How a puzzle game popularised the phrase ‘Think outside the box’

‘Come on, guys, think outside the box!’ You must have heard this phrase repeatedly from your teachers or parents. But what does it mean? So, the basic thought behind this phrase is to think differently or approach a problem with a unique solution. However, there’s more to this phrase than creativity. Wait, what is that? A nine dot puzzle game is said to have led to the popularisation of this catchphrase in the 1970s when management consultants used to challenge their clients with it. If the claims of management consultant Mike Vance  have to be believed, the trend of using the nine-dot puzzle in consultancy circuits can be traced back to the corporate culture of the Walt Disney Company, where this game was used in-house.

The nine dots puzzle
It is a test of creative problem-solving that peaked in popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. This game involves a 3x3 grid of dots where you have to connect all nine dots. It’s not as simple as it sounds! You need to connect these dots only using four straight lines and without lifting the pencil. This needs creative thinking for sure! 

The origin story of nine dots
It’s difficult to say exactly how old the nine dots puzzle is. You can find one instance of it in US chess player Sam Loyd's Cyclopedia of 5000 Puzzles, Tricks, and Conundrums With Answers  published in 1914. Some even attribute the creation of the current variation to Henry Dudeney, a British mathematician in the 20th century. Nonetheless, the puzzle became well-known in the 1970s. According to media reports, the puzzle was first used experimentally by J P Guilford, an American psychologist, in the early 1970s. Others claim that it was introduced by  John Adair, a British leadership theorist. 

Standing out with outside the box thinking
If you read ‘think outside the box’ carefully, you will understand its deeper meaning. Basically, the box does not represent the limits of the problem; rather, it represents the limits of our thinking. Therefore, to become creative, you need to separate observation from interpretation. It isn’t easy, but you can definitely stand out with your thinking!