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HINTS AND TIPS

Teaching Puzzle

The first question you need to answer is, "Where to start?" There are eight empty spaces. Which is the easiest to figure out? At first glance a bit of logic might suggest that you start with space 8, after all you have been given three hints to that space, more than any other. If you try all the pieces you will find that only two fit into space 8. But actually, there is a better place to begin with, space 3.

The tight little corners can turn right or left, same with the gentle bends. The straights, however, can only go straight ahead. What this means is that there are many fewer straights than corners or bends. If you look at the puzzle you will see that space 3 can only be filled with a tile which has a red straight on it. Only one of those is still available.

But now you have a small problem. Which way does it go? Green corner above the yellow or the other way around? Well, if you put the green corner on the bottom then you have three green segments going into space 8. Impossible. Therefore, the yellow corner must point down. That done, now you have 4 clues to space 8 and only one tile can fit there.

Now that you have three clues to space 7 you should move on to there. You will find that two different tiles which can fit there. Hmmm, what to do. Well, the best thing is to note that no matter which of the two tiles it ends up being, a red segment will go into space 12. Therefore, try to find a piece that fits into space 12 as if a red were already there. Only one piece fits there.

Go back to space 7, only two tiles can fit there. This one or this one. If you try to first one you will find that two tiles now fit into space 11. However, both of those tiles put three segments in space 6, therefore neither are correct and therefore the tile in space 7 is wrong. The former piece must be the correct one for space 7.

There are now only the tiles left. Space 5 requires a yellow corner, there is only one left. Space 1 requires a red corner, there is only one of those left. The last tile must go in space 11.

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