Each month, a new set of puzzles will be posted. Come back next month for the solutions and a new set of puzzles, or subscribe to have them sent directly to you.
MIND-Xpander puzzle
Twelve Dot Challenge – Connect the 12 dots with 5 straight lines without lifting your pen or pencil off the paper or going through any dot twice. There may be several starting point with similar results.
Can-U-Figure-It-Out puzzle
How many squares, of any size, are there in the following diagram?
EQUATE-Sums puzzles
The numbers in each row add up to the totals on the right and the numbers in each column add up to the totals along the bottom. The sum of the numbers in the two diagonals are also given. Using the numbers 1 to 9 to satisfy each sum as shown, solve the puzzles. (Note: Each number can be used only once.)
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Last month's solutions
MIND-Xpander numeric puzzles
- The dimensions of one box are all two-thirds of the dimensions of another. If the volume of the smaller is 64 cubic centimetres, what is the volume of the larger box?
Solution : The dimensions of the smaller box are 4 x 4 x 4 = 64. The dimensions of the larger box are 3/2 x 4 = 6.
Therefore, volume of the larger box is 6 x 6 x 6 = 216 cu. cm.
or (3/2 x 3/2 x 3/2) x 64 = (27/8) x 64 = 216 cu. cm. - Arrange the digits 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, using only plus and minus signs (addition and subtraction), so that they total 111. Using the same instructions, arrange the digits for totals of 222, and 333. (Note – There may be more than one solution)
Solution: 135 – 24 = 111, 214 + 3 + 5 = 222, 345 – 12 = 333
CROSS-Numbers (mini) puzzle
Cross-numbers puzzles are like Crosswords but using numbers instead of words. Use the ACROSS and DOWN clues to determine which digits belongs in each square in the diagram. Solve the following puzzle. Note Digits may be repeated within a number.
ACROSS
- Its last digit is the sum of its first two digits.
- Each digit is equally divisible by the first digit, which is not 1; two digits are the same.
- The last two digits divided by the first two digits equals the last digit.
- Two of its digits are the same
DOWN
- The number has different odd digits in no special 8iorder; the second digit being the largest.
- A 2-digit square is followed by another 2-digit square; its first and last digits are the same.
- Its first digit is the product of the last two digits.
- Its last digit is the sum of its first two digits.
EQUATE-TakeAway puzzle
The missing numbers are between 1 and 9. The three numbers in top columns, when subtracted by the lower two numbers, equals the three totals along the bottom, and the three numbers in the left rows, when subtracted by the right two numbers, equals the three totals at the far right. The top left number, when subtracted by the lower two numbers on its diagonal, equals the total in the bottom, far right box. With one number provided, solve the puzzle by finding all missing numbers that satisfy all the results as shown.
Solution:
I haven’t solved this puzzle in 40+ years.
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All five 4 dot squares need to finish with an X in them and you can’t retrace any lines. The entire puzzle must finish in a “plus sign” shape. How???
The dots did not show up correctly. I’ll try again:
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lol. Anyway…there are 2 dots across on top.
Next line down is 4 dots across.
Next line down is 4 dots across as well.
Next line down is 2 dots across.
It should look like a “+” sign. . .
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Have a look at the solution to this, which has been published at the end of the December 2019 challenge!
I surrender to showing you the dots themselves.
The solution is here: https://gordonburgin.com/2019/12/dec-2019-challenge/ (Click last month’s solutions near the bottom of the page)