Each number star needs to be placed in a series of 3 lines, each line having 3 stars, like a grid. The tricky part is that the numbers on each row, column and diagonal all need to add up to 15.
When it’s ready, Wilfred the Wizard must make his way across a Magic Square and cast a number of spells on each star. Whenever he gets to the end of each row all the number of spells must add up to 15.
Can your child help Wilfred save the day by working out which numbers go where in the Magic Square?
Summary:
Time: 10 minutes
Age: Big kids
Difficulty to solve: Maths puzzle is a little tricky
Skill: Adding three numbers, logic
You will need:
- Card
- Shiny star stickers – big and little ones
- Pens
- Dotty stickers (coloured circles)
- A wizard toy figure
Step 1: Make the game board
Draw some swirly lines on a piece of card to make a magical background.
Then stick on some little gold stars in 3 lines of 3. You should have 9 stars altogether to make a square. Your number stars will be placed on top of each of these smaller gold stars.
Step 2: Make some number stars
Stick some circle stickers onto 9 large star shapes. Write the numbers 1 to 9 on each one.
Step 3: Set up the game board
To set up the Magic Square game, place the numbered stars 2, 6, 5 and 4 on the board, in the positions shown in the photograph here. Place the wizard on the board and give your child the remaining numbered stars.
To help Wilfred crack the magic square, they must work out where to place all the remaining numbers so that each line adds up to 15 – horizontally, vertically and diagonally. Once all the numbers are in the correct place and each line adds up to 15, then Wilfred can break the curse and save the day.
Solve the first row
Your child can start with the top line of stars, where they have two of the three numbers in place already. There is a 2 and a 6 on the top horizontal line. Can they work out what number is missing so that all the stars add up to 15?
If they need a helping hand, ask them to first add up 2 and 6. That makes 8. How many more do they need to count on to get to 15? You could give them 15 little counters to help them work out the answer. The missing number is 7.
Solve the first column
Once your child has put the number 7 in place on the top row, ask them which row they could work out next. The horizontal line running down the middle of the square now has 2 numbers in place. So this is the one they should look at next.
Again, give them 15 counters to help them add up the 7 and 5 already in place to make 12, and work out how many more they need to get to 15. Once they’ve worked out that the missing number is 3 they can pop that in place.
Solve the second row
Now the horizontal line at the bottom has 2 numbers in place. Which one is missing so all three add up to 15? Once your child has worked out that it is 8 they can pop this in place on their magic square.
Solve the remaining columns
Now there are just two more lines to solve and each already has 2 numbers in place. Can your child find the last 2 missing numbers so that each line adds up to 15?
Now all the numbers are in place your child can go over it again to double check that each line adds up to 15. They can take the wizard and make him hop along each line, down each line and across the diagonal lines, adding up the numbers as he moves along to make sure they total 15.
If it’s solved then Wilfred has won and the goblin’s curse can be lifted!
Play again with a different number lay out
You can set up the game board again by placing the numbers 4, 2, 5 and 8 on the board in the spaces shown. Can they work out the rest of the missing numbers in the square?
And again with a third number layout
You can play yet again by setting up the board with the numbers 6, 2, 5 and 4 in the positions shown. Again your child must work out the missing numbers so each line adds up to 15.
There are 8 solutions to this magic square
Each solution is a reflection or rotation of the same pattern. You can set up the game by placing the middle number (5) and any other 3 of the numbers in the below grids on the board. Can your child work out the rest?
Here are the 8 solutions to this Magic Square puzzle:
Can your child help Wilfred the Wizard break the curse by solving the Magic Square puzzle?
