Black Is Beautiful Poster

During a recent conversation with my good friend Bob Gumbs, he jokingly told me about a word search puzzle battle that his sister-in-law and wife had challenged him to while they were visiting relatives in South Carolina over the holidays. The challenge consisted of them picking a puzzle, then timing themselves to see who finished it first.

What made the story amusing is that unbeknownst to his sister-in-law, Bob has, in the past year or two, become somewhat of a die-hard word search puzzle enthusiast, going from someone who until recently had never thought about doing puzzles of any kind, to an all-out puzzle buff who just can’t seem to get enough of them.

Bob has told me on several occasions that his love for puzzles actually began when he happened to pick up a copy of my In Search of Yourself puzzle book a little over two years ago while preparing for a visit to the local doctor’s office.

On a whim he snatched the book off a bookshelf where it had been sitting for who knows how long, with the thought that maybe it would help him pass the time while he waited to see the doctor. That's how it all started.

Since then, he has repeatedly related how much the puzzles have been invigorating his mind and improving his attention to detail, helping him to see things from a variety of different perspectives.

Rarely do we have a conversation where Bob at some point doesn’t chuckle and say, “Kevin, if you ever need a testimonial about the benefits of your puzzles don’t hesitate to call on me.”

By the way, I think I should mention here that besides being a newfound puzzle lover, Bob is also an accomplished author, publisher, and designer of commemorative coins who is perhaps best known as the creator of the now iconic Black Is Beautiful Poster that in 2019 was reproduced as a 20-foot mural that exhibited at The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas.

Being a longtime artist and author, Bob is definitely no stranger to the power that words and images have in shaping our thinking or influencing our behavior, and as such, recognizes how important it is that we keep our minds sharp and alert as much as possible.

 At Puzzles For Us® that is our mission, to promote healthy and alert minds while simultaneously boosting cultural awareness and appreciation through our exciting puzzles and books.

Filled with exciting stories, fascinating facts and colorful highlights, our historical puzzles are a great way to learn while challenging your mind in a relaxed and fun way.