Matchstick puzzles are rearrangement puzzles in which a number of

matchstick A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matc ...

s are arranged into shapes or numbers, and the problem to solve is usually formulated as moving a fixed number of matchsticks to achieve some specific other arrangement. The puzzles may ask the solver to alter some mathematical equation, often with numbers represented as

Roman numeral Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, ea ...

s, or

Arabic numerals The ten Arabic numerals (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) are the most commonly used symbols for writing numbers. The term often also implies a positional notation number with a decimal base, in particular when contrasted with Roman numera ...

in a

seven-segment display A seven-segment display is a display device for Arabic numerals, less complex than a device that can show more characters such as dot matrix displays. Seven-segment displays are widely used in digital clocks, electronic meters, basic calculators, ...

typeface. Other puzzles challenge the solver to rearrange a crude matchstick picture. Some matchstick puzzles require

lateral thinking Lateral thinking is a manner of Problem solving, solving problems using an indirect and creativity, creative approach via reasoning that is not immediately obvious. Synonymous to thinking outside the box, it involves ideas that may not be obtai ...

, such as changing a number into a mathematical symbol. Puzzles may also be set with no starting position, simply challenging the solver to create an arrangement using a number of matches. One example that requires lateral thinking is to form four

equilateral triangle An equilateral triangle is a triangle in which all three sides have the same length, and all three angles are equal. Because of these properties, the equilateral triangle is a regular polygon, occasionally known as the regular triangle. It is the ...

s from six matches; this can only be done by arranging the matches in a three-dimensional

pyramid A pyramid () is a structure whose visible surfaces are triangular in broad outline and converge toward the top, making the appearance roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be of any polygon shape, such as trian ...

shape.

References

{{puzzle-stub Puzzles