A Potpourri of Puzzles
16 Match Puzzle
It is easy to make 1 square with 16 matches.
And making 2 squares with 16 matches is easy.
But can you rearrange the matches so that you make first 3,
then 4 , then 5, then 6, then 7 and finally 8 squares from the
16 matches?
There are some rules to follow:
a) The whole of each match must be involved in at least
1 square
b) No match can lie on top of another
c) No match can be broken
d) All 16 matches must be used
If you ignore Rule a) what is the largest number of squares
you can make?
15 match Puzzle
Now try this similar puzzle with 15 matches. This time try to make patterns with equilateral triangles. First make 1, then 2, and so on …up to 10 equilateral triangles, each time following the rules
a) The whole of each match must be involved in at least
1 equilateral triangle
b) No match can lie on top of another
c) No match can be broken
d) All 15 matches must be used
Here is one solution to the 5 triangle puzzle
3 Match Puzzle
Can you arrange 3 wooden matches on the table so that no wood touches the table top?
Spaces
6 matches can be arranged to enclose 3 spaces. Can you arrange 8 matches to create 6 spaces (no match can be placed on top of another)?