PUZZLES

Free, fun, and meaningful math for all

Every JRMF puzzle is hands-on, play-based, and standards-aligned.

We design our activities to have a low floor so that anyone can find a way to engage and a high ceiling so that everyone can find a meaningful challenge.

All of our puzzles come with free festival guides that help you use our activities at home, in the classroom, or during math festivals.

 

3rd - 12th Grade Logic
3-in-a-Row
3-in-a-Row
Can you be the first player to get 3-in-a-row?
For All Ages Logic
Apple Picking
Apple Picking
After a long day of picking apples, can you eat the last, juiciest apple?
3rd - 12th Grade Shape
Billiards Geometry
Billiards Geometry
Embrace your inner pool shark and try to make every shot.
Blue Dot Solitaire
Blue Dot Solitaire
Can you remove all the dots?
For All Ages Logic
Bridges
Bridges
Can you build a bridge that connects all of the islands?
For All Ages Number
Catch Up
Catch Up
Can you make the longest line?
3rd - 12th Grade Number
Chameleon Island
Chameleon Island
Help all the chameleons on the island change into the same color.
For All Ages Shape
Changing Colors
Changing Colors
Can you make two of each shape? But they can't share the same colors!
For All Ages Logic
Chocolate Fix
Chocolate Fix
Can you make the perfect chocolate box for your customers?
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Chomp
Chomp
Can you avoid taking the yucky chocolate piece?
For All Ages Shape
Color Triangles
Color Triangles
Create beautiful, colorful triangular patterns.
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Colored Loops
Colored Loops
Create colorful loops so that you can always find your way back to the beginning of the path.
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Connect the Dots
Connect the Dots
Can you connect all of the dots?
3rd - 12th Grade Number
Countdown
Countdown
Be the player to take the last token!
For All Ages Logic
Crack the Code
Crack the Code
Crack the secret code in as few guesses as you can!
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Cup Stacking
Cup Stacking
Can you find a way to stack every cup?
For All Ages Number
Dice Bingo
Dice Bingo
Can you make a winning bingo card?
Digit Sums
Digit Sums
Use every digit of your numbers to solve these unique and challenging number puzzles.
For All Ages Logic
Domino Dissection
Domino Dissection
Can you tile the board using each domino exactly once?
3rd - 12th Grade Shape
Doodles
Doodles
Can you trace each doodle without lifting your marker?
For All Ages Logic
Dot Parties
Dot Parties
Can you make parties of connected squares and dots?
3rd - 12th Grade Number
Dueling Dice
Dueling Dice
Can you make a better die than your partner?
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Four Corners
Four Corners
Can you be the first player to make a square?
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Frogs and Toads
Frogs and Toads
Can you help the frogs and toads get to the other side of the pond?
3rd - 12th Grade Shape
Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering
Can you split up each puzzle so that more than half of the groups are purple groups?
3rd - 12th Grade Number
Graceful Gourds
Graceful Gourds
Can you gracefully label these pumpkin patches?
Hello world!
Hello world!
For All Ages Shape
Hexaflexagons
Hexaflexagons
Learn the mysteries of the simple yet surprising hexaflexagon, and take one home to show your friends!
JRMF Founder Nancy Blachman Featured By UC Berkeley
JRMF Founder Nancy Blachman Featured By UC Berkeley
For All Ages Logic
Juice Jumble
Juice Jumble
Order these jumbled juices to make a beautiful rainbow.
For All Ages Logic
Jumping Julia
Jumping Julia
Can you jump your way from start to finish?
For All Ages Shape
Königsberg
Königsberg
Everything is made up of one, continuous line. Can you figure out what belongs in town?
3rd - 12th Grade Number
Ladybugs
Ladybugs
Help as many ladybugs as possible land on the leaves.
3rd - 12th Grade Shape
Lots o’ Plots
Lots o’ Plots
Fill your entire garden with plots of carrots.
3rd - 12th Grade Number
Magic Flowers
Magic Flowers
Can you arrange 5 numbers into a Magic Flower in which every group of three numbers in a line adds up to the same magic number?
Making The World Into A Math Festival
Making The World Into A Math Festival
3rd - 12th Grade Shape
Map Coloring
Map Coloring
Can you color each map so that no two neighboring states are colored the same color?
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Meeple Town
Meeple Town
Can you find all the places where the Meeple can live?
For All Ages Logic
Monster Town
Monster Town
Race your friends to find the patterns in these Halloween-themed SET cards!
For All Ages Logic
Mosaics
Mosaics
Can you make each mosaic?
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Palindrome Swap
Palindrome Swap
Can you make palindromes in the fewest number of swaps?
For All Ages Logic
Panning for Gold
Panning for Gold
Among all the counterfeits there is only one true gold bar. Can you find it?
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Penguin Island
Penguin Island
Build a community on Penguin Island with more penguins than humans.
For All Ages Shape
Pentominoes
Pentominoes
Can you find a way to cover the shapes with pentominoes?
3rd - 12th Grade Shape
Poly Puzzles
Poly Puzzles
Can you build a polyhedron using the shapes in each puzzle?
For All Ages Logic
Pool Testing
Pool Testing
Learn how doctors help patients using pool testing through this engaging game.
3rd - 12th Grade Number
Prime Cubes
Prime Cubes
Armed with only your understanding of prime numbers, play against your friends to find the best way to fill in our colorful cube.
For All Ages Logic
River Crossings
River Crossings
Help your wolf, goat, and cabbage cross the river.
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Rook’s Move
Rook’s Move
Race your friends to get the rook to the end of the chessboard. Can you find a way to win every time?
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Rubik’s Riddles
Rubik’s Riddles
Can you make the pattern in the puzzle by rotating the cube?
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Skyscrapers
Skyscrapers
Help the city planner build up the city with new skyscrapers.
3rd - 12th Grade Shape
Smileys
Smileys
Smiling is contagious! Can you turn every frown upside down?
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Sprigs
Sprigs
Take turns drawing curves to connect dots. Can you be the one to draw the last curve?
For All Ages Logic
Star Battle
Star Battle
Can you place the stars on the grid?
STEM Santa Fe Hosts 6th Annual JRMF
STEM Santa Fe Hosts 6th Annual JRMF
3rd - 12th Grade Number
Stepping Stones
Stepping Stones
Can you find a way to place the next stepping stone?
3rd - 12th Grade Shape
Tile with Style
Tile with Style
Can you cover the entire square with pattern blocks?
For All Ages Shape
Tippy Toads
Tippy Toads
How many toads can you help sunbathe by balancing them on a lilypad?
3rd - 12th Grade Logic
Toothpick Triangles
Toothpick Triangles
Can you make the right number of triangles out of toothpicks?
For All Ages Logic
Tower of Hanoi
Tower of Hanoi
Can you solve these puzzles based on an ancient legend, golden disks, and the end of the world?
3rd - 12th Grade Shape
Wolves and Sheep
Wolves and Sheep
Keep your sheep safe from the wolves!