Creativity and problem-solving
You are right to demand that an artist engage his work consciously, but you confuse two different things: solving the problem and correctly posing the question.
— Anton Chekhov (1860–1904), Letter to A.S. Suvorin (October 27, 1888)

Creativity and problem-solving

What it means

Chekhov distinguishes solving a problem from posing it correctly. A well-posed question is often more valuable than a hasty answer.

About the author

Anton Chekhov — Russian dramatist and author (1860–1904).

Source and verification

Source
Letter to A.S. Suvorin (October 27, 1888)
Reference
Anton Chekhov on Wikiquote
Checked
Wording and source taken from the sourced section of the author’s Wikiquote page, which cites the work given here (accessed 2026-10-11).
Copyright
Public domain: the author died in 1904.

The explanation above is ToDoMatriX’s own reading of the quote, not the author’s words.

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