David Kwong: Two nerdy obsessions meet — and it's magic

譯者: Ana Choi 審譯者: Vickie Huang

Puzzles

猜謎游戲

and magic.

和魔術。

I work in what most people think

我在這大多數人認為是

are two distinct fields,

兩個不同的領域空間中工作，

but I believe they are the same.

但我相信他們是相同的。

I am both a magician and

我既是一個魔術師

a New York Times crossword puzzle constructor,

亦是紐約時報的填字遊戲的設計者，

which basically means I've taken

這基本上意味著我已經拿了

the world's two nerdiest hobbies

世界上兩個最書呆的嗜好，

and combined them into one career.

結合成一個職業。

而且我相信，魔術和謎題是相同的，

And I believe that magic and puzzles are the same

because they both key into one of

因為它們都啟發人類

the most important human drives:

最重要的驅動力之一：

the urge to solve.

需要解決的衝動。

Human beings are wired to solve,

人類是天生的要解決謎團，

to make order out of chaos.

要撥亂反正。

It's certainly true for me.

這對來我說是千真萬確的。

I've been solving my whole life.

我一生都在解謎。

High school consisted of epic Scrabble matches in the cafeteria

高中大多包括在食堂內 舉行輝煌的Scrabble拼字遊戲，

and not really talking to girls,

而不是與女孩子說話，

and then at about that time

然後在大約在那時候

I started learning magic tricks

我開始學習魔術，

and definitely not talking to girls.

更加絕對沒有與女孩子說話。

There's nothing like starting a conversation with,

沒有什麼拿這當開場白,

"Hey, did you know that 'prestidigitation' is worth

「嘿, 你知否在拼字遊戲內 『prestidigitation(變戲法) 』

20 points in Scrabble?"

是值得20分嗎？」

But back then, I noticed an intersection

但當時，我覺察到的謎題

between puzzles and illusion.

與幻象之間的交叉點。

When you do the crossword puzzle

or when you watch a magic show,

或當你看一個魔術表演，

you become a solver,

你就成為一個解決者，

and your goal is to try to find the order in the chaos,

而你的目標是要設法在混亂找到了秩序，

the chaos of, say, a black-and-white puzzle grid,

那混亂，比方說，是 一個黑色和白色的格子拼圖，

a mixed-up bag of Scrabble tiles,

是一袋混亂了的拼字遊戲方塊，

or a shuffled pack of playing cards.

或一疊重洗了的撲克牌。

And today, as a cruciverbalist —

而在今天，作為一個 cruciverbalist (字謎者)—

23 points —

23分 —

and an illusion designer, I create that chaos.

和幻想設計師，我造成了混亂。

I test your ability to solve.

我考驗你們的解決能力。

Now, it turns out research tells us

事實證明，研究告訴我們，

that solving is as primal as eating and sleeping.

解決像飲食睡眠都是原始機能。

From birth, we are wired to solve.

從出生開始，我們已經在解決。

In one UCLA study, newborns still in the hospital

在一個加州大學洛杉磯分校的研究中，

給還未離院的新生兒看圖案模式，

were shown patterns, patterns like this:

像這樣的圖案，圓形，交叉，圓形，交叉。

circle, cross, circle, cross.

And then the pattern was changed: triangle, square.

然後將圖案改為：三角形，正方形。

And by tracking an infant's gaze,

並通過跟踪嬰兒的目光，

we know that newborns as young as a day old

我們知道，年僅一日的新生兒

can notice and respond to disruptions in order.

已可以看到，對秩序中斷有響應。

It's remarkable.

這是了不起的。

So from infancy through old age,

所以，從嬰兒期到老年，

the urge to solve unites us all,

解決的衝動把我們團結在一起，

and I even found this photo on Instagram

我甚至在Instagram上發現這張

of pop star Katy Perry solving a crossword puzzle

流行歌星凱蒂·佩里的照片， 一邊在解決一個填字遊戲

with her morning coffee.

一邊享用她的早晨咖啡

Like.

讚。

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

Now, solving exists across all cultures.

然而，所有的文化都有解決存在。

The American invention is the crossword puzzle,

美國發明的填字遊戲，

and this year we are celebrating

今年我們正在慶祝

the 100th anniversary of the crossword puzzle,

填字遊戲的100週年，

first published in The New York World.

在紐約世界首次出版。

But many other cultures have their signature puzzles as well.

但許多其他文化也有 其獨特的謎題。

China gives us tangrams,

中國給了我們七巧板，

which would test solvers' abilities

這考驗求解者從混亂的

to form shapes from the jumbled pieces.

形狀塑造指定形狀的能力。

Chaos. Order.

秩序。混亂。

Order.

秩序。

And order.

和秩序。

That one's my favorite, let's hear it again.

那一個是我個人的最愛，讓我們再聽一遍。

Okay.

好。

And how about this puzzle

看看這個發明於

invented in 18th-century England:

18世紀英國的謎題：

the jigsaw puzzle.

拼圖。

Is this not making order out of chaos?

難道這不是在撥亂反正？

So as you can see,

因此，大家可以看到，

we are always solving.

我們一直在解決。

We are always trying to decode our world.

我們一直在試圖將我們的世界解碼。

It's an eternal quest.

這是一個永恆的追求。

It's just like the one Cervantes wrote about

這就像塞萬提斯在

in "Don Quixote,"

「Don Quixote (堂吉訶德)」提及，

which by the way is the root of the word "quixotry,"

順便說說「Quixote」是單詞「quixotry」的字根，

the highest-scoring Scrabble word of all time,

Scrabble拼字遊戲最高分的字，

365 points.

365分。

But anyway, "Don Quixote" is an important book.

但無論如何，「堂吉訶德」是一本重要著作。

You guys have read "Don Quixote," yes?

你們看過「堂吉訶德」, 是嗎？

I'm seeing some heads nod.

我看到一些人在點頭。

Come on guys, really?

好傢伙，真的嗎？

Who's read "Don Quixote?" Let's do this. Raise your hands if you've read "Don Quixote."

誰在讀過「堂吉訶德」？讓我們看看。 舉起你的手，如果你讀過「堂吉訶德」。

There we go. Smart audience.

看。聰明的觀眾。

Who's read "Don Quixote?" Get them up.

誰讀過「堂吉訶德」？讓他們起來。

Okay, good, because I need somebody smart here

好，好，因為我在這裡需要有聰明人，

because now I'm going to demonstrate

因為現在我要你們其中一個的幫助

with the help of one of you

來證明你們需要解決問題的衝動

just how deeply rooted your urge to solve is,

是有多麼的根深蒂固，

just how wired to solve all of you really are,

你們是如何天生的要解決，

so I'm going to come into the audience

所以我要進入觀眾群內

and find somebody to help me.

找人來幫助我。

Let's see.

讓我們來看看。

Everybody's looking away all of a sudden.

現在每個人都在突然望著别處。

Can I? Would you? What is your name? Gwen.

可以嗎？你會嗎？你叫什麼名字？格溫。

I'm not a mind reader, I can see your name tag.

我不是讀心術師，我可以看到你名字的標籤。

Come with me, Gwen. Everyone give her a round of applause, make her feel welcome.

跟我來，格溫。大家給她掌聲， 讓她感到賓至如歸。

Gwen, after you.

格溫，請。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Are you so excited?

你是很興奮嗎?

Did you know that your name is worth

你知道你的名字在拼字遊戲

eight points in Scrabble?

值8分嗎？

Okay, stand right here, Gwen, right here.

好吧，站在這裡，格溫，就在這

Now, Gwen, before we begin,

現在，格溫，在我們開始之前，

I'd like to point out a piece of the puzzle,

我想指出的一塊拼圖，

which is here in this envelope,

就是在這裡的信封內，

and I will not go near it. Okay?

我不會去接近它。好？

And over here we have a drawing of some farm animals.

而在這裡， 我們有一些農場動物的圖畫。

You can see we have an owl, we have a horse,

你可以看到我們有一隻貓頭鷹，我們有一匹馬，

a donkey, a rooster, an ox, and a sheep,

一頭驢，一隻公雞，一隻牛和一隻羊，

and then here, Gwen, we have

那麼在這裡，格溫，我們有一些

some fancy art store markers,

考究的藝術水筆，

colors like, can you see that word right there?

顏色像，你能看到這個在那裡的字嗎？

Gwen: Cobalt. David Kwong: Cobalt, yes. Cobalt.

格溫：鈷藍。 大衛：鈷藍，是的。鈷藍。

But we have a silver, a red, an emerald,

但我們有一枝銀色，紅色，翠綠色

and an amber marker,

和琥珀色的水筆，

and Gwen, you are going to color this drawing

格溫，你要為這些圖畫繪色，

just like you were five years old,

就像你五歲的時候，

one marker at a time.

一次用一枝水筆。

It's going to be a lot of fun.

這將會很有趣。

But I'm going to go over here.

但我會去這裡。

I don't want to see what you're doing.

我不希望看到你在做什麼。

Okay, so don't start yet.

好了，暫不要開始。

Wait for me to get over here and close my eyes.

等我過到這裡，並閉上雙眼。

Now Gwen, are you ready?

現在，格溫，你準備好了嗎？

Pick up just one marker, pick up just one marker,

只拿起一枝筆，

and why don't you color in the horse for me?

請替我給馬填色好嗎？

Color in the horse — big, big, big scribbles,

給馬填色 — 大刀闊斧，

broad strokes, don't worry about staying in the lines.

大大筆的上色，不用擔心要填在線內。

All right. Great.

好。挺好。

And why don't you take that marker and recap it

請你把筆蓋回筆套

and place it on the table for me.

並幫我把它放在桌子上。

Okay, and pick up another marker out of the cup

好，從杯內拿起另一枝筆,

and take off the cap

脫掉筆蓋,

and color in the donkey for me, color in the donkey.

然後替我給驢填顏色。

Big scribbles.

塗抹便行。

Okay, cool, and re-cap that marker

好吧，請把筆蓋回筆套

and place it on the table.

並把它放在桌子上。

And pick up another marker for me

再拿起另一枝筆,

and take off the cap. Isn't this fun?

脫掉筆蓋。好玩嗎？

And color in the owl for me.

替我給貓頭鷹填顏色。

Color in the owl.

給貓頭鷹填顏色

Okay, and recap that marker

好，蓋回筆套，

and pick up another marker out of the cup

從杯內拿起另一枝筆出來

and color in the rooster for me, color in the rooster.

給公雞填色。

Good, good, good, good, good.

好，好，挺好。

Big, big, big strokes. Good, good.

大大筆的。好，好。

Pick up another marker out of the cup

再從杯內拿起另一枝筆出來

and color in the ox for me. Color in the ox.

給牛填顏色。

Okay, good.

好了，好。

A lot of color on that, and recap, and place it on the table,

這個有很多顏色，蓋回筆套， 並把它放在桌子上，

and pick up another marker out of the cup.

再從杯內拿起另一枝筆。

Oh, I'm out? Okay, I'm going to turn around.

哦，沒有了？好吧，我轉身了。

Did I forget? Oh, I forgot my purple marker.

我忘了？哦，我忘了我紫色的筆。

This is still going to work, though.

這應該仍然可行。

I think this is still going to work, mostly.

應該大多仍然可行。

So Gwen, I'm going to hand you this envelope.

格溫，現在我會交這個信封給你。

Don't open it yet. Do not open it yet,

先不要打開它。先不要打開它，

but I am going to write down your choices

但是我現在要會寫下你的選擇，

so that everybody can see

使每個人都可以看到。

the choices that you made.

你所做的選擇。

Okay, great. So we have a cobalt horse,

好，太好了。所以我們有一匹鈷色的馬，

amber owl,

琥珀色的貓頭鷹，

a silver ox,

一頭銀色的牛，

yes, okay, a red donkey,

是的，好，一頭紅色的驢，

and what was the emerald color? A rooster.

什麼是翡翠色的？公雞。

An emerald rooster. Okay.

翡翠色的公雞。好。

Now for the moment of truth, Gwen,

現在是緊張的時刻, 格溫，

we're going to take a look in that envelope.

我們看看信封。

Why don't you open it up and remove

請你打開它，

the one piece of paper from inside

並從裡面取出一張紙

and hand it to me,

交給我，

and we will see if it matches your choices.

我們會看它是否符合您的選擇。

Yes, I think it does.

是的，我認為是對的。

We have a cobalt horse, we have a red donkey,

我們有一匹鈷藍色的馬，我們有一頭紅色的驢，

we have an amber owl, we have an emerald rooster, a silver ox,

我們有一隻琥珀色的貓頭鷹， 一隻翡翠公雞，一頭銀牛，

I forgot my purple marker so we have a blank sheep,

我忘了我的紫色筆記， 所以我們有一隻空白的羊，

but that's a pretty amazing coincidence, don't you think?

但是這是一個非常 驚人的巧合，你認為是嗎？

Gwen, well done. That's beautiful. (Applause)

格溫，你做得很好。很不錯。 （掌聲）

I'll take that back from you.

請交回給我。

So ladies and gentlemen, how is this possible?

先生女士們，這是怎麼可能？

How is this possible? Well, could it be

這是怎麼可能呢？嗯，這可能是

that Gwen's brain is so wired to solve

格溫的大腦是如此興奮地想解決問題

that she decoded hidden messages?

以至於她解碼了隱藏的信息？

Well this is the puzzle I present to you.

嗯，這是我給你們的難題。

Could there be order

莫不是在我造成的

in the chaos that I created?

混亂中帶有秩序？

Let's take a closer look.

讓我們來仔細看看。

Do you recall when I showed you these puzzle pieces?

你們還記得當我向你們展示了這些拼圖嗎？

What image did it ultimately become? A cobalt horse.

它最終成為什麼樣的形象？ 一匹鈷藍色的馬。

The plot thickens.

情節開始高脹。

And then we played a game of tangrams

然後我們玩翡翠公雞的

with an emerald rooster.

七巧板遊戲。

That one's my favorite.

那一個是我的最愛。

And then we had an experiment with a silver ox.

然後我們有一頭銀牛實驗。

And Katy Perry drinks her morning coffee

然後凱蒂·佩里喝她的早晨咖啡

out of an amber owl.

有琥珀色的貓頭鷹。

Thank you, Katy, for taking that photo for me.

謝謝你，凱蒂，為我拍照。

Oh, and there's one more, there's one more.

哦，還有一個，還有一個。

I believe you colored a red donkey, Gwen.

你填紅色的驢，格溫。

Ladies and gentlemen, could you raise your hands

先生女士們，你可以給我舉高你的手，

for me if you've read "Don Quixote?"

如果你讀過「堂吉訶德」？

Who's read "Don Quixote?" (Laughter)

誰在讀過「堂吉訶德」？（笑聲）

But wait, but wait, wait, wait, wait, there's more.

但等等，但等等，等等，等等，等等，還有。

There's more.

還有。

Gwen, I was so confident

格溫，我是如此的有信心，

that you were going to make these choices

你要做出這些選擇，

that I made another prediction,

我做了另外一個預言，

and I put it in an even more indelible place,

我把它放在一個更加不可磨滅的地方，

and it's right here.

就是這裡。

Ladies and gentlemen,

先生女士們，

we have today's New York Times.

我們有今天的紐約時報。

The date is March 18th, 2014.

日期是2014年3月18日，

Many of you in the first couple of rows

在你們中前幾排許多人有它,

have it underneath your seats as well.

在你們的座位底下。

Really dig. We hid them under there.

找找看。我們把它們藏在那裡。

See if you can fish out the newspaper

看看你能不能找到報紙

and open up to the arts section

翻到藝術專欄，

and you will find the crossword puzzle,

然後你會看到填字遊戲，

and the crossword puzzle today

而今天的填字遊戲的作者

was written by yours truly.

正是本人。

You can see my name above the grid.

你可以在格子的上方看到我的名字。

I'm going to give this to you, Gwen, to take a look.

我打算把這個交給你，格溫，看一看。

And I will also put it up on the screen.

我也把它顯示在屏幕上。

Now let's take a look

現在讓我們來看看

at another piece of the puzzle.

另一個謎。

If you look at the first clue for 1-across,

如果你看看第一條線索1 - 橫，

it starts with the letter C, for corrupt,

它以字母C開頭，Corrupt 的C，

and just below that we have an O, for outfielder,

在下面我們有一個O，Outfielder 的O，

and if you keep reading the first letters of the clues down,

如果你繼續看線索的 第一個字母，

you get cobalt horse,

你會得到钴蓝馬，

amber owl, silver ox,

琥珀貓頭鷹，銀牛，

red donkey, and emerald rooster.

紅驢，和翡翠公雞。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

That's pretty cool, right?

這很酷，對吧？

It's The New York Times.

這是紐約時報。

But wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait.

但是，等等，等等，等等。

Oh, Gwen,

哦，格溫，

do you recall how I forgot my purple marker,

你還記得我忘了我的紫色筆，

and you were unable to color the sheep?

而你無法給羊填顏色？

Well, if you keep reading

如果你繼續由

starting with 25-down,

25向下開始看，

it says,

它說，

"Oh, by the way,

「哦，對了，

the sheep can be left blank."

羊可以留空。」

(Laughter) (Applause)

（笑聲）（掌聲）

But wait, wait, wait, there's one more thing,

但是，等等，等等，等等，還有一件事，

there's one more thing,

有一件事，

there's one final piece of the puzzle.

有一個最後的謎。

Gwen, I am so grateful for your choices

格溫，我很感激你的選擇，

because if we take a look

因為如果我們來看看

at the first letters of your combinations,

你的組合的第一個字母，

we get "C-H-A-O-S" for chaos

我們得到「C-H-A-O-S」的「混亂」

and "O-R-D-E-R" for order.

和「O-R-D-E-R」的秩序。

That's chaos and order.

這是混亂和秩序。

We've all made order out of chaos.

我們都在混亂中找到了秩序。

So ladies and gentlemen, the next time

因此，先生女士們，下一次

you find yourself with a puzzle,

你發現自己有一個謎，

whether it's in your life or in your work,

無論是在你的生活中還是在工作，

or maybe it's at the Sunday morning

或者是在星期天早餐桌上

breakfast table with The New York Times,

你的紐約時報，

remember, you are all wired to solve.

記住，你們都是天生的要解決謎團。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

(掌聲)