It's hard for me to turn down a challenge

Today I was chatting with a friend and former coworker who said he wished I was there because he had a question he thought could be answered theoretically, but that he could only think about testing it empirically. I asked if it was about work, and he confirmed. I have been making it a point to distance myself from thinking about work, so I said I didn't want to help. To which he responded it was too complicated to explain anyway.

It's safe to say the fact that he couldn't figure it out and the statement that is was too complicated to explain really made me want to try to figure it out. But I was able to resist offering help. I'm uncertain if this was all a ploy to get me to help, or if it was just innocent chatter, I guess we'll find out if he reads this. My sister regularly tempts me in this way, but usually (I think) I can see through her ploys.

I get immense satisfaction from doing things others think I can't do or are hard to do in general. I think it's a good thing that I like a challenge, but in some respects I think it stems from some unhealthy desire of mine for people to tell me I'm smart.