| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Beware, another sneaky one!
Where would you ADD one matchstick to make the statement true?
15 September 2018
600. The clock and the number
Beware, another sneaky one!
Where would you ADD one matchstick to make the statement true?
08 September 2018
599. Mathematical: 3 minus 9 is not 9
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
TAKE AWAY 5 matchsticks to make the equation true. Can you find both solutions?
25 August 2018
598. Three squares and four rectangles
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
There is one square and one rectangle in the layout above. ADD 6 matchsticks to form three equal squares and four equal rectangles.
The four equal rectangles are easy to identify, but the three equal squares are:
ACHK, BDGJ and CEFH
ACHK, BDGJ and CEFH
15 August 2018
597. Not Roman numerals
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Move only ONE matchstick to make the equation true.
11 August 2018
596. M for Matchstick
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Add 2 matchsticks to form 10 triangles. The matchsticks may overlap and do not have to be flat on the surface.
There are 4 Small triangles:
ALK
BCM
OME
LOJ
There are 6 combined triangles
AJH
BDE
LEF
MJF
KOH
CDO
ALK
BCM
OME
LOJ
There are 6 combined triangles
AJH
BDE
LEF
MJF
KOH
CDO
28 July 2018
595. Polygon with 8 sides
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Shown above is a seven sided convex polygon built from 2 squares and 3 triangles. 12 matchsticks were used to achieve this. The outside angles are all greater than 180 degrees as illustrated with angle "a" above.
Create your own convex polygon. The following rules apply:
1. Polygon must have 8 sides
2. 17 matchsticks to be used
3. All outside angles to be greater than 180 degrees
4. There must be 6 equal sized triangles
5. There must be 2 equal sized squares
6. All matchsticks must be flat on the surface.
14 July 2018
594. Mathematical: 8 minus 3 is not 3
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
MOVE only 1 matchstick to make the equation true. Can you find the 3 solutions?
07 July 2018
593. Divide into 3 shapes
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Add 4 matchsticks to divide the triangle into 3 equal parts. The 3 parts may differ in shape but must be equal in size.
If the length of 1 matchstick is 1 unit, the size of the big triangle (A + B + C + D) is:
= 1/2 X 4 X 3
= 6 square units
The size of rectangle A is:
= 2 X 1
= 2 square units
The size of triangle B is:
= 1/2 X 1 X 2
= 1 square unit
But C = B based on the same calculation which results in B + C = 2 square units.
Size of part D is:
= Big triangle - size A - size B - size C
= 6 - 2 - 1 - 1
= 2 square units
It should be clear that A = D = (B + C)
= 1/2 X 4 X 3
= 6 square units
The size of rectangle A is:
= 2 X 1
= 2 square units
The size of triangle B is:
= 1/2 X 1 X 2
= 1 square unit
But C = B based on the same calculation which results in B + C = 2 square units.
Size of part D is:
= Big triangle - size A - size B - size C
= 6 - 2 - 1 - 1
= 2 square units
It should be clear that A = D = (B + C)
01 July 2018
592. Increase the inner triangles
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
This puzzle is similar to but different from No 517.
In the figure above 8 matchsticks were placed on a grid to form 6 inner triangles.
What is the maximum number of inner triangles you can create by rearranging the 8 matchsticks?
23 June 2018
09 June 2018
590. Balance the scale: Move 1
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
The vertical matchsticks on the scale all have the same weight. To balance the unbalanced scale you need to MOVE 1 matchstick. Where would you place it?
In the original puzzle:
Left of balancing point: (3x1) + (1x1) + (1x1) + (1x1) = 6 units
Right of balancing point: (3x1) + (4x1) = 7 units
From the above we can see we need to move a matchstick right of the balancing point. This is done by placing the matchstick as shown in the solution.
Left of balancing point: (3x1) + (1x1) + (1x1) + (1x1) = 6 units
Right of balancing point: (3x1) + (4x1) = 7 units
From the above we can see we need to move a matchstick right of the balancing point. This is done by placing the matchstick as shown in the solution.
02 June 2018
589. Missing number
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
This puzzle is extremely difficult because you would have to think out of the box to solve it!
Replace the "?" with the missing number in the sequence.
First you need to turn the figure by an angle of 180 degrees. Then replace the "?" with "87" to form a sequence 86, 87, 88 and 89.
26 May 2018
588. Route Map: Change one direction
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
13 matchsticks are used to form a pathway as shown above. The challenge is to start at point A, move in the direction of the matchstick heads, visit each of the 13 matchsticks only once and finish at point B.
A solution is not possible in the existing figure above, but by changing the direction of only 1 matchstick it can be achieved. How would you do this?
18 May 2018
12 May 2018
586. Little square and rectangle
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Four matchsticks form a little square as shown above. Your challenge is to create a rectangle with size EXACTLY 3 times the size of the little square.
Note the following:
1. All matchstick heads have been removed.
2. The 4 matchsticks are exactly the same. (thickness, length etc)
3. Only the 4 matchsticks above may be used in your solution.
4. Not all matchsticks have to be used in your solution.
5. You are allowed to break one matchstick.
05 May 2018
585. Four-sided figures
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
A four-sided figure (square or rectangle) can be stand-alone or combined. How many four-sided figures do you count with at least one broken matchstick in them?
There are 14 four-sided figures in total
Stand-alone: C, D, G
Two combined: B+C, D+E, D+F, F+G, G+H
Three combined: A+B+C, F+G+H, E+G+H
Five combined: A+B+C+D+E, D+E+F+G+H
Eight combined: A+B+C+D+E+F+G+H
Stand-alone: C, D, G
Two combined: B+C, D+E, D+F, F+G, G+H
Three combined: A+B+C, F+G+H, E+G+H
Five combined: A+B+C+D+E, D+E+F+G+H
Eight combined: A+B+C+D+E+F+G+H
29 April 2018
584. The four rectangles
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
There are 3 rectangles of size 2X1 in the layout above. They are ABDC, EGLJ and FHMK.
Move 3 matchsticks to create FOUR equal rectangles each of size 2X1.
21 April 2018
583. Divide the square
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Divide the square into 3 parts by adding 8 matchsticks. The 3 parts must be equal in size but not necessarily in shape.
14 April 2018
582. Mathematical: 4 plus 5 is not 5
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
MOVE 3 matchsticks to make the equation true. Consider yourself brilliant if you can find the 3 solutions.
07 April 2018
581. Remove 6 leaving 3 squares
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Take away 6 matchsticks to leave you with 3 equal squares. The 3 squares may not touch.
30 March 2018
580. Divide the rectangle in ratio 3:4:5
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Divide the rectangle into 3 areas with ratio 3:4:5 by placing 7 matchsticks inside the layout.
25 March 2018
17 March 2018
578. Remove 3 leaving 3 triangles
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
TAKE AWAY 3 matchsticks to leave you with 3 equal triangles.
03 March 2018
577. One square
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Place the 8 matchsticks in such a way that it forms a square. The 4 broken matchsticks have the same length but are not half the length of the full matchstick.
17 February 2018
576. Divide into 4 areas
| Easy | Medium | Hard | Extreme |
Add 15 matchsticks inside the layout above to create 4 areas equal in SIZE.
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