I’m really excited about this Pentasquares puzzle from Serhiy Grabarchuk. Pentasquares are five square shapes which fit inside a 3 x 3 dimension. The goal of this puzzle is to put all six pentasquares inside a 6 x 6 square. You can rotate the pentasquares, but you may not overlap them or flip them over. …
Puzzles with Movable Pieces
I ran across this Pyramid Solitaire Puzzle in The Diagram Group’s Little Giant Encyclopedia of Puzzles. The goal is to pace the 16 markers in a pyramid pattern. Then, jump the markers horizontally and vertically so that a single marker remains in the center of the board. Each jump moves a marker over any adjacent …
This week, my students have been taking turns tackling this tricky H Puzzle. The goal of the puzzle is to arrange the six given pieces to form a symmetric letter H. The pieces may not overlap one another in the final configuration. If you like puzzles like this, I have previously shared the T Puzzle …
The T Puzzle features four pieces that must be combined to form a symmetric capital T. The pieces may not overlap one another in the final configuration. This is a deceivingly simple puzzle. After all, how hard could it be to arrange just four pieces to form a symmetric capital T? When Martin Gardner wrote …
This M Puzzle is trickier than it may first appear. Arrange the four given pieces to form a symmetric letter M. The pieces may not overlap one another in the final configuration. One might wonder just how hard it would be to assemble four pieces to make the letter M. If this is you, you …
Today I’m sharing the Sum to Twenty-One Puzzle with you. Previously, I have shared similar puzzles called Sum to Twenty and Sum to Thirty. These puzzles are the creation of Marcy Cook. They were shared in THINK ABOUT IT! Mathematics Problems of the Day which was published by Creative Publications in 1982. The book is …
The 9-10-11-12 Challenge is actually four puzzles in one. Can you arrange the numbers 1 through 6 in the spaces of the triangular shape below so that each side sums to 9? Repeat the challenge for sums of 10, 11, and 12. I learned of this challenge from a collection of brainteasers that is no …
Everyone knows how to play tic-tac-toe. But can you solve the tic tac toe challenge puzzle? This fun brain teaser is simple to explain, but it can be hard to solve!
Several summers ago, I created a DIY Instant Insanity Puzzle as part of my summer quest to create as many puzzles as possible using a bag of 1 inch wooden cubes. That summer, I created and blogged about SOMA Block Challenges, Genius Blocks, and the Three Immovable Pentablocks Puzzle. I never got around to blogging …
This Three Numbers Puzzle comes from THINK ABOUT IT! Mathematics Problems of the Day by Marcy Cook. Previously, I have shared the Sum to Twenty Puzzle and the Sum to Thirty Puzzle from this same book. In the three numbers puzzle, it is your task to use the numbers 0-9 once each (you will have …
I recently ran across this Eight Checkered L’s Puzzle from Peter Grabarchuk and I knew I had to make a laminated version for my classroom. I typed this puzzle up before Christmas, but I only finally got around to laminating it today and cutting out the pieces during my Google Meet Office Hours. Sadly, no …
This equation puzzle has been sitting in folder of puzzles to print/share since 2018. I’ve decided to make “FINISH” my 2021 word of the year. It may still be 2020, but I’m determined to get a jumpstart on finishing off this list of things I’ve meant to blog about for ages. In this equation puzzle, …
I’ve been doing lots of blog reorganization lately which also happens to coincide with organizing some files on my computer and in my classroom. This has led me to discover a pile of puzzles that I created several years ago but have never got around to using with students or sharing here on my blog. …
I have a new original puzzle to share with you today. I don’t know what it is about the holiday season that gets me in the Christmas puzzle creating mood (remember my Decorate the Tree Puzzle from a few years ago?), but I’m back at it today with what I’m calling the Checkered Ornament Puzzle. …
I’m back today with a fun, new puzzle called The Splice is Right Puzzle. This puzzle is from the book Test Your Math IQ by Steve Ryan. I was able to borrow the book for free from the Internet Archive’s online lending library. I highly recommend this site for checking out various books before you …
I’m back today with a free download of a new puzzle called Up to Specs. The Up to Specs Puzzle is found in Test Your Math IQ by Steve Ryan. I was able to borrow the book for free from the Internet Archive’s online lending library. I highly recommend this site for checking out various …
This Equation Rotation Puzzle post has been in the works for quite a long time. I ran across this puzzle several years ago in Puzzle Box Volume 2, one of three amazing volumes of puzzles put together by the Grabarchuk family. I can’t say enough good things about these books. If you take a look …
I want to share with you a Pair Ups Puzzle today. I recently ran across an excellent book of puzzles called Test Your Math IQ by Steve Ryan. It’s out of print, but I was able to borrow it through the Internet Archive’s free online library which is my favorite way to find and look …
Today I’m sharing a new puzzle with you called the 8 sticks puzzle. Yesterday, I bemoaned the loss of my classroom puzzle corner. I’ve been trying to come up with some ways to keep incorporating puzzles in my classroom in a pandemic-friendly manner. My favorite puzzles are the ones with pieces that students can manipulate. …
The Square in Square Puzzle is a creation of the brilliant Peter Grabarchuk. It is one of my weekly magnetic puzzles that never made it up on the blog this school year. Imagine that… You are given sixteen rectangles. Among these rectangles, only two can be placed next to one another to form a perfect …
Solve this captivating island puzzle from Donald Knuth as you arrange the thirteen provided letters to trace out the names of each island on the grid.
Today I finally got around to taking down the last puzzle we tackled before Christmas Break. It is always my aim to switch out my puzzles on a weekly basis, but sometimes the hectic nature of the classroom prevails. This was a reminder that I haven’t shared this symmetric square puzzle here on the blog …
It’s a lazy Saturday morning that is turning out to be lazier than I had initially planned since I’m currently stuck on the couch with a sleeping baby on top of me. That means it’s the perfect time to share another puzzle that my students tackled recently on our magnetic puzzle wall (AKA dry erase …
Master the art of the squaring off puzzle! Rotate and arrange given rectangular pieces to create a perfect square, testing your problem-solving skills. Thanksgiving Break is here, and I am oh so grateful for these few days off. This year has felt like one long learning curve as I figure out what life looks like …
This collection of 97 printable tangram puzzles will make it super-easy to implement tangram puzzles as a problem-solving activity in your classroom. What are Tangrams? Tangrams are a dissection puzzle which is believed to originate from imperial China. A set of tangrams consists of seven flat shapes which can be put together to form a …