Work through the levels in order. Type your answer and press Check — open the worked solution if you get stuck. Answers like -6, 3/4 or 0.25 are typed exactly as shown. A ⭐ Bonus Challenge at the end is extra credit — skip it if the rest was hard work.
Level 1 · Warm-up
1 Pieces cover 2, 2, 3 and 5 small squares. Total area covered? (number)
Show worked solution
2+2+3+5 = 12.
2 Does flipping a piece over make it a different piece in these puzzles?
Show worked solution
No — "they may be turned over" is in the rules of these questions.
3 An L-piece covers 3 squares; another L covers 4. Can they be the same piece?
Show worked solution
No — different sizes are different pieces, whatever the nickname.
Level 2 · Core
4 Original pieces: 2, 3, 4, 4, 3 (total 16). An option covers 2, 3, 4, 4, 4. Which quick check eliminates it — area or biggest-piece? (one word)
Show worked solution
Totals: 16 vs 17 → the area check kills it (biggest pieces are both 4).
5 Original: biggest piece 6, smallest 2. Option: biggest 6, smallest 3. Eliminated by which check? (smallest/biggest/area cannot tell)
Show worked solution
The smallest-piece comparison: the original's 2-square piece is missing.
6 A T-piece has a 3-long bar and a 2-long stem. After a quarter turn, what is the bar length? (number)
Show worked solution
Still 3 — lengths are rotation-proof; that is why we describe pieces with them.
Level 3 · Challenge
7 A 4×4 square (16 small squares) is cut into 5 pieces of different sizes. If four pieces cover 2, 3, 3 and 4 squares, what does the fifth cover? (number)
Show worked solution
16 − (2+3+3+4) = 4. Area bookkeeping answers it without seeing the picture.
8 With flips ALLOWED, are a same-size S-piece and Z-piece the same piece or different?
Show worked solution
Same — a flip turns S into Z. (With flips banned they would be different.)
9 Order the checks fastest-first: one-for-one match, total area, biggest piece. Type the FIRST check you should run. (two words)
Show worked solution
Total area first — free eliminations before careful matching.