Pi Puzzle for Pi Day

This pi puzzle is the perfect quick activity to add to any Pi Day Celebration to instantly make it more fun and festive! Can you arrange the 9 squares into a 3×3 grid so that the puzzle pieces match along each edge?

The puzzle pieces include images of both pi symbols and slices of pie for some Pi Day fun!

My school is on Spring Break when Pi Day occurs, so I am making sure to fit in all my fun Pi Day activities this week.

Instructions

Cut apart the provided nine pieces and assemble them into a 3×3 grid so that the puzzle pieces match along each edge.

The puzzle grid is already pre-scrambled, so you can give the puzzle to students to cut apart if you wish.

Puzzle Inspiration and Similar Puzzles

This pi day puzzle was inspired by the classic 9-piece scramble squares puzzles which can be purchased with different themes. The goal of these puzzles is to assemble the pieces in a 3×3 square by correctly matching the edges of each puzzle piece.

Previously, I created a similar Valentine’s Day square edge matching puzzle with a fun math theme. This Pi Puzzle is much easier than the Valentine’s Day puzzle because the images have been placed at different angles along the edges.

Students should be able to solve the puzzle in a few minutes.

Prepping the Activity

As I mentioned earlier, the puzzle pieces have been pre-scrambled. If you would like each student to have their own copy of the pi puzzle, you could print a copy for each student and have them cut out their own set of puzzle pieces.

I am posting my pi puzzle on the dry erase board for students to work on during extra class time, so I decided to print and laminate 5 different sets for students to grab and take back to their tables.

I don’t know what I would do without my laminator!

Here’s my puzzle set-up. I put the instructions up with magnetic clips. Then, I put the bags of puzzle pieces in one of my handy dandy magnetic pockets.

I posted a copy of the puzzle instructions to hopefully catch the eye of my students when they come in my classroom tomorrow. I’ve also posted the Pi Day Pentominoes Puzzle, the Square Pi Puzzle, and a yet-to-be-shared Pi Day Number Challenge for students to tackle.

Originally, I planned to hang up a poster with the puzzle’s instructions next to the magnetic pocket, but the copy machine at school died today before I was able to get it printed.

I have still included the file for this puzzle instruction poster at the bottom of this post, though.

Jumbo Version of Pi Puzzle

When I shared this puzzle on Instagram, someone commented to ask if I had created jumbo puzzle pieces for it. They wanted to use it as a magnetic puzzle.

Why didn’t I think of that?

I created a jumbo downloadable version of the pi puzzle that would be perfect for putting magnets on the back (I recommend these ceramic disc magnets from Amazon!) or for putting out on a table for a group to work on.

The puzzle pieces print on letter sized paper and will be 7.5 inch squares. Alternatively, you could print them two to a page for slightly smaller squares. (They will still be larger than the squares in the original printable version!)