Brain Teaser Solutions

On this page you can find the solutions to the brain teasers from our My Maths Week Scotland booklets.

Matchstick Puzzle

Here's the original puzzle:

Can you REMOVE exactly THREE matchsticks, to make the above equation true? It can be solved in three different ways.

And here are the three solutions:

Solution 1
Solution 2
Solution 3

Magic Square

Here's the original puzzle:

The challenge was to place the numbers 1-9 in the squares so that the sum of each horizontal, vertical and diagonal row or column adds up to 15. You could use each number only once.

We started you off with number 5 in the middle of the square. 15 - 5 = 10, which means the remaining numbers in each row or column had to add up to 10. So you had to pair up the remaining numbers to make 10: 1 + 9, 2 + 8, 3 + 7 and 4 + 6. To solve the magic square, place the pairs of even numbers in the corner spaces, and the pairs of odd numbers in the remaining spaces.

There are eight different possibilities of placing the numbers, but they are all rotations or reflections of the same pattern:

Latest News and Events

News

Maths Week Scotland 2025: What's On for Schools

We've rounded up this year's Maths Week Scotland events for schools in a handy overview. The programme is a mix of mix of both online and in-person events.

News

Goireasan Gàidhlig na Twinkl 2025

Seo iad goireasan Gàidhlig ann aig gach ìre, a tháirgtear ag Twinkl Scotland do Seachdain Matamataig na h’Alba 2025.

13th Dec
Event

Maths Play Club with Number Berries

Oxgangs Library, Edinburgh | | Free
Number Berries is excited to welcome all young mathematicians (ages 5–12) back to Maths Play Club. Every 2nd Saturday of the month from September to December 2025.