Tag Archives: Puzzle

New Puzzle

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Untitled presentation
I have put a new puzzle up. Nothing too tough this time. A classic algebra puzzle, which I have found to be pretty good as a test of how well GCSE/A-level students understand some basic points of algebra, while illustrating some important problem solving skills.

#4: Hidden depths…
A classic algebra puzzle.
Published: 02/06/2015
Difficulty: *
Maths knowledge required: GCSE algebra [i.e. 14-16 year olds]. Although KS3 would do…

Click HERE to access the puzzle.

The solution will go up in a day or two.

A Challenge

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Maths Challenge.001

Feel free to have a guess via the comments. I will give the answer next week.

This is not a trick question; the sequence is based on a genuine mathematical rule. A word of warning though, although it does not require any complex mathematical knowledge the solution is pretty obscure.

SOLUTION NOW AVAILABLE: CLICK HERE

Kidnapped by the Mad Hatter

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Having finally finished writing my thesis, I once again have the chance to update the site.

First up, a new puzzle. It is not original – I heard it from a fellow trainee teacher a few years ago, and a quick search confirms that it has popped up in numerous places – but I think it is a particularly good one.

Thinking caps on…

#3: Kidnapped by the Mad Hatter
A coloured hat puzzle!
Published: 16/03/2015
Difficulty: **
Maths knowledge required: None

New Puzzle

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OK. That business with the pirates was just a warm-up. The next puzzle is a bit more challenging.

It is based on something that I found myself wondering about one day. Is there a fair question that you can use as a tiebreaker to separate two quiz teams with identical knowledge? See the page for the exact details of the puzzle.

I have a solution, but there may well be others. I have given it a three-star rating for difficulty, but perhaps it is not as tough as that.

#2: The Ultimate Tiebreaker
A logic puzzle that I came up with myself.
Published: 10/12/2014
Difficulty: ***
Maths knowledge required: None (though familiarity with some other logic puzzles may help)

Solution in a week or so.