
Only people with hawk eyes can solve this football puzzle in under 60 seconds
Brainteasers are great for maintaining sharpness and concentration so here's a particularly tricky example only the most eagle-eyed can solve in under a minute
With the Fifa Club World Cup around the corner, it's time for a fiendishly difficult brainteaser. Five footballs have been cleverly concealed within a picture of the pitch, presenting a challenge to even the most avid puzzle lovers.
The brainteaser was created by Live Football Tickets, which said it takes readers 1 minute 23 seconds on average to complete. It claimed one in four people struggled to complete it altogether, challenging Mirror Online readers to get the job done in under 60 seconds.
Don't worry, however - if the quiz proves too difficult, the answer can be found at the bottom of the article.
Brainteasers prove popular because people enjoy the satisfaction of cracking puzzles and giving their mind a workout at the same time. Puzzles can enhance a range of skills including focus, logic, observation and reasoning too.
They can also help you to switch off from daily stresses and strains, giving your brain a welcome sense of relief.
So was your mind is sharp enough to beat the clock and find the hidden footballs? The answers are circled below.
Brain workouts have been shown to help reduce the risk of dementia, with research showing 40 per cent of cases are preventable. The condition is a set of symptoms caused by different diseases, for example Alzheimer's, which can damage the brain and over time can affect memory, problem-solving, language and behaviour.
Although ageing is one of the biggest risk factors for developing the condition, evidence shows that there are things you can do to reduce the risk. With regular practice, puzzles can help build up "cognitive reserve", which is a person's ability to cope with dementia, and is built up by keeping the brain active.
The more cognitive reserve a person has "the longer it takes for any diseases in their brain to cause problems with everyday tasks," according to experts from the Alzheimer's Society. "People with a smaller cognitive reserve are at a higher risk of getting dementia in their lifetime," a spokesman from the charity added.
"Our brains, like any other muscle in our bodies, require exercise to stay sharp," added psychologist Neha Cadabam. "Daily brainteasers serve as a mental workout, engaging different cognitive processes and pathways, which can have a remarkable impact on cognitive function, especially as we age.
"Taking a moment to challenge our brains with a brain teaser can feel like a welcome mental respite," said the executive director at Cadabams Hospitals. "But beyond the immediate satisfaction of solving a puzzle, these little brain teasers might be doing a lot more for us than we realise."
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Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Only people with hawk eyes can solve this football puzzle in under 60 seconds
Brainteasers are great for maintaining sharpness and concentration so here's a particularly tricky example only the most eagle-eyed can solve in under a minute With the Fifa Club World Cup around the corner, it's time for a fiendishly difficult brainteaser. Five footballs have been cleverly concealed within a picture of the pitch, presenting a challenge to even the most avid puzzle lovers. The brainteaser was created by Live Football Tickets, which said it takes readers 1 minute 23 seconds on average to complete. It claimed one in four people struggled to complete it altogether, challenging Mirror Online readers to get the job done in under 60 seconds. Don't worry, however - if the quiz proves too difficult, the answer can be found at the bottom of the article. Brainteasers prove popular because people enjoy the satisfaction of cracking puzzles and giving their mind a workout at the same time. Puzzles can enhance a range of skills including focus, logic, observation and reasoning too. They can also help you to switch off from daily stresses and strains, giving your brain a welcome sense of relief. So was your mind is sharp enough to beat the clock and find the hidden footballs? The answers are circled below. Brain workouts have been shown to help reduce the risk of dementia, with research showing 40 per cent of cases are preventable. The condition is a set of symptoms caused by different diseases, for example Alzheimer's, which can damage the brain and over time can affect memory, problem-solving, language and behaviour. Although ageing is one of the biggest risk factors for developing the condition, evidence shows that there are things you can do to reduce the risk. With regular practice, puzzles can help build up "cognitive reserve", which is a person's ability to cope with dementia, and is built up by keeping the brain active. The more cognitive reserve a person has "the longer it takes for any diseases in their brain to cause problems with everyday tasks," according to experts from the Alzheimer's Society. "People with a smaller cognitive reserve are at a higher risk of getting dementia in their lifetime," a spokesman from the charity added. "Our brains, like any other muscle in our bodies, require exercise to stay sharp," added psychologist Neha Cadabam. "Daily brainteasers serve as a mental workout, engaging different cognitive processes and pathways, which can have a remarkable impact on cognitive function, especially as we age. "Taking a moment to challenge our brains with a brain teaser can feel like a welcome mental respite," said the executive director at Cadabams Hospitals. "But beyond the immediate satisfaction of solving a puzzle, these little brain teasers might be doing a lot more for us than we realise."


North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Alzheimer's blood test ‘can accurately pick up early symptoms'
Experts from the Mayo Clinic in the US have provided further evidence that blood tests can work to accurately diagnose dementia, by examining two proteins in blood plasma. These proteins – amyloid beta 42/40 and p-tau217 – are associated with amyloid plaque build-up, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers found the blood test was highly accurate, with 95% sensitivity, which means it was 95% accurate in picking up people with memory problems, with very few cases missed. It was also 82% for specificity, which means it was also highly accurate in ruling out people without dementia. The study was carried out on more than 500 people in an outpatient memory clinic, meaning it is real-world data. The blood test has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration regulator in the US. Dr Gregg Day, who led the study in the Alzheimer's and Dementia journal, said the test was as good as more invasive tests currently in use. 'Our study found that blood testing affirmed the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with 95% sensitivity and 82% specificity,' he said. 'When performed in the outpatient clinical setting, this is similar to the accuracy of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of the disease and is much more convenient and cost-effective.' Overall, researchers found that p-tau217 levels were higher in patients with Alzheimer's disease versus those without the disease. Dr Day said the next steps in the research were to evaluate blood-based testing in more diverse patient populations and people with early Alzheimer's who show no cognitive symptoms. Dr Richard Oakley, associate director for research and innovation at the Alzheimer's Society in the UK, said the results 'suggest this test is very accurate' and could be used alongside other tests and observations from a trained health professional. He added: 'This study shows how blood tests are making diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease quicker, easier and more accessible than ever before in a real-world setting. 'While focused on Alzheimer's disease, the test was evaluated in people with other types of dementias too, showing that it may help with differentiate causes of cognitive decline – though more research in diverse groups of individuals and in community-based setting is still needed. 'Currently diagnosis options in the UK are often slow, expensive and can be invasive, meaning thousands miss out on the benefits one can bring. 'It's great to see blood tests like this approved for clinical use in the US – we hope to see the same in the NHS, which is why we're part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge.' The Blood Biomarker Challenge is a multi-million-pound research programme supported by the Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Research UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Its goal is to bring blood tests for dementia diagnosis to the NHS by 2029. Dr Oakley said: 'Blood tests will be critical to accelerate diagnosis and give more people access to the care, support and treatments they desperately need faster than ever before. 'We must see long-term investment in the tools and workforce needed to ensure everyone living with dementia can get an early an accurate diagnosis, which is even more important with disease-modifying treatments on the horizon.' Dr Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'We urgently need to improve how we diagnose dementia and it's great to see international research working towards this goal. 'Blood tests in this study look at p-tau217 and amyloid beta 42/40, and showed the tests offered high accuracy in confirming Alzheimer's disease. 'This study adds to the growing evidence that blood tests can detect the diseases that cause dementia in people with early memory and thinking problems. 'An important point to consider is that people taking part in research don't always reflect the full diversity of those affected by dementia, who might have additional conditions or other characteristics. 'That is why work is needed to understand whether these blood tests work in a real-world setting. 'In the UK, studies like the Blood Biomarker Challenge are helping to build this evidence. 'The study is testing blood tests, including p-tau217, in thousands of people from sites across the UK. 'This work will be a crucial part of making diagnosis easier and faster, which will bring us closer to a cure.'


South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- South Wales Guardian
Alzheimer's blood test ‘can accurately pick up early symptoms'
Experts from the Mayo Clinic in the US have provided further evidence that blood tests can work to accurately diagnose dementia, by examining two proteins in blood plasma. These proteins – amyloid beta 42/40 and p-tau217 – are associated with amyloid plaque build-up, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers found the blood test was highly accurate, with 95% sensitivity, which means it was 95% accurate in picking up people with memory problems, with very few cases missed. It was also 82% for specificity, which means it was also highly accurate in ruling out people without dementia. The study was carried out on more than 500 people in an outpatient memory clinic, meaning it is real-world data. The blood test has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration regulator in the US. Dr Gregg Day, who led the study in the Alzheimer's and Dementia journal, said the test was as good as more invasive tests currently in use. 'Our study found that blood testing affirmed the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with 95% sensitivity and 82% specificity,' he said. 'When performed in the outpatient clinical setting, this is similar to the accuracy of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of the disease and is much more convenient and cost-effective.' Overall, researchers found that p-tau217 levels were higher in patients with Alzheimer's disease versus those without the disease. Dr Day said the next steps in the research were to evaluate blood-based testing in more diverse patient populations and people with early Alzheimer's who show no cognitive symptoms. Dr Richard Oakley, associate director for research and innovation at the Alzheimer's Society in the UK, said the results 'suggest this test is very accurate' and could be used alongside other tests and observations from a trained health professional. He added: 'This study shows how blood tests are making diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease quicker, easier and more accessible than ever before in a real-world setting. 'While focused on Alzheimer's disease, the test was evaluated in people with other types of dementias too, showing that it may help with differentiate causes of cognitive decline – though more research in diverse groups of individuals and in community-based setting is still needed. 'Currently diagnosis options in the UK are often slow, expensive and can be invasive, meaning thousands miss out on the benefits one can bring. 'It's great to see blood tests like this approved for clinical use in the US – we hope to see the same in the NHS, which is why we're part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge.' The Blood Biomarker Challenge is a multi-million-pound research programme supported by the Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Research UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Its goal is to bring blood tests for dementia diagnosis to the NHS by 2029. Dr Oakley said: 'Blood tests will be critical to accelerate diagnosis and give more people access to the care, support and treatments they desperately need faster than ever before. 'We must see long-term investment in the tools and workforce needed to ensure everyone living with dementia can get an early an accurate diagnosis, which is even more important with disease-modifying treatments on the horizon.' Dr Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'We urgently need to improve how we diagnose dementia and it's great to see international research working towards this goal. 'Blood tests in this study look at p-tau217 and amyloid beta 42/40, and showed the tests offered high accuracy in confirming Alzheimer's disease. 'This study adds to the growing evidence that blood tests can detect the diseases that cause dementia in people with early memory and thinking problems. 'An important point to consider is that people taking part in research don't always reflect the full diversity of those affected by dementia, who might have additional conditions or other characteristics. 'That is why work is needed to understand whether these blood tests work in a real-world setting. 'In the UK, studies like the Blood Biomarker Challenge are helping to build this evidence. 'The study is testing blood tests, including p-tau217, in thousands of people from sites across the UK. 'This work will be a crucial part of making diagnosis easier and faster, which will bring us closer to a cure.'