After 19 days and 55 rule guesses, the sequence challenge was SOLVED on Saturday morning.
The not-so-fabulous mystery prize will be revealed tomorrow. The image is a clue to its identity.
UPDATE: The mystery prize is now revealed at the bottom of the solution page.
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Continue reading
OK, so today I’m unveiling a new maths puzzle that, all being well, will run every day until someone discovers the solution. There is even a (very modest) ‘mystery prize’, which I will send to the winner (provided that they do not live somewhere so remote that the postage charges would be ridiculous).
The puzzle is a simple sequence, to which one term will be added each day. Your challenge is simply to determine the mathematical rule behind the sequence.
Click here to see the sequence
I am not really sure how difficult this will be (quite challenging, I think), so we could be here for a long, long time… or equally, it could all be over in a couple of days. Or maybe there will be no guesses at all and we will have to quietly forget all about it. Whichever, it’s all good.
The solution to the Gridlock puzzle is now available:
The next puzzle will be the really hard one that I have been promising for ages. The Mad Hatter is back, and this time he’s wearing a stetson…
A quick puzzle to keep things ticking over until the imminent return of the Mad Hatter. Suitable for A-level students and top-end GCSE, or even KS3. Has been known to stump maths teachers too:
#7: Gridlock
A deceptively simple puzzle. Fill in the grid.
Published: 29/07/2015
Difficulty: *
Maths knowledge required: Very basic – calculating means.
The solution will be available next week.
IMAGE: IDS.photos – Creative Commons
The giant crab that I have chosen to illustrate this post is not relevant to the puzzle, but bonus points go to anyone who knows why I have picked it and can provide an appropriate response… Continue reading
The solution to the “Where Wolf?”
puzzle is now available:
#5: Where Wolf?
A truth-tellers and liars puzzle.
Published: 12/06/2015
Difficulty: **
Maths knowledge required: None
So I promised a really hard puzzle for #5… Well, this is not that one, sorry. Next time. This is a late substitute. A good one though.
The solution to Puzzle #4 is now up. Either follow the links from the puzzle itself HERE, or, if you have seen the question already, click HERE to go straight to the solution.
As I mentioned previously, I think this is a good puzzle for mathematics learners at GCSE level or for those setting out on A-level courses, both for checking up on basic algebraic understanding and for illustrating some specific problem-solving skills. I have summarised the key learning points that I think the puzzle raises on the solution page.
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.
