I don't have expertise at all in that area, but I've always suspected something very similar to annealing is going on. Apparently through targeted brain scans,

I don't have expertise at all in that area, but I've always suspected something very similar to annealing is going on. Apparently through targeted brain scans, scientists can predict your responses a few moments before you even realize you have an answer because of the way the brain activity surfaces and synchronizes beforehand. I used to think of it as a sort of democratic mental process that is hidden from the conscious parts of your brain. But of course, I could be completely wrong, too.