M Puzzle
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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An archived version of their website still exists thanks to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.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)
5059 downloads – 45.27 KB
Click here to Download
M Puzzle (Editable Publisher File ZIP)
2265 downloads – 57.08 KB
Want more puzzles? Check out my puzzles page!
Puzzle Solutions
I intentionally do not make answers to the printable puzzles and math activities 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.
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, as fun activities in their workplace, or as a birthday party escape room.
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.