9-Toothpick Challenge
Arrange 24 toothpicks on your desk in the shape shown below.

toothpicks fox

Challenges:

  1. Move 12 toothpicks and make two congruent squares.
  2. Remove four toothpicks leaving one large and four small squares.
  3. Remove four, six, or eight toothpicks leaving 5 unit squares.
  4. Remove eight toothpicks leaving four unit squares.
  5. Remove six toothpicks leaving three squares.
  6. Remove eight toothpicks leaving five squares.
  7. Remove eight toothpicks leaving two squares.
  8. Remove eight toothpicks leaving three squares.
  9. Remove four toothpicks leaving nine squares.
  10. Remove six toothpicks leaving two squares and two congruent hexagons.

Use the back of this paper to sketch each solution you get.
Extension: Create a toothpick challenge of your own, and give it to a classmate to solve.

Puzzle Corner | Instructions