Letter M Puzzle
This blog post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
Can you solve this letter M puzzle by arranging the four given pieces to form a symmetric capital letter M? It’s trickier than it might first appear!
Looking for more alphabet-themed activities and puzzles for your classroom? Here’s a few examples of the other alphabet-related activities I have created.
Instructions
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 might be surprised!
Puzzle Source
I found this M Puzzle on the now-defunct puzzles(dot)com website that used to be operated by ThinkFun.
An archived version of their website still exists thanks to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.
Using This Puzzle in the Classroom
I created a new set of instructions and an enlarged set of pieces so I can use this puzzle with my students.
I added disc magnets to the back of each piece so that I can hang the puzzle vertically on my dry erase board.
Though I loved having a puzzle table at my old school, I’ve found that vertical puzzles are noticed by more students which leads to greater overall engagement.
By adding disc magnets to the back of each piece, I have made the puzzle slightly easier.
If you gave this puzzle to students on a table, they would have to think about flipping pieces over as they worked through the solution which would make things even hearder.
Free Download of M Puzzle
Click here to Download
M Puzzle (PDF)
5255 downloads – 45.27 KB
Click here to Download
M Puzzle (Editable Publisher File ZIP)
2471 downloads – 57.08 KB
Want more puzzles? Check out my puzzles page!
Puzzle Solutions
Puzzle solutions are available on a password-protected solution page. I do not openly post the puzzle answer keys because one of my goals as a resource creator is to craft learning experiences for students that are non-google-able. I want teachers to be able to use these puzzles in their classrooms without the solutions being found easily on the Internet.
Please email me at sarah@mathequalslove.net for the password to the answer key database featuring all of my printable puzzles and math worksheets. I frequently have students emailing me for the answer key, so please specify in your email what school you teach at and what subjects you teach. If you do not provide these details, I will not be able to send you the password.
Not a teacher? Go ahead and send me an email as well. Just let me know what you are using the puzzles for. I am continually in awe of how many people are using these puzzles with scouting groups, with senior adults battling dementia, or as fun activities in their workplace. Just give me enough details so I know you are not a student looking for answers to the puzzle that was assigned as their homework!
My teacher gave me this, I couldn’t even get it done while in her class, I then was allowed to take it home, I spent an hour trying to solve it and still couldn’t do it, very challenging and fun.