[crackpotbaker]

General skill of problem solving seems to stick with you forever.

It's probably because most of your problem solving knowledge is your own invention. Whereas math and programming is your own invention if you solve all the problems by yourself, if you code everything from the start. This gives you the understanding of the problems, and the reasoning/tools to solve it.

I've been dropping in and out of problem solving fields through the years, and I've noticed that my knowledge practically disappears, but my problem solvings skills can adapt to any framework (mathematics, physics, programming) it just takes a little bit of time to re/learn the terminology.

[brachi]

Reminds me of the quote "What I cannot create, I do not understand." by Feynman.

[fiatjaf]

Giambattista Vico.