OSX/SL 10.6.8 all window apps lose keyboard input; mouse and cmd-N work for spaces

Input suddenly stops going to all applications, from MacBook Pro and wireless keyboards, and from "Show Keyboard viewer" (OSX 10.6.8 'Snow Leopard', MacBook Pro). Though the OSX Keyboard Viewer shows the keys onscreen as they are pressed on the MacBook and wireless keyboards. 'Spaces' responds to cmd-N commands, but no input is possible to any running or newly-started 3rd party or Apple-provided application. Killing off applications one by one doesn't recover keyboard input ability;  a complete reboot appears necessary to restore the ability to key input into applications. This happens repeatedly, yet never registers as an OS/X 'crash' because 'Force Quit'ting applications and restarting is still possible using only the magic mouse or trackpad.   No data  whether only logging out and back in would correct the apparent input-focus disconnect of all applications with the window manager. There may be some way to restart the window manager by using the mouse to open up new apps and/or cut and paste characters ( including a carriage return ) or cut and paste entire saved typed commands into a terminal window.

Do a backup, using either Time Machine or a cloning program, to ensure files/data can be recovered. Two backups are better than one.
Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.
Isolating an issue by using another user account
If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account.  Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.
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