Brain Teasers for Kids

Riddles to puzzle over

Read the riddle and think it through. When you are ready, open its page for two hints, the answer and an explanation of why it works.

• Easy

  Which months have at least 28 days?

  Hints and answer
• Medium

  Two fathers and two sons share three sandwiches, one sandwich each. How can there be only three people?

  Hints and answer
• Medium

  In a race, you pass the runner who is in second place. What place are you in now?

  Hints and answer
• Medium

  Five apples are on the table. You take two. How many apples did you take?

  Hints and answer
• Medium

  A ball is in one of three boxes: red, blue, or green. It is not in red or green. Where is it?

  Hints and answer
• Medium

  In a pretend game, every red block is a cube, and no cube can roll. Can any red block roll in that game?

  Hints and answer
• Medium

  Ali is ahead of Bo in a three-person line. Bo is ahead of Cam. Who is in the middle?

  Hints and answer
• Medium

  Each number after the first two is the sum of the two before it: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8. What comes next?

  Hints and answer
• Medium

  Today is Monday. What day will it be three days from today?

  Hints and answer
• Medium

  I am a whole number greater than 20 and less than 30. I divide exactly by both 3 and 4. What am I?

  Hints and answer
• Medium

  I am a solid shape with exactly six faces, all squares. What am I?

  Hints and answer
• Hard

  With one straight cut, snip a small triangle off one corner of a square. The cut crosses the two sides that meet at that corner. How many corners does the bigger piece have now?

  Hints and answer
• Hard

  A snail climbs 3 meters each day and slips 2 meters each night. Starting at the bottom, on which day does it first reach the top of a 10-meter wall?

  Hints and answer
• Hard

  Two US coins total 30 cents. One of them is not a nickel. Which coins are they?

  Hints and answer
• Hard

  A bat and a ball cost $1.10 altogether. The bat costs $1 more than the ball. What does the ball cost?

  Hints and answer
• Hard

  A farmer must take a fox, a chicken, and grain across a river. The boat carries the farmer and one item. Without the farmer, the fox cannot stay with the chicken, or the chicken with the grain. How can everything cross?

  Hints and answer
• Hard

  Anna, Beth, and Cara each have a different pet: cat, dog, or fish. Anna has neither cat nor dog. Beth does not have the dog. Who has each pet?

  Hints and answer
• Hard

  Eight balls look identical, but one is heavier. Using a balance scale, how can you always find it in no more than two weighings?

  Hints and answer
• Hard

  In a three-digit number, the tens digit is two more than the ones digit. The hundreds digit is one less than the tens digit. The digits add to 12. What is the number?

  Hints and answer
• Hard

  A drawer has three red socks and three blue socks. Without looking, how many socks must you take out to be sure of getting two of the same color?

  Hints and answer
• Hard

  A pen holds only chickens and rabbits. There are 20 heads and 56 legs. How many rabbits are there?

  Hints and answer

More: Logic riddles · Math riddles · Hard riddles · All riddles for kids

Printable logic puzzles

Logic grid puzzles

Read the clues, mark what cannot be true, and work out who has which kite or pet.

Who has which kite? A 3-friend logic grid: warm-up Logic & Puzzles · Grade 1 · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key Who has which kite? Logic & Puzzles · 2–3 · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key Whose pet is whose? A 3-friend logic grid: warm-up Logic & Puzzles · 2–8 · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key Who plays which instrument? A 3-friend logic grid: warm-up Logic & Puzzles · Grade 3 · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key Pet show puzzle Logic & Puzzles · 3–5 · Logic · 1 page Hard Free Answer key Who brought which snack? A 3-friend logic grid: warm-up Logic & Puzzles · Grade 5 · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key

9 more logic grid puzzles

• Who sent which postcard? A 3-friend logic grid: warm-up Grade 6
• Who plays which sport? A 4-friend logic grid: warm-up Grade 9
• Whose pet is whose? A 4-friend logic grid Grade 9
• Who has which kite? A 4-friend logic grid Grade 10
• Who plays which sport? A 5-friend logic grid: stretch Grade 10
• Who has which kite? A 4-friend logic grid Grade 11
• Who brought which snack? A 5-friend logic grid: stretch Grade 11
• Who sent which postcard? A 4-friend logic grid: warm-up Grade 12
• Who has which kite? A 4-friend logic grid Grade 12

Sudoku for kids

Fill the grid so every row, column and box has each number once, from 4 by 4 to 9 by 9.

Picture sudoku: cut, glue and solve 4 by 4 Logic & Puzzles · Pre-K · Logic · 1 page Medium Free Answer key Sudoku 4 by 4: six starter puzzles Logic & Puzzles · K–1 · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key Sudoku 6 by 6: four starter puzzles Logic & Puzzles · 2–3 · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key Sudoku 6 by 6: four starter puzzles Logic & Puzzles · 4–5 · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key Sudoku 6 by 6: four everyday puzzles Logic & Puzzles · 6–7 · Logic · 1 page Medium Free Answer key Sudoku 9 by 9: two tricky puzzles Logic & Puzzles · 6–7 · Logic · 1 page Hard Free Answer key

7 more sudoku for kids

• Sudoku 9 by 9: two everyday puzzles Grade 8
• Big-print sudoku 9 by 9: tricky puzzles 9–10
• Sudoku 9 by 9: two tricky puzzles Grade 9
• Sudoku 9 by 9: two starter puzzles Grade 10
• Big-print sudoku 9 by 9: starter puzzles Grade 11
• Sudoku 9 by 9: two tricky puzzles 11–12
• Big-print sudoku 9 by 9: tricky puzzles Grade 12

Math puzzles

Number pyramids, number bonds, magic squares and cross-number squares, from sums to 7 to negative numbers.

Number bonds: parts and wholes to 7 Mathematics · Kindergarten · Puzzle · 1 page Medium Free Answer key Number bonds: parts and wholes to 10 Logic & Puzzles · Kindergarten · Puzzle · 1 page Hard Free Answer key Number bonds: parts and wholes to 12 Mathematics · Grade 1 · Puzzle · 1 page Medium Free Answer key Number bonds: parts and wholes to 20 Logic & Puzzles · Grade 1 · Puzzle · 1 page Hard Free Answer key Number pyramids: add up from base numbers to 8 Mathematics · Grade 2 · Puzzle · 1 page Medium Free Answer key Number pyramids: add up from base numbers to 10 Logic & Puzzles · Grade 2 · Puzzle · 1 page Hard Free Answer key

17 more math puzzles

• Cross-number squares: add and subtract Grade 3
• Magic squares: 3 by 3 puzzles Grade 3
• Magic squares: 3 by 3 puzzles Grade 4
• Magic squares: 4 by 4 puzzles 4–5
• Cross-number squares: multiply Grade 5
• Cross-number squares: multiply and divide 6–7
• Cross-number squares: multiply and divide (practice) Grade 6
• Magic squares 4 by 4 with negative numbers Grade 7
• Number pyramids with negative numbers Grade 8
• Number pyramids with negative numbers: practice Grade 8
• Cross-number squares: multiply and divide 9–11
• Magic squares 3 by 3: use each number once Grade 9
• Cross-number squares: multiply and divide (practice) 10–11
• Magic squares 3 by 3: use each number once Grade 10
• Magic squares 4 by 4 with negative numbers Grade 12
• Number pyramids: multiply up Grade 12
• Number pyramids: multiply up (practice) Grade 12

Pattern puzzles

What comes next? Shapes, colors, numbers and letters that follow a rule.

Fill and size patterns: what comes next? (warm-up) Logic & Puzzles · PS–Pre-K · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key Picture patterns: what comes next? Mathematics · PS–Pre-K · Logic · 1 page Medium Free Answer key Picture patterns: what comes next? (practice) Logic & Puzzles · PS–Pre-K · Logic · 1 page Medium Free Answer key Fill and size patterns: what comes next? Mathematics · PS–Pre-K · Logic · 1 page Hard Free Answer key Growing patterns: one more each time Logic & Puzzles · Pre-K · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key Fill patterns: filled, striped and dotted Mathematics · Kindergarten · Logic · 1 page Easy Free Answer key

7 more pattern puzzles

• Number patterns: count on and back Kindergarten
• Pattern mix: shapes, numbers and letters Grade 1
• Fill patterns: filled, striped and dotted Grade 2
• Letter patterns: skip along the alphabet 3–5
• Pattern mix: shapes, numbers and letters Grade 4
• Number sequences: negative numbers and two-step rules 6–8
• Figurate numbers: squares, steps and rectangles Grade 7

Also: Printable mazes · Word searches

Puzzle games to play

• 

  20 free levels

  Logic & Puzzles

  Logic Hotel

  Check every guest into the right room using clues like "right above" and "between".

  2–8 48 levels · 2 tracks
• 

  20 free levels

  Logic & Puzzles

  Pattern Vault

  Crack the vault code: find what changes along each row and column, then pick the missing tile.

  1–8 48 levels · 2 tracks
• 

  20 free levels

  Logic & Puzzles

  Switchworks

  Flip switches to light the lamps in the target pattern — in as few presses as you can.

  2–8 48 levels · 2 tracks
• 

  20 free levels

  Logic & Puzzles

  Tangram Studio

  Turn, flip and fit the seven tangram pieces to fill each shadow.

  Pre-K–5 48 levels · 2 tracks
• 

  30 free levels

  Logic & Puzzles

  Sliding Workshop

  Slide tiles and blocks into place — then try to match the fewest moves.

  1–8 72 levels · 3 tracks
• 

  20 free levels

  Logic & Puzzles

  Mirror Maze

  Bend a beam of light with mirrors to light up every crystal — in the right order.

  3–8 48 levels · 2 tracks
• 

  30 free levels

  Coding

  Robot Routes

  Snap together arrow, repeat and dance blocks to guide Bolt the robot home.

  K–6 72 levels · 3 tracks
• 

  20 free levels

  Coding

  Bug Detective

  A robot program almost works. Run it, spot the buggy block, and fix it.

  2–8 48 levels · 2 tracks
• 

  90 free levels

  English

  Memory Lanterns

  Flip glowing lanterns to find pairs that belong together.

  PS–8 216 levels · 9 tracks
• 

  20 free levels

  Mathematics

  Shape Picnic

  Set up Olly's picnic by putting every shape on its matching outline.

  PS–K 48 levels · 2 tracks
• 

  20 free levels

  Mathematics

  Sorting House

  Help tidy Olly's house: every block goes in the room where it belongs.

  PS–1 48 levels · 2 tracks
• 

  30 free levels

  Mathematics

  Function Factory

  Feed the machine, crack its rule and predict what comes out.

  4–8 72 levels · 3 tracks
• 

  3D 10 free levels

  Mathematics

  Shadow Sculptor

  Stack cubes under three lamps until every shadow matches the outline.

  2–8 48 levels · 2 tracks

More: Logic puzzle games · All logic games