TED演讲：两种书呆子气的痴迷相遇

　　Puzzles and magic. I work in what most people think are two distinct fields, but I believe they are the same. I am both a magician and a New York Times crossword puzzle constructor, which basically means I've taken the world's two nerdiest hobbies and combined them into one career. And I believe that magic and puzzles are the same because they both key into one of the most important human drives: the urge to solve. Human beings are wired to solve, to make order out of chaos.

　　猜谜游戏 和魔术。 我在这大多数人认为是 两个不同的领域空间中工作， 但我相信他们是相同的。 我既是一个魔术师 亦是纽约时报的填字游戏的设计者， 这基本上意味着我已经拿了 世界上两个最书呆的嗜好， 结合成一个职业。 而且我相信，魔术和谜题是相同的， 因为它们都启发人类 最重要的驱动力之一： 需要解决的冲动。 人类是天生的要解决谜团， 要拨乱反正。

　　It's certainly true for me. I've been solving my whole life. High school consisted of epic Scrabble matches in the cafeteria and not really talking to girls, and then at about that time I started learning magic tricks and definitely not talking to girls. There's nothing like starting a conversation with, "Hey, did you know that 'prestidigitation' is worth 20 points in Scrabble?" But back then, I noticed an intersection between puzzles and illusion. When you do the crossword puzzle or when you watch a magic show, you become a solver, and your goal is to try to find the order in the chaos, the chaos of, say, a black-and-white puzzle grid, a mixed-up bag of Scrabble tiles, or a shuffled pack of playing cards. And today, as a cruciverbalist — 23 points — and an illusion designer, I create that chaos. I test your ability to solve.

　　这对来我说是千真万确的。 我一生都在解谜。 高中大多包括在食堂内举行辉煌的Scrabble拼字游戏， 而不是与女孩子说话， 然后在大约在那时候 我开始学习魔术， 更加绝对没有与女孩子说话。 没有什么拿这当开场白, 「嘿, 你知否在拼字游戏内『prestidigitation(变戏法) 』 是值得20分吗?」 但当时，我觉察到的谜题 与幻象之间的交叉点。 当你做填字游戏， 或当你看一个魔术表演， 你就成为一个解决者， 而你的目标是要设法在混乱找到了秩序， 那混乱，比方说，是一个黑色和白色的格子拼图， 是一袋混乱了的拼字游戏方块， 或一迭重洗了的扑克牌。 而在今天，作为一个 cruciverbalist (字谜者)— 23分 — 和幻想设计师，我造成了混乱。 我考验你们的解决能力。

　　Now, it turns out research tells us that solving is as primal as eating and sleeping. From birth, we are wired to solve. In one UCLA study, newborns still in the hospital were shown patterns, patterns like this: circle, cross, circle, cross. And then the pattern was changed: triangle, square. And by tracking an infant's gaze, we know that newborns as young as a day old can notice and respond to disruptions in order. It's remarkable. So from infancy through old age, the urge to solve unites us all, and I even found this photo on Instagram of pop star Katy Perry solving a crossword puzzle with her morning coffee.

　　事实证明，研究告诉我们， 解决像饮食睡眠都是原始机能。 从出生开始，我们已经在解决。 在一个加州大学洛杉矶分校的研究中， 给还未离院的新生儿看图案模式， 像这样的图案，圆形，交叉，圆形，交叉。 然后将图案改为：三角形，正方形。 并通过跟踪婴儿的目光， 我们知道，年仅一日的新生儿 已可以看到，对秩序中断有响应。 这是了不起的。 所以，从婴儿期到老年， 解决的冲动把我们团结在一起， 我甚至在Instagram上发现这张 流行歌星凯蒂•佩里的照片，一边在解决一个填字游戏 一边享用她的早晨咖啡。

　　Like. (Laughter)

　　赞。(笑声)

　　Now, solving exists across all cultures. The American invention is the crossword puzzle, and this year we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the crossword puzzle, first published in The New York World. But many other cultures have their signature puzzles as well. China gives us tangrams, which would test solvers' abilities to form shapes from the jumbled pieces. Chaos. Order. Order. And order. That one's my favorite, let's hear it again. Okay. And how about this puzzle invented in 18th-century England: the jigsaw puzzle. Is this not making order out of chaos?

　　然而，所有的文化都有解决存在。 美国发明的填字游戏， 今年我们正在庆祝 填字游戏的100周年， 在纽约世界首次出版。 但许多其他文化也有其独特的谜题。 中国给了我们七巧板， 这考验求解者从混乱的 形状塑造指定形状的能力。 秩序。混乱。 秩序。 和秩序。 那一个是我个人的最爱，让我们再听一遍。 好。 看看这个发明于 18世纪英国的谜题： 拼图。 难道这不是在拨乱反正?

　　So as you can see, we are always solving. We are always trying to decode our world. It's an eternal quest. It's just like the one Cervantes wrote about in "Don Quixote," which by the way is the root of the word "quixotry," the highest-scoring Scrabble word of all time, 365 points. But anyway, "Don Quixote" is an important book. You guys have read "Don Quixote," yes? I'm seeing some heads nod. Come on guys, really? Who's read "Don Quixote?" Let's do this. Raise your hands if you've read "Don Quixote." There we go. Smart audience. Who's read "Don Quixote?" Get them up.

　　因此，大家可以看到， 我们一直在解决。 我们一直在试图将我们的世界解碼。 这是一个永恒的追求。 这就像塞万提斯在 「Don Quixote (堂吉诃德)」提及， 顺便说说「Quixote」是单词「quixotry」的字根， Scrabble拼字游戏最高分的字， 365分。 但无论如何，「堂吉诃德」是一本重要著作。 你们看过「堂吉诃德」, 是吗? 我看到一些人在点头。 好家伙，真的吗? 谁在读过「堂吉诃德」?让我们看看。举起你的手，如果你读过「堂吉诃德」。 看。聪明的观众。 谁读过「堂吉诃德」?让他们起来。

　　Okay, good, because I need somebody smart here because now I'm going to demonstrate with the help of one of you just how deeply rooted your urge to solve is, just how wired to solve all of you really are, so I'm going to come into the audience and find somebody to help me. Let's see. Everybody's looking away all of a sudden. Can I? Would you? What is your name? Gwen. I'm not a mind reader, I can see your name tag. Come with me, Gwen. Everyone give her a round of applause, make her feel welcome. Gwen, after you. (Applause)

　　好，好，因为我在这里需要有聪明人， 因为现在我要你们其中一个的帮助 来证明你们需要解决问题的冲动 是有多么的根深蒂固， 你们是如何天生的要解决， 所以我要进入观众群内 找人来帮助我。 让我们来看看。 现在每个人都在突然望着别处。 可以吗?你会吗?你叫什么名字?格温。 我不是读心术师，我可以看到你名字的标签。 跟我来，格温。大家给她掌声，让她感到宾至如归。 格温，请。 (掌声)

　　Are you so excited? Did you know that your name is worth eight points in Scrabble? Okay, stand right here, Gwen, right here.

　　你是很兴奋吗? 你知道你的名字在拼字游戏 值8分吗? 好吧，站在这里，格温，就在这。

　　Now, Gwen, before we begin, I'd like to point out a piece of the puzzle, which is here in this envelope, and I will not go near it. Okay? And over here we have a drawing of some farm animals. You can see we have an owl, we have a horse, a donkey, a rooster, an ox, and a sheep, and then here, Gwen, we have some fancy art store markers, colors like, can you see that word right there? Gwen: Cobalt. David Kwong: Cobalt, yes. Cobalt. But we have a silver, a red, an emerald, and an amber marker, and Gwen, you are going to color this drawing just like you were five years old, one marker at a time. It's going to be a lot of fun. But I'm going to go over here. I don't want to see what you're doing. Okay, so don't start yet. Wait for me to get over here and close my eyes. Now Gwen, are you ready?

　　现在，格温，在我们开始之前， 我想指出的一块拼图， 就是在这里的信封内， 我不会去接近它。好? 而在这里，我们有一些农场动物的图画。 你可以看到我们有一只猫头鹰，我们有一匹马， 一头驴，一只公鸡，一只牛和一只羊， 那么在这里，格温，我们有一些 考究的艺术水笔， 颜色像，你能看到这个在那里的字吗? 格温：钴蓝。戴维：钴蓝，是的。钴蓝。 但我们有一枝银色，红色，翠绿色 和琥珀色的水笔， 格温，你要为这些图画绘色， 就像你五岁的时候， 一次用一枝水笔。 这将会很有趣。 但我会去这里。 我不希望看到你在做什么。 好了，暂不要开始。 等我过到这里，并闭上双眼。 现在，格温，你准备好了吗?

　　Pick up just one marker, pick up just one marker, and why don't you color in the horse for me? Color in the horse — big, big, big scribbles, broad strokes, don't worry about staying in the lines. All right. Great. And why don't you take that marker and recap it and place it on the table for me. Okay, and pick up another marker out of the cup and take off the cap and color in the donkey for me, color in the donkey. Big scribbles. Okay, cool, and re-cap that marker and place it on the table. And pick up another marker for me and take off the cap. Isn't this fun? And color in the owl for me. Color in the owl. Okay, and recap that marker and pick up another marker out of the cup and color in the rooster for me, color in the rooster. Good, good, good, good, good. Big, big, big strokes. Good, good. Pick up another marker out of the cup and color in the ox for me. Color in the ox. Okay, good. A lot of color on that, and recap, and place it on the table, and pick up another marker out of the cup. Oh, I'm out? Okay, I'm going to turn around. Did I forget? Oh, I forgot my purple marker. This is still going to work, though. I think this is still going to work, mostly.

　　只拿起一枝笔， 请替我给马填色好吗? 给马填色 — 大刀阔斧， 大大笔的上色，不用担心要填在线内。 好。挺好。 请你把笔盖回笔套 并帮我把它放在桌子上。 好，从杯内拿起另一枝笔, 脱掉笔盖, 然后替我给驴填颜色。 涂抹便行。 好吧，请把笔盖回笔套 并把它放在桌子上。 再拿起另一枝笔, 脱掉笔盖。好玩吗? 替我给猫头鹰填颜色。 给猫头鹰填颜色 好，盖回笔套， 从杯内拿起另一枝笔出来 给公鸡填色。 好，好，挺好。 大大笔的。好，好。 再从杯内拿起另一枝笔出来 给牛填颜色。 好了，好。 这个有很多颜色，盖回笔套，并把它放在桌子上， 再从杯内拿起另一枝笔。 哦，没有了?好吧，我转身了。 我忘了?哦，我忘了我紫色的笔。 这应该仍然可行。 应该大多仍然可行。

　　So Gwen, I'm going to hand you this envelope. Don't open it yet. Do not open it yet, but I am going to write down your choices so that everybody can see the choices that you made. Okay, great. So we have a cobalt horse, amber owl, a silver ox, yes, okay, a red donkey, and what was the emerald color? A rooster. An emerald rooster. Okay.

　　格温，现在我会交这个信封给你。 先不要打开它。先不要打开它， 但是我现在要会写下你的选择， 使每个人都可以看到。 你所做的选择。 好，太好了。所以我们有一匹钴色的马， 琥珀色的猫头鹰， 一头银色的牛， 是的，好，一头红色的驴， 什么是翡翠色的?公鸡。 翡翠色的公鸡。好。

　　Now for the moment of truth, Gwen, we're going to take a look in that envelope. Why don't you open it up and remove the one piece of paper from inside and hand it to me, and we will see if it matches your choices. Yes, I think it does. We have a cobalt horse, we have a red donkey, we have an amber owl, we have an emerald rooster, a silver ox, I forgot my purple marker so we have a blank sheep, but that's a pretty amazing coincidence, don't you think? Gwen, well done. That's beautiful. (Applause) I'll take that back from you.

　　现在是紧张的时刻, 格温， 我们看看信封。 请你打开它， 并从里面取出一张纸 交给我， 我们会看它是否符合您的选择。 是的，我认为是对的。 我们有一匹钴蓝色的马，我们有一头红色的驴， 我们有一只琥珀色的猫头鹰，一只翡翠公鸡，一头银牛， 我忘了我的紫色笔记，所以我们有一只空白的羊， 但是这是一个非常惊人的巧合，你认为是吗? 格温，你做得很好。很不错。 (掌声) 请交回给我。

　　So ladies and gentlemen, how is this possible? How is this possible? Well, could it be that Gwen's brain is so wired to solve that she decoded hidden messages? Well this is the puzzle I present to you. Could there be order in the chaos that I created? Let's take a closer look. Do you recall when I showed you these puzzle pieces? What image did it ultimately become? A cobalt horse. The plot thickens. And then we played a game of tangrams with an emerald rooster. That one's my favorite. And then we had an experiment with a silver ox. And Katy Perry drinks her morning coffee out of an amber owl. Thank you, Katy, for taking that photo for me. Oh, and there's one more, there's one more. I believe you colored a red donkey, Gwen. Ladies and gentlemen, could you raise your hands for me if you've read "Don Quixote?" Who's read "Don Quixote?" (Laughter) But wait, but wait, wait, wait, wait, there's more. There's more. Gwen, I was so confident that you were going to make these choices that I made another prediction, and I put it in an even more indelible place, and it's right here. Ladies and gentlemen, we have today's New York Times. The date is March 18th, 2014. Many of you in the first couple of rows have it underneath your seats as well. Really dig. We hid them under there. See if you can fish out the newspaper and open up to the arts section and you will find the crossword puzzle, and the crossword puzzle today was written by yours truly. You can see my name above the grid. I'm going to give this to you, Gwen, to take a look. And I will also put it up on the screen. Now let's take a look at another piece of the puzzle. If you look at the first clue for 1-across, it starts with the letter C, for corrupt, and just below that we have an O, for outfielder, and if you keep reading the first letters of the clues down, you get cobalt horse, amber owl, silver ox, red donkey, and emerald rooster. (Applause) That's pretty cool, right? It's The New York Times. But wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait. Oh, Gwen, do you recall how I forgot my purple marker, and you were unable to color the sheep? Well, if you keep reading starting with 25-down, it says, "Oh, by the way, the sheep can be left blank." (Laughter) (Applause) But wait, wait, wait, there's one more thing, there's one more thing, there's one final piece of the puzzle. Gwen, I am so grateful for your choices because if we take a look at the first letters of your combinations, we get "C-H-A-O-S" for chaos and "O-R-D-E-R" for order. That's chaos and order. We've all made order out of chaos.

　　先生女士们，这是怎么可能? 这是怎么可能呢?嗯，这可能是 格温的大脑是如此兴奋地想解决问题 以至于她解碼了隐藏的信息? 嗯，这是我给你们的难题。 莫不是在我造成的 混乱中带有秩序? 让我们来仔细看看。 你们还记得当我向你们展示了这些拼图吗? 它最终成为什么样的形象?一匹钴蓝色的马。 情节开始高胀。 然后我们玩翡翠公鸡的 七巧板游戏。 那一个是我的最爱。 然后我们有一头银牛实验。 然后凯蒂•佩里喝她的早晨咖啡 有琥珀色的猫头鹰。 谢谢你，凯蒂，为我拍照。 哦，还有一个，还有一个。 你填红色的驴，格温。 先生女士们，你可以给我举高你的手， 如果你读过「堂吉诃德」? 谁在读过「堂吉诃德」?(笑声) 但等等，但等等，等等，等等，等等，还有。 还有。 格温，我是如此的有信心， 你要做出这些选择， 我做了另外一个预言， 我把它放在一个更加不可磨灭的地方， 就是这里。 先生女士们， 我们有今天的纽约时报。 日期是2014年3月18日， 在你们中前几排许多人有它, 在你们的座位底下。 找找看。我们把它们藏在那里。 看看你能不能找到报纸 翻到艺术专栏， 然后你会看到填字游戏， 而今天的填字游戏的作者 正是本人。 你可以在格子的上方看到我的名字。 我打算把这个交给你，格温，看一看。 我也把它显示在屏幕上。 现在让我们来看看 另一个谜。 如果你看看第一条线索1 - 横， 它以字母C开头，Corrupt 的C， 在下面我们有一个O，Outfielder 的O， 如果你继续看线索的第一个字母， 你会得到钴蓝马， 琥珀猫头鹰，银牛， 红驴，和翡翠公鸡。 (掌声) 这很酷，对吧? 这是纽约时报。 但是，等等，等等，等等。 哦，格温， 你还记得我忘了我的紫色笔， 而你无法给羊填颜色? 如果你继续由 25向下开始看， 它说， 「哦，对了， 羊可以留空。」 (笑声)(掌声) 但是，等等，等等，等等，还有一件事， 有一件事， 有一个最后的谜。 格温，我很感激你的选择， 因为如果我们来看看 你的组合的第一个字母， 我们得到「C-H-A-O-S」的「混乱」 和「O-R-D-E-R」的秩序。 这是混乱和秩序。 我们都在混乱中找到了秩序。

　　So ladies and gentlemen, the next time you find yourself with a puzzle, whether it's in your life or in your work, or maybe it's at the Sunday morning breakfast table with The New York Times, remember, you are all wired to solve.

　　因此，先生女士们，下一次 你发现自己有一个谜， 无论是在你的生活中还是在工作， 或者是在星期天早餐桌上 你的纽约时报， 记住，你们都是天生的要解决谜团。

　　Thank you. (Applause)

　　谢谢。(掌声)