unfortunately, the weather sometimes calls a halt to outside play, particularly at this time of year. But that does not dampen the desire to keep the mind active so we have gathered together some puzzles we hope will put an end to those rainy day blues.
Better still, all you need to set up these puzzles are a few matches, a handful of coins and a small button.
If you can't work out the answers: look at the diagrams. So get puzzling!
Puzzles using coins
Puzzle one
You will need:
* Six two-pence coins
* Six 10-pence coins
Setting up your puzzle:
You need to make a grid of four rows of coins, with three coins in each row.
* The first row consists of two pence, 10 pence, two pence.
* The second row consists of 10 pence, two pence, 10 pence.
* The third row is laid out as the first row and the fourth row as the second row.
The challenge:
To create two rows of only two-pence coins and two rows of only ten-pence coins, but only one coin can be touched directly.
Puzzle two
You will need:
* Nine coins of the same denomination
Setting up your puzzle:
Set out your coins in a triangle shape with:
* One coin in the top row
* Three in the next
* Finally five in the bottom row
The challenge:
By moving just two coins, turn the triangle into a square.
Puzzle three
You will need:
* Six coins
Setting up your puzzle:
Place the coins in a cross shape with:
* One coin in the top row
* Three in the next
* One in the next and one in the last
The challenge:
By moving or touching only one coin arrange the coins so there are four coins in two rows.
Puzzles using matches
Puzzle four
You will need:
* Seventeen matches
Setting up your puzzle:
Place the matches as shown in the diagram below, forming six squares in two rows of three.
The challenge:
By removing just five matches from the layout, you have to leave three squares.
Puzzle five
You will need:
* Twenty-four matches
Setting up your puzzle:
Arrange your matches so they form three rows of three squares, as shown in the diagram on the left.
The challenge:
By removing eight matches you have to leave just two squares. If you can't work it out, you'll kick yourself when you see the answer!
Puzzle six
You will need:
* Eleven matches
Setting up your puzzle:
Place six matches in a row, leaving about 2.5cm (one inch) between each.
The challenge:
By simply adding the remaining five matches you now have to make nine!
Puzzle seven
You will need:
* Seven matches
* One small button
Setting up your puzzle:
Following the diagram below, set up the matches and the button to create the shape of a hedgehog.
The challenge:
By moving the button and just two matches, turn the hedgehog so that it is facing the other way.
