My Favorite Encephalon Teasers

Recently, Nora Oswald tweeted me to inquire if I had compiled a listing of my favorite encephalon teasers.  

Over my years of blogging, I've written many a post most encephalon teasers that I love.  Today, I'm setting out to compile these posts to brand them easier to detect on my blog.

So, hither yous have got it!  Here are my favorite encephalon teasers (in no particular order) to run inwards the math classroom (or whatever classroom for that matter!):

The International Math Salute

The International Math Salute was created past times James Tanton, together with I learned of its existence for the initiative of all fourth dimension piece participating inwards the Tulsa Math Teachers' Circle.  If you've never heard of a math teachers' circle, I highly recommend that yous banking concern gibe out this link together with search for a circle nigh you.  My married adult man together with I participate inwards ane together with LOVE it!

I've blogged most the International Math Salute here.  Following that link volition demonstrate yous a YouTube video past times James Tanton that walks yous through the practice yourself.  I don't desire to laissez passer on anything away because that would ruin all the fun.  But, I volition tell yous why I honey this encephalon teaser.  The initiative of all thing I honey most it is that it gets yous upward out of your seat.  Most encephalon teasers are newspaper together with pencil type affairs, but this is a kinesthetic encephalon teaser!  The other thing I honey most this encephalon teaser is that it teaches the importance of approaching a work backwards.  That's all I'm going to say.  You'll have got to click here to larn to a greater extent than together with assay it out yourself!      

1-4-5 Square Challenge

This is a brainteaser that I flora online.  The site I flora it on referred to it every bit a "Square Puzzle," but I similar to telephone yell upward it the 1-4-5 Square Challenge.  I've blogged most it earlier here.  

Students are given a laid upward of 5 pieces inwards a small-scale ziplock bag.  

Then, students are issued three, sequential challenges .

Challenge 1: Make a foursquare using just ane of the pieces.

Challenge 2 :Make a foursquare using just 4 of the pieces.

Challenge 3: Make a foursquare using all 5 of the pieces.

It's of import to emphasize to students that none of the pieces may overlap.  Otherwise, they'll simply have got the extra slice from Challenge 2 together with lay it on top together with claim that they've figured out Challenge 3.  I state this from sense because Challenge 3 is TRICKY, together with students acquire desperate QUICKLY!

I honey this brainteaser because everyone tin figure out the initiative of all challenge, most people tin figure out the 2nd challenge, together with the 3rd challenge is most definitely a challenge!  Whenever I've used this amongst kids, they never desire to set upward the pieces if they haven't figured out the 3rd challenge.  You tin detect the template to cutting out these pieces for your students (or yourself!) here.  I laminate the pieces for the durability that volition allow them to challenge students for years to come.

Make it Even

The adjacent encephalon teaser I honey is called Make it Even.  It's taken from The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations past times Boris A. Kordemsky.  This mass is a corking resources for finding encephalon teasers together with puzzles to run inwards the classroom.  It's published past times Dover, together with it's commonly SUPER-cheap on Amazon!  

I've presented it to students inwards 2 dissimilar formats.  The initiative of all format asks them to run bingo chips.  My schoolhouse bought me a huge purse of bingo chips, together with I've used them for thence many activities inwards my classroom! 

There is ever a flake of confusion amongst this puzzle.  When it says to move out an "even number of bingo chips inwards each row together with column," it agency fifty-fifty every bit inwards "not odd."  If yous assay to translate fifty-fifty every bit inwards "the same", it won't piece of work out for you!  

I've also presented it amongst a grid for students to house X's inwards similar this:

I recommend printing this puzzle together with placing it within of a dry out erase pocket to move far reusable for all of your classes.  You tin detect these super inexpensive on Amazon by searching for "shop ticket holders."  They plough whatever action into a dry-erase activity.  This agency yous tin brand less copies together with run the same laid upward of copies yr later year!  My favorite dry out erase markers to run amongst students are these pen way dry out erase markers that are made past times Universal.  If yous store around together with cost banking concern gibe amongst other sites (I've oft flora them the cheapest at Shoplet or Zerbee), yous tin acquire them for around $2.00/dozen!      

You tin read a to a greater extent than in-depth weblog post most this encephalon teaser here. 

Petals Around the Rose

This is the type of encephalon teaser that ane time yous larn yous volition NEVER forget!  I initiative of all learned most this encephalon teaser from Annie Forest who has an link to her weblog post that mentions Petals Around the Rose.  Petals Around the Rose is a game amongst the most uncomplicated of rules.  The rules are every bit follows: I volition scroll 5 dice.  You volition tell me how many petals are around the rose.  The holler of the game is important.  When people inquire for to a greater extent than details, simply repeat "The holler of the game is important."  This peculiarly drives them crazy!  

Never played before?  I recommend this online version.  It volition scroll the 5 die for you, allow yous to justice how many petals are around the rose, together with volition tell yous the right answer.  I learned to play the game past times playing this version.  My married adult man did, too!  We've both used it amongst our students amongst corking success.  

In my classroom, I have got a poster for students to sign ane time they figure out the hole-and-corner to Petals Around the Rose.  Oh, this brings upward some other of import point.  Once yous figure out the secret, you're non allowed to tell anyone.  To evidence that yous have got discovered the secret, yous simply have got to justice the number of petals around the rose correctly twice inwards a row.  (Depending on your students, yous mightiness growth this to 3 or 4 times inwards a row.)  

I oft run the multiple die characteristic on the SMARTBoard to projection 5 die on the covert for this activity.  

When students have got figured out the secret, I laissez passer on them a carte du jour granting the membership inwards the Fraternity of Petals Around the Rose.  They must sign a pledge stating that they volition never bring out the hole-and-corner to anyone.  

    

You tin detect the resources I have got created for Petals Around the Rose here.

Follow the Pattern

This encephalon teaser was genuinely mailed to me at schoolhouse past times a weblog reader!  

Here's how it starts out:

After students have got had fourth dimension to think most what comes adjacent later these 3 symbols, inquire them if they desire yous to part the adjacent symbol every bit a form of hint.  If they state yes, part some other symbol.  If they becomed stumped, offering to part some other symbol.  

Here are the 3 symbols that yous tin part amongst them:

In all honesty, I did non figure out this encephalon teaser myself.  After pondering it for weeks, I tweeted a painting demonstrate of it amongst a complaint that said "No spoilers, please."  Someone didn't read my complaint together with replied to the tweet amongst the hole-and-corner of the puzzle.  Now that I do know the answer, I'm non certain that I would have got ever figured it out myself.  Once yous figure it out (or have got it spoiled past times someone else), it's impossible non to see.  

I've blogged to a greater extent than most this encephalon teaser here.  

Likes together with Dislikes

This adjacent encephalon teaser is ane I learned piece completing my Master's inwards Curriculum together with Instruction through the University of Texas at Arlington.  It was included inwards ane of our courses every bit a demonstration of how to think through a work critically.  

Here are the rules:

* I'm going to tell yous most things I similar together with things I don't like.

* These have got nix to do amongst my actual personal preferences.  My likes together with dislikes are determined past times a dominion that yous must discover.

*  When yous think yous have got figured out the rule, don't tell me (or the class) the rule.  Instead, laissez passer on me a judgement of something I would similar together with dislike.  I volition tell yous if I concur or disagree.

--

I similar jelly, but I don't similar jam.

I similar yellow, but I don't similar blue.

I similar dresses, but I don't similar skirts.

I similar food, but I don't similar eating.

I similar pillows, but I don't similar cushions.

I similar carrots, but I don't similar squash.

I similar football, but I don't similar sports.

I similar summer, but I don't similar spring.

I similar yelling, but I don't similar screaming.

I similar butter, but I don't similar margarine.

I similar cookies, but I don't similar cake.

I similar hoodies, but I don't similar sweaters.

Figured it out yet?  I've blogged to a greater extent than most this encephalon teaser here.

What is the number?

I holler back beingness totally stumped the initiative of all fourth dimension I saw this puzzle.  It's the type of puzzle that makes yous groan every bit presently every bit yous figure it out!  

Image Source: http://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/1797/what-is-the-number-of-the-parking-spot

Make a Square

This encephalon teaser is a breeze to throw together if yous have got access to a class laid upward of tangrams.  I bought a shape laid upward a few years agone on Amazon, together with they've turned out to live an awesome resources inwards my classroom!  

Give each pupil a laid upward of tangrams together with instruct them to run all vii pieces to brand a square.  It's definitely trickier than it sounds!  To extend this activity, inquire students to write a paragraph describing how to get together the pieces into a square.  Once they have got written their explanation, follow it piece intentionally looking for ways to non brand a foursquare based on what they have got written.  For example, if they state to laid upward ane slice "on top of" some other piece, follow what they said literally.  This emphasizes the importance of beingness rattling precise inwards our mathematical writing.  

145 Doors

This puzzle is some other favorite from The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations past times Boris A. Kordemsky.  You tin also detect the puzzle online at NCTM Illuminations.  

Here's the text of the puzzle: A prisoner was thrown into a medieval dungeon amongst 145 doors. Nine, shown past times dark bars, are locked, but each ane volition opened upward if earlier yous accomplish it yous overstep through just 8 opened upward doors. You don’t have got to move through every opened upward door but yous do have got to move through every jail cellular telephone together with all ix locked doors. If yous acquire inwards a jail cellular telephone or move through a door a 2nd time, the doors clang shut, trapping you.

The prisoner (in the lower right corner cell) had a drawing of the dungeon. He idea a long fourth dimension earlier he laid upward out. He went through all the locked doors together with escaped through the last, upper left corner one.

What was his route?

Image Source: The Moscow Puzzles (Published past times Dover)

When I've used this puzzle earlier amongst my students, I gave it to them inwards a dry erase sleeve to move far like shooting fish in a barrel to demonstrate (and correct!) their work.  My students genuinely struggled amongst this puzzle together with wanted to laissez passer on upward easily.  They were definitely non interested inwards persevering towards a solution which genuinely made me sad.  :(

The Proof is inwards the Pudding

This is a encephalon teaser that I was initiative of all introduced to past times a mass I was reading.  I read the puzzle, puzzled over it for a few minutes, considered looking upward the reply inwards the dorsum of the book, together with decided against it.  A few weeks ago, Fawn mentioned that this puzzle was ane of her favorites on Twitter.  I commented maxim that I had never been able to figure it out.  She recommended that I laissez passer on it some other try.  I did, together with this fourth dimension I was able to figure it out!  

Here's how the puzzle goes according to The Math Forum:

During a recent census, a homo told the census taker that he had 3 children. When asked their ages, he replied, "The production of their ages is 72. The amount of their ages is the same every bit my line of piece of work solid number." 

The census taker ran to the door together with looked at the line of piece of work solid number. "I even thence can't tell," she complained. The homo replied, "Oh that's right, I forgot to tell yous that the oldest ane likes chocolate pudding." 

The census taker promptly wrote downward the ages of the 3 children. How former are they?

I used to think this puzzle was impossible, but I hope it's not.  I'm non going to link to a solution because I think yous should assay to figure it out for yourself!  Some enquiry online says that the master copy riddle should live attributed to George Polya.

IQ Circles

My mom flora a laid upward of IQ circles at a thrift store several years ago, together with they have got provided a lot of frustration inwards my classroom over the years!  

The box that each puzzles comes inwards claims that in that location are at to the lowest degree 10 ways to suit the pieces thence that they shape a consummate circle.  I know I fifty-fifty have got problem putting these together!  When students start a puzzle together with can't complete it, I oft have got to "cheat" together with await at the solution on the box.  

You tin purchase these from dissimilar political party favor retailers.  Here's one site I flora online that offers them.  

Jumping Frogs

I honey presenting my students amongst this interactive frog jumping puzzle that I flora online here.  Each frog tin solely bound the way it is facing.  And, frogs tin solely bound over frogs of the reverse color.  The finish of the puzzle is to brand the frogs switch sides.  I laissez passer on dissimilar a students a plough at the SMARTBoard because tapping on a frog volition move far jump.    

  

My married adult man used his coding skills this summertime to brand his ain interactive version of this puzzle that lets yous alter the number of frogs inwards the puzzle.  

I have got solely used this puzzle every bit a fun encephalon teaser, but my married adult man has taken it together with turned it into a full-blown algebra lesson.  You tin detect out to a greater extent than most his interactive version online applets similar this that allow yous to consummate the puzzle.  It's a corking puzzle to have got students play for fun.  Then, have got them generalize how many moves are required to motion the tower based on the number of disks inwards the tower.  When they are playing for fun, they likely won't fifty-fifty realize the math behind what they are doing, thence it's upward to us to demonstrate them how math-y the puzzle genuinely is.  

You tin also selection upward a wooden Tower of Hanoi set for your classroom from Amazon.  I don't have got ane of these yet, but it is SO tempting!  

  

Books amongst More Brain Teasers

Can't acquire plenty encephalon teasers?  Here are some books of encephalon teasers I recommend:

Brain Teasers to Purchase

Here are some encephalon teasers that I would recommend for purchase.  

Cat Stax

I received this tricky puzzle every bit a birthday nowadays from my sister.  The game features cards amongst 48 dissimilar levels on them.  You complete a degree past times roofing the puzzle carte du jour amongst the specified colored cats.  It is a game that definitely makes your encephalon hurt!  When Shaun's line of piece of work solid unit of measurement was inwards Commonwealth of Australia for our wedding, this puzzle ended upward getting a lot of use!    

IcoSoKu

This puzzle was also a gift from my lovely sister.  She loves to purchase me puzzles that brand me desire to rip my pilus out! 

To consummate this puzzle, yous have got to take all of the white pieces.  Then, suit the yellow, numbered pieces on the puzzle inwards whatever way that yous wish.  Once the xanthous pieces are inwards place, snap the white pieces dorsum inwards the puzzle thence that the number of dots that run into at each vertex add together upward to the number at that vertex.  

I flora this puzzle to live nearly impossible, but I've permit others play amongst it together with they've been able to figure it out quite quickly.  It's definitely a brain-stretcher!  

Manifold

I initiative of all learned most this encephalon teaser puzzle through Twitter together with the #MTBoS.  I bought a laid upward for my sis together with my married adult man (then-fiance) for Christmas.  My sis together with I must think alike because she ended upward buying me a laid upward for Christmas, too!  I was able to have got these origami puzzles on the plane when I flew to Commonwealth of Australia terminal December, together with they provided hours of enjoyment together with frustration!  I'm non certain what others idea I was doing when they were sitting adjacent to me on the plane, though...  

There are 100 newspaper puzzles inwards each package, together with the puzzles arrive at from hard to fifty-fifty harder!  (Okay, the initiative of all twosome are simple, but they acquire tricky fast!)  The skillful thing most this puzzle is that in that location are a ton of levels to move along yous busy for a long time.  You tin part them amongst others together with all relish the same form of puzzle at the same time.  The bad thing most this puzzle is that it is consumable.  Once all 100 puzzles are solved, yous can't genuinely do much amongst them.  But, it is priced reasonably, thence yous tin simply purchase some other pack together with start over over again :)  

Tantrix

Tantrix is a brainteaser type puzzle that I was introduced to for the initiative of all fourth dimension when I was inwards Australia.  Shaun together with I visited some other couple's line of piece of work solid for dinner, together with this game was pulled out to live played.  

This game requires yous to brand closed loops of dissimilar colors, together with I flora it to live a existent challenge!  Shaun together with I worked through some of the puzzles, together with he was doing most of the puzzle solving.  This meant that the levels rapidly became likewise hard for me since I hadn't quite wrapped my hear around the puzzle yet.  I think if I slowed downward together with attempted it at my ain measuring that I'd live a lot to a greater extent than successful.

SET

Set is a puzzle game that I had heard a lot about, but I never genuinely had a lead a opportunity to play until I started assist the Tulsa Math Teachers' Circle.  It's a puzzle that was rattling hard for me to empathise at first.  Luckily, I was paired upward amongst some amazing math teachers who were rattling patient amongst me together with permit me argue through the puzzle at my ain measuring without giving away the answer.  

It's a game that yous tin play past times yourself every bit a encephalon teaser or amongst a grouping for some competitive fun. 

  

My favorite way to innovate my students to this game is to have got them piece of work through the online tutorial on the SET game's website.  If yous don't have got access to sets of SET cards for students to play with, in that location are 2 daily online SET challenges that I definitely recommend for classroom use.  The initiative of all version is on the game publisher's website.  You are provided amongst a laid upward of 12 cards that incorporate vi dissimilar SETs to find.  A dissimilar laid upward of 12 cards is posted daily.  The game is interactive together with perfect for run on your interactive whiteboard.  I detect that this version of the game tin live likewise tricky for initiative of all laid upward players.  The New York Times also has a daily laid upward game on their website that is broken into 4 dissimilar levels.  

Given that I ain the regular SET game, the mini SET game, together with the SET Dice game, yous tin likely tell that I LOVE SET!    

Izzi

Izzi is some other encephalon teaser game that I received every bit a gift.  

  

It's a puzzle that claims to have got "almost a zillion solutions."  It's for ages 8 to adult, together with I tin attest that it is super tricky.  It's the type of puzzle that starts off easy, but the difficulty builds together with builds together with builds every bit to a greater extent than together with to a greater extent than pieces are placed inwards the puzzle.  

My married adult man together with I solved the puzzle a few weeks ago, together with it was a fun eventide challenge for the 2 of us.  You have got to line upward all the puzzle pieces thence that dark edges are touching dark edges together with white edges are touching white edges.  Sounds simple, right?  It is, but thence it isn't.

Even More Puzzles/Games

If yous honey encephalon teasers together with logic way games, I demand to tell yous most a must-see site!  ThinkFun is a game publisher that creates thence many awesome math-y games.  They are the fellowship responsible for awesome games similar Swish and Math Dice.  They have got a page on their website dedicated to free, online versions of many of their games.  I genuinely enjoyed playing their online version of Rush Hour. 

ThinkFun has also created a page amongst printable PDFs of diverse encephalon teasers for yous to download for your classroom.  There are 4 brainteasers for Grades 1-2, 4 brainteasers for Grades 3-4, 4 brainteasers for Grades 5-6, together with 4 brainteasers for Grades 7-8.    

On top of that, they have got a page amongst printable 2-player strategy games inwards PDF form that yous tin impress together with run amongst your students.  

They have got thence many other resources for teachers that I can't fifty-fifty listing them all here.  Check out this link! 

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