Why do logic puzzles make me overthink?

Logic puzzles can trigger overthinking when you add assumptions that aren't stated, consider unlikely interpretations, repeatedly doubt valid steps or try to hold every possibility in your head. The fix is to reason only from the given information, record deductions as you go and trust each step once it's verified.

Overthinking adds load to working memory, which is already busy with the puzzle's constraints. When capacity is exceeded, errors increase, which can make you doubt yourself further. Anxiety can intensify this cycle; research on test anxiety links it to lower performance. Some people also over-interpret everyday language in puzzles, reading "or" as exclusive or "some" as implying "not all," which formal logic doesn't assume.

In a puzzle stating "Some of the red boxes are heavy," an overthinker assumes some red boxes must be light, then gets stuck because the solution requires all red boxes to be heavy. The puzzle only guaranteed at least one heavy red box.