Now that I think about it, an early example of brute force from me was giving the Fish to the Troll at the beginning of Secret. I know I solved it without understanding the phrase “red herring”.
The guy demanded I give him an item, and he said I had three chances before he ate me. I’m pretty sure my inventory included 2 Pieces of Eight, Minutes, Pot, Hunk of Meat, and Fish. I might have guessed the fish within those first three attempts, thinking he would’ve actually attacked me if I failed!