A classic example given to people to demonstrate thinking outside the box is the three by three matrix puzzle. The question for this puzzle was asked of me like this when I was about half way through elementary school:


Using 4 lines or less, pass through each dot at least once.
Limits:

1. The start of the first line may be anywhere on the page
2. The end of one line must become the beginning of the next line for each line drawn until 4 or fewer lines have been drawn
3. Lines may be drawn with rulers to make sure they are straight

When I was younger, a visitor come to our classroom and "tested" us with the above problem. The purpose of their visit was to teach us about "thinking outside the box." I came up with a solution that used 1 line, but our visitor did not accept the answer. Why? I cannot be sure. Perhaps he did not want to be bested by a child, or maybe he did not wish for us to stray too far in our "thinking outside the box." Whatever his motivation, his lesson suffered from his own limitations - a box he created for himself in this lesson.

Our visitor failed to keep his focus on the lesson, but instead desired to walk us through his answer. He only considered his answer to be right, even if we offered other answers that were correct.

Some of my other classmates also came up with solutions, but their answers were dismissed as well.

I did eventually come up with the answer he desired, but only after he added enough rules to the original problem to make my other answers incorrect. (Some people call, changing the rules in the middle of the 'game', "cheating", and I am one of them.)

(If you wish to see some of the solution(s) for this problem as stated here, see the solutions page.)

In the visitor's attempt to teach us to think outside the box, he ignored the message he was trying to convey. His lesson was to show us that we should not limit ourselves when creating solutions. He fell victim to a box of his own design and imprisoned himself from teaching us the lesson. He instead focused on a single "right" answer to the detriment of the lesson.

Nerds, geeks and education junkies frequently are asked to find solutions. Many of us thrill at the opportunity to solve puzzles. When we point out solutions (even broken solutions) we are sometimes given "extra" rules as a form of retribution for another person's inability to adequately describe the puzzle.

Our group of nerds, geeks, and education junkies seek to find better answers to problems. We do not settle for "thinking outside the box." We demand to be able to destroy the confines of the box, and blow out walls as needed to better see the problem.

Passwall is a mythical spell rumored to endow the castor an ability to eliminate walls that would otherwise block their path.

Any form of thought or technology may appear as magic to the beholder if it is advanced enough for the observer to lack a method of explanation.

While others in existence may try to trap us in mazes of red tape, rules, and limits, we wizards (nerds, geeks and education junkies) may cast our Passwall and break these limits.

Passwall exists for provision of Research and Development. Members of Passwall are motivated to create solutions from the expected to the bizarre. Many of our solutions may appear to some people as magic until the logical process supporting the solution is described to the consumer.

We break down walls. We destroy limits. We create intelligent solutions.