HoB Alumni: Puzzle-solving with World Puzzle Champion Wei-Hwa Huang

Blair alum Wei-Hwa Huang

Photo: Blair alum Wei-Hwa Huang.

Blair alum Wei-Hwa Huang. Photo courtesy of Wei-Hwa Huang.

As a student in Blair’s class of 1993, Wei-Hwa Huang—four-time World Puzzle Champion and former Google engineer—struggled with burnout, learned valuable lessons about building connections, and stayed determined while finding his path in life. Huang credits his high school experience with preparing him for future obstacles. “Education often teaches problem-solving by presenting puzzles disguised as problems,” he explains. “Blair gave me a head start by encouraging us to tackle real questions without clear answers.”

High school students regularly encounter challenges that test their ability to think critically, from solving complex equations to designing research projects. But what does it really mean to solve a challenge? Huang distinguishes between two ideas that many people confuse: problem-solving and puzzle-solving. “Problem-solving is trailblazing, creating a path where there might not be one; whereas puzzle-solving is about finding a path that already exists,” he explains. He sees value in both but admits his preference for puzzle-solving.

Huang discusses how his high school years shaped his perspective on problem-solving and puzzle-solving. “Blair gives students open research projects where students are actually encouraged to tackle questions that the teachers don't know the answers to… and it certainly taught me that I don’t actually like problem-solving,” he says. “But [problem-solving] is a useful skill because, as an independent adult, one has to confront problems all the time.”

One of Huang’s earliest puzzle milestones came while he was still a student at Blair. Inspired by a friend who qualified for the United States (U.S.) Team for the World Puzzle Federation, Huang decided to take the qualifying test the following year. To his surprise, he later received a call from the editor of GAMES Magazine informing him that he had made the team. “The first year of the qualifying test was in 1991, and at the time I passed on it because I didn’t have easy access to a fax machine,” he recalls. “Then a friend from the Math Olympiad program sent me a postcard mentioning that he had made the U.S. Team. That made me realize that perhaps I had a shot.” Determined to try, Huang enlisted his mother’s help to access the fax machine at her office, where he took the test.

“A few days later, I got a phone call from Will Shortz, who was Editor-in-Chief at GAMES Magazine,” he says. “[Shortz] asked me multiple questions about the test, and it wasn’t until a later phone call that I learned I had made the team!” 

This experience introduced Huang to a network of like-minded individuals. “The main experience that was helpful [from making the U.S. Team for the World Puzzle Federation] was connecting with people who would open my eyes to new opportunities,” he says. 

For many high school students, life after graduation can feel full of uncertainty, unfamiliar challenges, and unexpected turns. Huang’s journey after high school was no exception. Although he began his college career at the California Institute of Technology with a focus on mathematics, he ultimately found computer science more engaging. “In high school, I was above-average in computer science but nationally competitive in mathematics, so I assumed my future would lie in math. But in college, I found the computer science classes more interesting and easier than the math classes,” he says. However, Huang faced extreme burnout and ended up taking a year off from college to work locally before returning to finish his degree.

It was during this time that a connection from his high school days led him to his next opportunity. A friend he had met through the Math Olympiad program during high school reached out and mentioned a position at a new startup called Google. “A friend who I met at the Math Olympiad program contacted me about considering a job at this other new startup company he had joined called Google,” he says. “I applied, got the job, and Google was significantly more successful as a company [to work at].”

Huang shares hard-earned advice on how to tackle burnout as a student. Through his own challenges, he came to understand the importance of setting realistic limits. “To avoid burnout, you have to know your limitations. A lot of times, your parents might have higher expectations than what you can realistically handle, and when you’re young, you don’t know how to challenge that. It’s important to recognize when you need to step back and figure out what’s manageable for you,” he says.

High school is the perfect time to meet new people and make connections that can open doors down the road. For Huang, networking and building relationships turned out to play a crucial role in creating opportunities for him. “Meeting people and being memorable can make a huge difference. One day, someone who remembers you might give you an opportunity, and that can change everything,” he says.

Even as Huang’s life has changed, one thing remains constant: his love for puzzles. Whether in his career or personal life, puzzles continue to be a source of joy and challenge. He still participates in national and international competitions, including the 2024 "ER Champ" escape room competition in Prague, where his team secured second place.

Huang’s love for puzzles lies in their creativity and satisfying solutions, rather than their difficulty. “It’s not about finding the most challenging puzzles; it’s about finding puzzles that are satisfying to solve,” he explains. One of his recent favorites came from the 2024 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mystery Hunt. “[The puzzle] looked manageable at first but had beautiful, emergent discoveries [in the end],” Huang says.

Huang shares his perspective on balancing hard work, natural talent, and making the most of opportunities. He explains that while all three are advantageous, effort is the one factor entirely within a person’s control. “Success comes from needing all three [skills]: work, talent, and opportunity. Work is the most reliable because you don’t need luck to work hard," he says. "Recognize your talents and pursue opportunities, but never underestimate the importance of meeting people and being memorable.” 

For high school students, the future presents itself in many forms. Some may have a clear vision of their goals, while others are still discovering what they want to do in life—and both are valid and reflective of the unique paths individuals take. Huang advises Blair students to understand that success is rarely straightforward. “Almost nothing in the world cleanly separates into two categories. If you see only two sides, think carefully about whether something might combine both or transcend them entirely. A lot of innovation comes from searching for a third option,” he says. Huang’s journey from high school to college and ultimately finding clarity about his future reminds students that success comes from seeking out opportunities and thinking beyond the obvious.