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G Asus VivoBook Max X541
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Intel Core i3-7100U (seventh-gen) processor, Intel HD Graphics 620, 4GB RAM, a 1TB hard drive, an
G optical drive and a 3-cell Lithium-ion battery. It is equipped with two 3W speakers and Asus
E SonicMaster Audio optimisation for clearer sound output. You get Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Ethernet for
connectivity, an HDMI and VGA port, a webcam, a memory card reader and one USB 2.0, 3.0 and 3.1
T (Type-C) port each. Additionally, this Win 10 laptop is available in silver, blue, brown, white and red.
S www.asus.com/in `37,990
CUT THE ROPE | Android, iOS
This game was used in a research
study by Nanyang Technological Uni-
versity, which found improved deci-
sion-making skills among puzzle
solvers. You have to cut the ropes in the
right sequence to get the candy to fall into the little
green monsters mouth. Its a simple physics puzzle
game... or is it?
HUEBRIX | iOS, Kindle Fire
Huebrix gives you a grid of empty
white squares and a bunch of coloured
blocks that you have to move to colour
the entire area. Each block has a num-
ber to signify how many spaces you
can move. The trick is to figure out the correct
path without overlapping any of the hues. Try
it out its a lot harder than it sounds.
THREES! | Android, iOS, Windows Phone
Threes! is probably one of the best
numbers-based game you will play.
Theres a grid of tiles with numbers
on them (1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and so on). Move
the tiles by row or column, so it adds
the numbers in multiples of three. Keep going as
far as you can to get the highest score possible.
CANDY CRUSH SAGA | Android, iOS, Kindle Fire, WP
One of the most famous games on the
planet, Candy Crush Saga has a seem-
ingly endless number of puzzle levels
for you. Match three or more candies
of the same color to destroy them, or
to earn special candies. Pay attention to each levels
objectives though, it isnt always about clearing
out candies.
BEJEWELED STARS | Android, iOS
This game came before Candy Crush
Saga and the countless other match-
three games on the internet. The
original Bejeweled was a simple game,
but the new Bejeweled Stars comes
with everything you can expect of puzzlers available
today. There are power-ups, special jewels, charms
and other cool tricks that make it look like a souped-
up version of Candy Crush.
WORDS WITH FRIENDS | Android, iOS, KF, WP
Words with Friends is a popular ver-
sion of Scrabble on the internet. You
can play with your Facebook friends or
match up against a random opponent
online. The board and the allowed list
of words are both different from Scrabble though,
so pay attention.
PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES 2 | Android, iOS
The zombies are attacking, but your
magical plants can help keep them at
bay. For this, you have to sow the right
seeds in the zombies path to stop them
from reaching the house. You earn
points for killing the zombies, which are needed to
upgrade your plants and buy new ones. You can play
he Max X541 is for those who need a laptop for editing documents and photos, emails, surfing the
web and personal entertainment. It has a 15.6-inch (1920x1080px) Full HD display, with a 2.4GHz
Playing puzzle games can improve decision-making skills and even prevent
age-related mental disorders. Its science, not conjecture. So whether youre
taking a break while at your computer or tapping away on your phone during
a commute, Mihir Patkar tells you about
30 Free Brainteasers
for a Sharp Mind
the sequel on your handset, or if you prefer, try your
hand at the original Plants vs. Zombies, which is still
as entertaining and available via a PC browser.
HEXTRIS | Android, iOS
If youve played Tetris, then check out
the new-age Hextris. It is a three dimen-
sional, hexagonal version of the classic
tile-matching puzzle. As you stare into
a hexagonal prism, lines of different
colours drop down from all sides. You have to get
FOR THE WEB BROWSER...
Continuity | continuitygame.com
In Continuity you have to move a stickman to a key, and
then to a red door. But the level is split into pieces, so you
also have to move and set them in the right order first.
Portal: The Flash Version | portal.wecreatestuff.com
In Portal, you get a gun that launches two portals to move
from one place to the other. Use this device and the laws
of physics to escape the facility you are trapped in.
Typeasaurus | armorgames.com
Youre a caveman running from a dinosaur. Type words as
fast as you can to keep moving. Use the letter tiles at the
TIMES BUSINESS
TECHTONIC
Moto Z2 Play
T he Z2 Play is an all-metal unibody handset that supports Moto Mods allowing you to snap on accessories like
a battery pack, a camera or a speaker to its back panel. This dual-SIM phone is fronted by a 5.5-inch Full HD
display, while inside it is equipped with a 2.2GHz Snapdragon 626 octa-core processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage with
a microSD slot, a 12MP rear and 5MP front camera for recording personal moments. Its 3000mAh battery supports
fast charging and is capable of giving up to 7 hours of service with a 15-minute recharge. You get a fingerprint
sensor, which can be used to unlock the screen and even respond to gestures for easier navigation of the user
interface. The Z2 Play also has a water-repellent nano-coating to protect it against accidental spillage.
www.flipkart.com `27,999
complete with the satisfying fluttering sound of a
52-card deck when you finish the game. For the mo-
bile version, you can check out Microsofts Solitaire
Collection. This 25-year-old classic includes five
game variations such as Spider, FreeCell, Klondike,
TriPeaks and Pyramids.
WHERES MY WATER? 2 | Android, iOS, KF, WP
Swampy the alligator wants to take a
bath, but the pipes in the sewers are
broken. Dig a line through the mud so
that the surface water gets to Swampys
pipe. You have to avoid rocks and other
obstacles, while also trying to collect as many rubber
duckies as you can.
FLOW FREE: HEXES | Android, iOS
In a honeycomb-like large hexagon,
you will find plenty of tiny hexagons.
And some of these tiny hexagons have
coloured dots. You have to draw a line
connecting two dots of the same colour,
without overlapping any lines. It starts off easy, but
once the grids get as large as 9x9 or 10x10, youre in
for a world of pain.
IconicBestiary, ET-Artworks, filborg\iStock\Getty Images
SUPER STICKMAN GOLF 3 | Android, iOS, KF
Most people play a game of golf to
relax. You play a game of Super Stick-
man Golf 3 to test how well you know
the laws of physics. In this new take
on golf, you have to try to sink the ball
in seemingly impossible courses. Dont worry, there
are enough power-ups and strange levels to make
things more interesting.
BONZA WORD PUZZLES | Android, iOS, KF
Bonza is what happens when you mix
your love for crosswords with jigsaw
puzzles. Every level starts with a clue
and a bunch of disorganized crossword
three lines of the same colour next to each other in tiles. You have to put them in the right
order to destroy them. Its as addictive as Tetris, but order, vertically and horizontally, to form words that
a lot tougher. match the clue. If you love word puzzles and answer-
ing trivia, this is your game.
SOLITAIRE | Android, iOS, WP
If all you want is a game of a classic LETRIS 4 | Android, iOS
cards game, then head to Google Letris 4 is a letter-based version of the
and search for solitaire. Google has classic Tetris game. Instead of bricks,
made a Solitaire game that you can letter tiles fall from the top. You dont
play in the browser, on your smart- need to arrange them, instead you have
phone or computer. The graphics are good enough, to form words out of the tiles to destroy
them. Just make sure you dont let the screen fill up.
Forming words out of straight lines gives you spe-
cial laser tiles, so try to get as many of these.
bottom of the screen to form words. You cannot repeat Stacko | armorgames.com
words and each level gets trickier. Can you survive?
You have to stack coloured tiles in the right order. But
Bloons TD5 | ninjakiwi.com when you click a block, all the tiles above it will jump, from
In this tower defense game you have to pop balloons by left to right, onto that block. Figuring out when to click
planting weapons strategically along their path. Some which block is the key here.
balloons move faster and could take other routes, so use Viewpoint | armorgames.com
your resources wisely... Youre a white block on a grey path and you need to get to
Elements | neutralxe.net the green mark. To do this, you can look at the puzzle in 2D
This escape the room game puts you in a room filled and even rotate it to view it in 3D to find your way home.
with clues. Click on objects to gather hints that will help Blocks With Letters On 4 | bartbonte.com
you figure out how to unlock the door. Lettered blocks need to be moved to a designated yellow
THE TIMES OF INDIA, BENGALURU
DROP7 | Android, iOS
In Drop7 you get a 7x7 grid, with balls
numbered from one to seven. Get a
horizontal or vertical sequence of balls
that matches the last balls number and
the whole sequence is destroyed. Like
in Letris, you have to keep clearing rows and avoid
letting the grid fill up.
LAZORS | Android, iOS, KF
With 280 levels, Lazors will keep you
entertained for a long time. The only
job in each level is to get the laser (or
lasers) to hit the target. You have to
move mirrors and glass around so as
to make the laser ricochet off each surface to hit the
target, while missing the obstacles in your way.
DOTS AND CO | Android, iOS
Dots and Co is a visually charming puz-
zle game. The idea is to connect dots of
the same colour or create loops to
remove all dots of a colour. And then
you have companions whose powers
will help you clear levels faster. Pay attention to the
level objective and youre in for hours of fun.
KAMI | Android, iOS, KF
Kami is Japanese for paper, and thats
the audio-visual theme here. The game
is about turning a grid of different
colours into one single colour. Its easy
to understand and challenging to play.
But the best part is the gentle sights and sounds of
flipping paper, which also feels relaxing and gives a
brief respite from the beeps of modern gadgets.
iPhone users can jump to Kami 2 directly.
MOVELESS CHESS | Android, iOS
This game is a whole new take on
chess. Each level gives you a chess
position. You have to change any one
of the pieces to another, so as to finally
checkmate the black king without
physically moving it anywhere. Oh, and you get a
limited number of moves. Chess lovers, youre in
for a delight.
DOES NOT COMMUTE | Android, iOS
Youve probably never played anything
like this: You have to chart a driving
route for every car in a neighbourhood.
But you need to get the timing right so
they dont crash into each other and slow down.
A countdown timer make things even more difficult.
area to form a word. The simple laws of physics apply, so
figure out in what order you should move the blocks.
Hitbox | armorgames.com
You have to click on boxes to transport a square to an
orange zone. You can also use tricks to launch the square
in a particular direction. Hitbox really tests your reflexes.
Super Stacker 2 | www.physicsgames.net
Here, you get a bunch of blocks that you need to stack.
But they come in different shapes and sizes, so you must
plan your stack well. If the pile crumbles, then start all
over again till you get it right.