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A Puzzling Cube
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level 
| This problem is a little more difficult than it looks. However, we had many correct reponses. Although there is only one cube, its net can be drawn in different ways. Bronya from Tattingstone School describes how she went about solving the puzzle: | |
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First I drew the first three faces of the cube as a net:
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| Then I looked at the next 3 faces. I saw that the 4 pointed star was next to one of the shapes I had put down. I added it onto the net: |  |
| On the third picture of the cube the square was on the side and the circle on the top. If the circle was on the side the other symbol would be at the side. I put the shape down on my net: |  |
| There was only one shape left so it had to go at the bottom. I put this down on my net: |  |
| To check, I made one of my own to see if it would fit with all the pictures. It did! |  |
| Kyle and Allyssa from Oakwood Junior School both tried out their ideas on paper before drawing these nets: | |
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| Tom Neill sent in another net of the same cube which was also sent by Angus from Maldon Court Preparatory School: | |
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1 is the cross on the yellow background 2 is the circle on the orange background 3 is the flag cross on the blue background 4 is the star on the red background 5 is the rectangle on the purple background 6 is the star on the green background |
| Philip who goes to Arnold School in Lancashire said, "I looked at it from different views to find the solution." Here is Philip's net: | |
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| Martha, also from Tattingstone, made up a cube from the net before deciding which face the shapes were on. Here is her work: | |
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| Rhys from St Mary's in Templemore, Co. Tipperary, Ireland wrote to tell us: The way I did it is I imagined it was a cube, and I put them where they would go. Then I got a piece of paper and drew out the puzzle and put the shapes where I thought they would go. Then I cut out the puzzle and made a cube out of it. And I got it right. Rhys sent in this picture of the net:  Well done to all of you. |
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