Solving

It seems like most problem solving can be boiled down into two camps:

 

1.  Determining, to the best of your availability, all pertinent facts, variables, and tolerences.  Taking into consideration all of these things, calculate a result.

 

2.  Ignore the problem altogether.  If you see something shiny and distraction-like and seemingly answerful then grab onto it.  At the point where it isn't the answer, allow yourself to be distracted by the next shiny, distraction-like and answerful thing.

 

     2a. Repeat until all wrong answers are eliminated.

 

 

Only one of these answers is likely to keep you out of trouble on your taxes.  The other will take much longer but it is much more likely to give you an interesting journey.