,600 best way to find one is to look for your 225 00:11:10,639 --> 00:11:13,519 local bookstores and libraries to see if they're hosting something 226 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,840 ahead of National Puzzle Day next week. But if you 227 00:11:16,879 --> 00:11:19,320 can't actually go out in the world to one of those, 228 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,639 we have this downloadable puzzles so you can celebrate at home. 229 00:11:24,399 --> 00:11:25,720 I think we may have sent you the links to 230 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:28,000 that secuture it with your readers, or they could go 231 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:31,480 to or your listeners. Rather, you could go to Terence 232 00:11:31,519 --> 00:11:33,480 dot Highlights dot com. You'll find lots of those three 233 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:37,360 principles there to including some pages from Puzzle a Day 234 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:38,799 Challenge if you want to take a look. 235 00:11:38,919 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: Wow, please come back to this show anytime in the future. 236 00:11:41,279 --> 00:11:44,200 Ten minutes with you is never enough time. 237 00:11:44,919 --> 00:11:46,279 Speaker 2: I'll talk about puzzles anytime. 238 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:48,799 Speaker 1: Will you be brilliant today? 239 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:51,879 Speaker 2: Okay, you too, Thank you so much.