Puzzles, games and mini-competitions organized by grade

click here to organize by subject
Glue (addition, geometry)

Glue (addition, geometry)

Coins in a Row (addition, game)

Coins in a Row (addition, game)

Three Color Triangle Puzzles (logic, algorithm)

Three Color Triangle Puzzles (logic, algorithm)

Chalk Scratch (logic puzzle)

Chalk Scratch (logic puzzle)

Rainbow Sudoku (logic puzzle)

Rainbow Sudoku (logic puzzle)

Rooting for NASA (Cartesian, Pythagoras, Algorithm)

Rooting for NASA (Cartesian, Pythagoras, Algorithm)

Treefolk Tribes (symmetry, sorting, sequence)

Treefolk Tribes (symmetry, sorting, sequence)

Destroying Democracy! (counting, fractions, shapes)

Destroying Democracy! (counting, fractions, shapes)

Pin Board Murders (patterns, angles, discussion)

Pin Board Murders (patterns, angles, discussion)

Number One! (fractions, primes)

Number One! (fractions, primes)

Speed Guess Fractions (estimate, division)

Speed Guess Fractions (estimate, division)

Packing Pasta (estimate, measure, volume)

Packing Pasta (estimate, measure, volume)

Lazy Toads on a Star (algebra, symmetry, algorithm)

Lazy Toads on a Star (algebra, symmetry, algorithm)

Lazy Toad Puzzles (counting, symmetry)

Lazy Toad Puzzles (counting, symmetry)

Twisted Homes (rotational symmetry, patterns)

Twisted Homes (rotational symmetry, patterns)

House of Mirrors (symmetry, patterns, composite numbers)

House of Mirrors (symmetry, patterns, composite numbers)

Picasso’s Line Puzzles (patterns, multiplication, division)

Picasso’s Line Puzzles (patterns, multiplication, division)

Blotch (counting, addition, subtraction)

Blotch (counting, addition, subtraction)

12 Days (addition, logic, factoring)

12 Days (addition, logic, factoring)

Streets and Sidewalks (addition, subtraction, pattern)

Streets and Sidewalks (addition, subtraction, pattern)

McGuire the Gathering (Multiplication, Patterns, Proof)

McGuire the Gathering (Multiplication, Patterns, Proof)

Hare vs. Hare (patterns, algorithm)

Hare vs. Hare (patterns, algorithm)

Tortoise and Hare – The Revenge Race (skip counting, pattern)

Tortoise and Hare – The Revenge Race (skip counting, pattern)

Primitive Lightning (composite divisors)

Primitive Lightning (composite divisors)

Spectral Blaster Hit (symmetry, patterns)

Spectral Blaster Hit (symmetry, patterns)

Spectral Blaster (symmetry, mini mathematical universe)

Spectral Blaster (symmetry, mini mathematical universe)

Tetracide (percentages, algorithm)

Tetracide (percentages, algorithm)

Square Sardine Packing (percentages, algorithm)

Square Sardine Packing (percentages, algorithm)

Hula Hoop Maze (patterns)

Hula Hoop Maze (patterns)

Jumping Frogs (patterns, counting, primes)

Jumping Frogs (patterns, counting, primes)

Pollinator Puzzles (multiplication, division)

Pollinator Puzzles (multiplication, division)

Aesop’s Urns (counting, division by 2, algebra, algorithm)

Aesop’s Urns (counting, division by 2, algebra, algorithm)

Skinny Man Tango (area, algorithm)

Skinny Man Tango (area, algorithm)

Venn Puzzler

Venn Puzzler

King Kong plays Bulgarian Solitaire (patterns, algorithm)

King Kong plays Bulgarian Solitaire (patterns, algorithm)

Square Dance (patterns)

Square Dance (patterns)

Uncracked 33 (negative integers, exponents)

Uncracked 33 (negative integers, exponents)

The Broken Sword (addition, division, mini-mathematical universe)

The Broken Sword (addition, division, mini-mathematical universe)

Virtuous Democracy (addition, constraints & conjectures)

Virtuous Democracy (addition, constraints & conjectures)

Hex (strategy game)

Hex (strategy game)

Puppet Puzzle (counting, logic, proof)

Puppet Puzzle (counting, logic, proof)

The Josephus Problem (proof, exponents, algorithm)

The Josephus Problem (proof, exponents, algorithm)

Celtic Counting (counting, proof)

Celtic Counting (counting, proof)

Taipei 101 Foundations (multiplication, proof)

Taipei 101 Foundations (multiplication, proof)

Three Color Equilateral Triangle

Three Color Equilateral Triangle

Integral Centrifuge II (multiplication of negatives)

Integral Centrifuge II (multiplication of negatives)

Integral Centrifuge (multiplication of +/-1)

Integral Centrifuge (multiplication of +/-1)

Spider Walk (probability)

Spider Walk (probability)

Armenian Rug Puzzles (logic)

Armenian Rug Puzzles (logic)

Ninja Bed Bugs (multiplication)

Ninja Bed Bugs (multiplication)

Solidarity – Poland, 1981 (addition, logic)

Solidarity – Poland, 1981 (addition, logic)

Graphene Trampoline (logic & probability)

Graphene Trampoline (logic & probability)

Picasso’s Cuboids (volume puzzle)

Picasso’s Cuboids (volume puzzle)

Uncut Spaghetti (number patterns, algorithm)

Uncut Spaghetti (number patterns, algorithm)

Raindrops Down Windshield (number order, algorithm)

Raindrops Down Windshield (number order, algorithm)

Pinocchio’s Playmates (pattern puzzle)

Pinocchio’s Playmates (pattern puzzle)

Tree Kangaroo Hopscotch (skip counting)

Tree Kangaroo Hopscotch (skip counting)

Siteswap (juggling number patterns)

Siteswap (juggling number patterns)

ConHex (strategy game)

ConHex (strategy game)

Finding a Tough Mountain (ordering numbers)

Finding a Tough Mountain (ordering numbers)

A little bit of Aggression (addition, subtraction)

A little bit of Aggression (addition, subtraction)

Portuguese Man o’ War (addition, scientific method)

Portuguese Man o’ War (addition, scientific method)

Mean, Median, Mode (unique integer challenge)

Mean, Median, Mode (unique integer challenge)

Irreptiles (proportion, similar shapes)

Irreptiles (proportion, similar shapes)

Cardboard Snowflakes (calculating average)

Cardboard Snowflakes (calculating average)

Teach counting 0-999

Teach counting 0-999

Cartouche Puzzles (arithmetic)

Cartouche Puzzles (arithmetic)

Fractal Multiplication

Fractal Multiplication

Pillage and Profit (algebra)

Pillage and Profit (algebra)

Banyan Tree Root Puzzle (Addition)

Banyan Tree Root Puzzle (Addition)

No three minarets in a line (mirror and rotational symmetry)

No three minarets in a line (mirror and rotational symmetry)

Plastic Fraction Circles

Plastic Fraction Circles

Round Tower – (drill and kill multiplication)

Round Tower – (drill and kill multiplication)

Rock – Low unique number game

Rock – Low unique number game

Embryo Morphogenesis (pattern discovery)

Embryo Morphogenesis (pattern discovery)

Rock Monster

Rock Monster

Turing Machine (computer)

Turing Machine (computer)

Zome – geometric construction

Zome – geometric construction

Chomp – Cartesian game

Chomp – Cartesian game

Hunting Submarines (vectors)

Hunting Submarines (vectors)

10 Points, 5 Lines, 4 Points on each Line

10 Points, 5 Lines, 4 Points on each Line

Parallel Lines and Slopes

Parallel Lines and Slopes

64 = 65 Mathemagical Proof

64 = 65 Mathemagical Proof

Taxi Cab Squares

Taxi Cab Squares

Scientific Notation Notrivia

Scientific Notation Notrivia

Rainbow Squares

Rainbow Squares

Minotaur Gores Pythagoras

Minotaur Gores Pythagoras

Three Exponential Explorations

Three Exponential Explorations

Using Least 1s

Using Least 1s

Full Integer Collatz

Full Integer Collatz

Parable of the Polygons

Parable of the Polygons

Pirates & Cutthroats – algebra

Pirates & Cutthroats – algebra

Algebra Exercises

Algebra Exercises

Number Guessing Game – algebra

Number Guessing Game – algebra

Squares Built of Right Triangles

Squares Built of Right Triangles

Algebra on Rectangles

Algebra on Rectangles

Wrongifying Operators

Wrongifying Operators

Fractions = Decimals using Algebra

Fractions = Decimals using Algebra

Symbiotic Sets – addition and division

Symbiotic Sets – addition and division

EKG Sequences – factorization

EKG Sequences – factorization

Wormhole!

Wormhole!

1-100 Composite Connector Challenge

1-100 Composite Connector Challenge

Gozen – factorization game

Gozen – factorization game

Killer Bunny Sequence – prime factorization

Killer Bunny Sequence – prime factorization

Which came first: Chicken or Egg

Which came first: Chicken or Egg

Mimizu – common factor puzzles

Mimizu – common factor puzzles

Prime Number Catacombs

Prime Number Catacombs

Intro to Primes & Composites

Intro to Primes & Composites

Locker Room Prank

Locker Room Prank

Klingon Attack

Klingon Attack

Prime Time

Prime Time

GCF Bingo

GCF Bingo

Integral Fission

Integral Fission

Egyptian Fractions

Egyptian Fractions

Divisibility Tricks

Divisibility Tricks

Dressed Up (Equivalent) Fractions

Dressed Up (Equivalent) Fractions

Fractured Fractions – equivalent

Fractured Fractions – equivalent

Thirsty fractions

Thirsty fractions

Unfair Thrones

Unfair Thrones

Half Fraction Snake

Half Fraction Snake

Ballast – multiplication puzzles

Ballast – multiplication puzzles

Lazy Lemur Puzzles

Lazy Lemur Puzzles

Lichen Puzzles – multiplication and subtraction

Lichen Puzzles – multiplication and subtraction

Toothpick, Vampire and Domino Sequences

Toothpick, Vampire and Domino Sequences

Multiplicative Persistence

Multiplicative Persistence

Mondrian Art Puzzles (multiplication, algebra)

Mondrian Art Puzzles (multiplication, algebra)

Beetle Blitz!

Beetle Blitz!

Daedalus and Icarus try to Escape

Daedalus and Icarus try to Escape

Sum or Difference – Mutant Fibonacci Bunny

Sum or Difference – Mutant Fibonacci Bunny

Recamán’s Sequence

Recamán’s Sequence

Subtraction Magic with 3 Digits

Subtraction Magic with 3 Digits

Animal Subtraction

Animal Subtraction

Squaring the Square

Squaring the Square

Addition Boomerang

Addition Boomerang

Cookie Monster Problem

Cookie Monster Problem

Too Many Mice!

Too Many Mice!

Cannibal Fish

Cannibal Fish

Earth Attack – addition puzzle

Earth Attack – addition puzzle

Termite Terrorists (addition, patterns)

Termite Terrorists (addition, patterns)

Ballast – addition puzzles

Ballast – addition puzzles

Bubbling Cauldrons (single digit addition)

Bubbling Cauldrons (single digit addition)

Place Value

Place Value

Venus Flytrap – dangerous decimals

Venus Flytrap – dangerous decimals

Building Skyscrapers of Different Heights

Building Skyscrapers of Different Heights

Speed Counting to Infinity

Speed Counting to Infinity

Magic 6 and 9

Magic 6 and 9

Number Icicles

Number Icicles

Intro to Skip Counting

Intro to Skip Counting

Willie Wiggle Wiggle Worm

Willie Wiggle Wiggle Worm

Complete the Quadrilateral

Complete the Quadrilateral

Circus Tent Puzzle

Circus Tent Puzzle

Symmetry Search

Symmetry Search

Area and Perimeter of Polyanimals

Area and Perimeter of Polyanimals

Kajitsu – symmetry puzzles

Kajitsu – symmetry puzzles

Sports Tournaments

Sports Tournaments

Life expectancy in different countries

Life expectancy in different countries

Introducing Statistics to Young Children

Introducing Statistics to Young Children

Bracket – Number Trivia Game

Bracket – Number Trivia Game

Historic Maps

Historic Maps

Russian Map Reading

Russian Map Reading

Cracking the ADFGX Cipher

Cracking the ADFGX Cipher

Dot to Dot Middle Path Puzzles

Dot to Dot Middle Path Puzzles

Constellations

Constellations

Round-off Dragon

Round-off Dragon

Dot to Dot Precise Measurement Puzzles

Dot to Dot Precise Measurement Puzzles

Half Area Quadrilateral

Half Area Quadrilateral

Babylonian Spiral

Babylonian Spiral

Arrows

Arrows

Ruffian Ritual

Ruffian Ritual

Kobon Triangles

Kobon Triangles

Unifix Cubes

Unifix Cubes

Tribute to Eric Carl

Tribute to Eric Carl

Venn Diagram Puzzles

Venn Diagram Puzzles

Find the Attribute

Find the Attribute

Beetle Sort!

Beetle Sort!

My Pet Zebra

My Pet Zebra

Name Connector

Name Connector

No Three in a Line

No Three in a Line

Children at play are not playing about; their games should be seen as their most serious-minded activity.

Michel de Montaigne

1533 - 1592

Logic and mathematics are nothing but specialized linguistic structures.

Jean Piaget

Beauty is the first test: there is no permanent place in the world for ugly mathematics.

G. H. Hardy

Mathematics is a place where you can do things which you can't do in the real world.

Marcus du Sautoy

[Mathematics is] to be recommended as a preventative against frivolous reading and a premature development of the imagination.

F. J. Grund

Introductory Discourse and Lectures, Boston, 1830

The ballet makes us look at those bodies, it makes us listen to that music, it makes us wonder at the geometry, of the way they come together. The way that extraordinary space is controlled and given such emotional force.

John Guare

Pure mathematics is on the whole distinctly more useful than applied. For what is useful above all is technique, and mathematical technique is taught mainly through pure mathematics.

G. H. Hardy

Please use MathPickle in your classrooms. If you have improvements to make, please contact me. I'll give you credit and kudos 😉 For a free poster of MathPickle's ideas on elementary math education go here.

Gordon Hamilton

(MMath, PhD)