How Many Squares Puzzle: Count Squares, Rectangles and Triangles
Count shapes size by size. A step-by-step method for squares, rectangles and triangles, with quick rules, a worked grid and a practice puzzle.
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Articles about step by step
Cube Counting Puzzles: How to Count Every Cube in a Stack
Count every cube in a stack, hidden ones included. Use a height grid, check by layers and diagonals, then try a worked example and a practice puzzle.
How to Solve Mental Rotation Puzzles: Turned or Mirrored?
Tell a turned shape from a mirror image with one landmark and one side check, read cube nets, then try a worked example and two practice puzzles.
How to Solve Mirror Image Puzzles: Clocks, Letters, Tiles and Light
Undo the flip: read mirrored and water clocks, test letters and words, spot the mirrored tile and trace a light beam, with worked examples and answers.
Jigsaw Puzzle Strategy: Edges, Sorting, Clusters and the Last Pieces
Solve jigsaw puzzles in order: edges first, sort by colour and shape, grow clusters, then fit the last pieces by shape. Worked example and practice puzzle.
How to Solve Hidden Picture Puzzles: A Step-by-Step Method
Find every hidden shape, letter and object with one method: one item at a time, an anchor feature and a strip sweep. Worked grid and practice puzzle.
How to Solve Spot the Difference Puzzles: The Grid Method
Scan both pictures cell by cell, sort changes by kind and check your tally. A six-step method, a worked tile puzzle and a practice puzzle with answer.
Rep-Tile Puzzles: How to Cut a Shape Into Copies of Itself
Learn to cut a shape into smaller copies of itself: count cells, fill tight corners first, avoid bad pockets, then try a worked and a practice puzzle.
How to Solve a Polycube Puzzle: Volume, Colour and Layers
Pack cube pieces into a box with four checks: volume, a 3D checkerboard colour count, awkward pieces first and layer by layer, plus a practice puzzle.
How to Solve a Pentomino Puzzle: Area, Corners and Colours
Fill a board with the 12 five-square pieces. Check area and colour, mark tight corners, place awkward pieces first, then try a worked and a practice box.
Sliding Block Puzzles: Clear the Blocker Chain, Free the Target
Work back from the target: trace the blocker chain, count free cells, move small pieces first. A worked tray, a parking-style grid and a practice puzzle.
Gear Train Puzzles: Which Way Does the Last Gear Turn?
Meshing gears turn opposite ways, so count the contacts. Learn why odd rings jam, how belts change direction, and solve a worked gear train puzzle.
Tangled Cord Puzzles: How to Remove Every Crossing
Move one dot at a time, count crossings in pairs and fix a triangle first. A worked tangled cord puzzle, a practice puzzle and the networks that never lie flat.
Dot-to-Dot Path Puzzles: How to Join Every Dot Exactly Once
Join every dot once in a single path: count partners, fix forced links, use hop-length and arrow rules. With a worked row example and a practice grid.
Rook and Queen Tour Puzzles: How to Visit Every Square Once
Solve rook and queen tour puzzles: step and slide moves, open and closed tours, the snake plan, forced corner lines and a worked 5 by 5 example.
Map Colouring Puzzles: How to Use the Fewest Colours
Colour every region so neighbours differ, with as few colours as possible. Dots and lines, greedy colouring, backtracking, a worked map and a practice puzzle.
How to Solve a Maze: Five Methods for Maze Puzzles
Keep a hand on the wall, fill dead ends, mark junctions, work backwards or search every branch. One worked maze puzzle and a practice maze with answer.
Shortest Route Puzzles: How to Find the Fewest Steps by Hand
Spread outward from the start, settle the nearest place first and trace back. Worked road map, rook board example, reachability check and a practice puzzle.
One-Stroke Drawing Puzzles: How to Solve Them by Counting Lines
Count the lines at each dot to see if a figure can be drawn in one stroke and where to start. Method, worked example, arrow version and practice puzzles.
Equal Sum Square Puzzles: How to Fill Every Row and Column
Fill a square so every row and column adds to the same total. The one-gap rule, the centre rule, a worked four by four puzzle and a practice grid.