One of the primary expectations that the author has for her students is for them to develop greater independence when solving complex and unique mathematical problems. The story of how the author supports her students as they gain confidence and independence with complex and unique problem-solving tasks, while honoring their expectations with regard to clear, explicit instruction, is rooted in a set of guiding questions she calls "essential questions for problem solving." Those questions and her framework is presented in this article. (A bibliography is included.)