Puzzles for ages 10–14
Maths and logic puzzles for about 10 to 14 (Years 5–9): arithmetic puzzles like Kakuro and Calcudoku, number properties and order of operations, and logic puzzles that reward planning several steps ahead.
Where to start
New to these? Begin with Binary Puzzle, Number Regions or Between Sums — the gentlest rules here — then work along the list. Every puzzle has easy levels and a guide.
Maths puzzles
Magic Sum
Place each number once so every row and column hits its target — by adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing.
Equation Square
A 3×3 grid of numbers with + − × ÷ between them. Make every row and column equal its answer — a crossword made of sums.
Factor Trail
Find the only trail to the flag, stepping only to factors and multiples, primes, or a times table.
Magic Path
Find every number that fits the rule and join them all in one continuous path.
Dynamic Path
A maths question flashes up: find its answer on the grid and step onto it, building one connected path until every question is answered.
Number Search
A maths word search: work out each clue, then find its answer hidden in a grid of digits — across, down, backwards or diagonally.
Cross Numbers
Squares, primes, multiples, digit sums and links between answers — fill the grid so every maths clue fits.
BODMAS Game
Build equations that hit the target by applying the order of operations correctly.
Maths Crossword
A crossword where every clue is a maths question and the answers are numbers.
Letter Sums
Classic word sums like SEND + MORE = MONEY, and code sums that hide a ten-letter word. Column-by-column hints show how.
Number Order
Every row and column holds the same numbers and signs. Rearrange them until each line makes its total — BODMAS included.
Number puzzles
Binary Puzzle
Fill the grid with 0s and 1s: never three the same in a row, half of each in every line, and no two rows or columns alike.
Number Regions
Fill in numbers so each joined group of equal numbers is exactly that big. Drag to copy numbers and watch the regions click into place.
Between Sums
Two shaded squares per line, 1 to N−2 in the rest; outside sums count what lies between.
Flexi Cages
Cage puzzles with any set of numbers: fractions, primes, negatives, decimals — even letters.
Sudoku Variants
X, Windoku, Jigsaw, Kropki, XV, Anti-Knight, Anti-King, Non-Consecutive, Even–Odd, Thermo, Sandwich, Arrow, Little Killer, Consecutive and Whisper lines — with notes, hints and a step-by-step solver.
Calcudoku
Fill an N×N grid with 1 to N — no repeats in a row or column — so every cage hits its target using its operation.
Futoshiki
Fill a Latin square so each row and column holds 1 to N once, and every inequality sign is true.
Skyscrapers
Fill the grid with towers so every row and column holds each height once — and the edge clues count how many towers you can see.
Kakurasu
Each shaded square counts its column number in its row and its row number in its column. Make every total add up — addition practice disguised as logic.
Ripple Rooms
Each room holds 1 to its size. Equal numbers in a row or column must be at least that far apart — big numbers make big ripples.
Edge Letters
Place each letter once per row and column; blanks fill the rest. Edge letters show the first letter seen from that side.
Number Crossword
A crossword with no clues — place every listed number so the digits match wherever across and down numbers cross.
Dot Sudoku
Sudoku with dots: white for consecutive numbers, black for doubles, and no dot for neither.
Killer Sudoku
Sudoku rules plus cages: the digits in each dotted cage add up to its total and never repeat.
Kakuro
A crossword with digits: each run of white cells adds up to its clue, using 1–9 without repeats.
Straights
Fill the white squares so no number repeats and every run of white squares is a set of consecutive numbers.
Shading puzzles
Fleet Finder
Use the row and column counts to locate every ship. Ships lie straight and never touch, even diagonally.
Thermometers
Fill thermometers from the bulb with no gaps so every row and column count is right.
Water Tanks
Fill tanks with water that settles at the bottom and lies flat, so every row and column count is right.
Mirror Maze
Use lines of sight that bounce off mirrors to find every creature. Birds show only directly, fish only in mirrors, frogs always.
Domino Shade
Shade two squares per region so the shading forms dominoes that never touch side to side.
Mine Finder
A minefield part-way through: use the numbers to flag every mine. Always solvable without guessing.
Hidden Snake
Find the snake from its head to its tail using the row and column counts. It never touches itself.
Lighthouses
Hide boats so each lighthouse sees the right number in its row and column.
Hitori
Shade cells so no number repeats in a row or column, shaded cells never touch, and the rest stay connected.
Star Battle
Place stars so every row, column and coloured region has the same number — and no two stars touch, even diagonally. The classic behind today’s daily region puzzles.
Light Up
Place bulbs so every square glows, no two bulbs see each other, and numbered walls touch the right number of bulbs. A lovely glowing puzzle.
Sightlines
Shade squares to block the views so each number sees exactly its count. No touching shaded squares, and whites stay joined.
Magnets
Decide which plates are magnets and which way round. Like signs never touch; the counts give the + and − in each line.
Tetro Shade
Shade an L, I, T or S in every region. Everything joins up, no 2×2 blocks, and matching shapes never touch.
Room Shade
Each numbered room has that many shaded. No touching, white stays joined, and no white line crosses two walls.
Tap Shade
Shade one joined wall. Each clue lists the runs of shaded squares around it; no 2×2 blocks.
Cluster Count
Shade squares so each circle equals the total size of the shaded groups touching it.
Cave
Shade the rock so the cave is one piece, rocks reach the edge, and numbers see the right amount.
Yin and Yang
Fill the grid black and white so each colour forms one connected group, with no solid or checkerboard 2×2.
Nurikabe
Shade a connected river around numbered islands — each island as big as its number.
Wedge Rooms
Add half-square triangles so every white area becomes a rectangle — upright or tilted 45°.
Loops and paths
Galaxies
Each galaxy holds one dot and looks the same when spun half a turn around it. Paint the squares — auto-mirror helps — until every galaxy glows.
Train Tracks
Use the row and column counts and the pieces in place to lay a single railway from A to B. No loops.
Fence Regions
Draw fences so every region has the same size; numbers count the fences around their square.
Circuit Paths
Split every dot into separate paths that follow the rules. 25 puzzle types, plus a creator and step-by-step solver.
Rectangles
Divide the grid into rectangles, one number in each, equal to its area. Every clue is a factor-pairs question — great maths practice.
Knight's Tour
Move the knight in its L-shape to collect stars, find the shortest route or visit every square of the board.
Pentomino Regions
Split the grid into pentominoes; matching shapes never share a side, and letters name shapes.
Slant Lines
Draw a diagonal in every square so the corner numbers are right and no loop forms.
Fenced Field
Fence in a field so every number sees exactly the right number of field squares.
Slitherlink
Join the dots into a single loop. Each number says how many of its square’s sides the loop uses — no crossings, no branches.
Pearl Path
Draw one closed loop through every pearl: straight through white pearls, turning on black ones.
Arrow Loop
Shade some squares and loop through all the rest. Arrows count shaded squares; shaded squares never touch.
Strategy and brain teasers
Logic Grid
Work out who owns which pet, drinks what and plays which sport from a few clues.
Lambs & Tigers
An ancient South Indian hunt game: three tigers try to capture five lambs; fifteen lambs try to trap all three.
Bagh Chal
Nepal's tigers-and-goats game: four tigers try to capture five goats; twenty goats try to trap every tiger.
Nim
Take turns removing objects; play the right move and you can always win — the maths tells you which.
CodeBreaker
Find the hidden 4-digit code from Bulls and Cows feedback — deduce, don't guess.
Tafl
The Viking board game: the king must escape to the edge or a corner while attackers try to surround him.
Questions
How were the ages chosen?
Each puzzle lists the age it suits from its easiest level; the harder levels and bigger grids stretch adults too.
Is there a way to see the reasoning?
Most puzzles have a step-by-step solver that explains every deduction — useful for learning a new puzzle or checking a stuck spot.
Everything else: all puzzles A–Z · how to play every puzzle · maths puzzles for kids · puzzles for the classroom.