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Similar to the Pyramid Solitaire Puzzle I blogged about a few weeks ago, I found this Cross Solitaire Puzzle in The Diagram Group’s Little Giant Encyclopedia of Puzzles. The goal is to pace the 32 markers in a cross pattern with the middle square unoccupied.
Then, jump the markers horizontally and vertically so that a single marker remains in the center of the board.
I am using bingo chips for this puzzle, but you could use any type of chip/counter/coin or even dried beans. When I shared this puzzle on instagram, Try-Angle Math suggested using fruit loops or some other sort of cereal. I thought that was a super fun idea!
Each jump moves a marker over any adjacent marker into an empty space. Markers that have been jumped are removed from the board. Jumps may be horizontal or vertical, but never diagonal.
Free Download of Cross Solitaire Puzzle
Cross Solitaire (PDF) (1885 downloads )
Cross Solitaire (Editable Publisher File ZIP) (1017 downloads )
Puzzle Solutions
I intentionally do not make answers to the printable math puzzles I share on my blog available online because I strive to provide learning experiences for my students that are non-google-able. I would like other teachers to be able to use these puzzles in their classrooms as well without the solutions being easily found on the Internet.
However, I do recognize that us teachers are busy people and sometimes need to quickly reference an answer key to see if a student has solved a puzzle correctly or to see if they have interpreted the instructions properly.
If you are a teacher who is using these puzzles in your classroom, please send me an email at sarah@mathequalslove.net with information about what you teach and where you teach. I will be happy to forward an answer key to you.
T. Sutton
Sunday 23rd of May 2021
My students love Sarah's puzzles. Thank you Sarah for creating and sharing all of your fantastic puzzles and resources!