These are both really great ideas! I think an example of play could certainly work to give a showcase on how to use magic to creatively solve a problem, I find seeing someone use a tool in a creative way really gets my ideas flowing.
An example I come to is needing to reach a floating island in the sky. Maybe you write a glyph with a Fly spell to try and fly up there, or a spell to create a pillar of earth tall enough to reach it.
As an alternative rule set, I think that a charades-like game of guess the spell could be fun for certain groups. Personally, I wouldn't want to include it in the core rules. Giving the artist time to explain their vision before examination helps to interpret their glyph in the best possible light, which is the intended goal of the design.