Ask someone else...

No seriously. You biggest resource can be the person sitting next to you. Don't even ask them for the answer to the problem, ask them to sit next to you and let you explain the problem.

Often you'll work it out as you verbalise it.

Sometimes the other person will ask a question or point out a detail which will unlock the mental floodgate.

Eventually you will learn to verbalise things in your head without the use of a puppet, and spot the key details in the problem quicker.

And if all else fails at least they might be able to show you a technique which you wouldn't have thought of using.