Task T1
Set up
Place the Group instructions, six drinking straws and some sellotape or blue tack on the table
Group Instructions
Using the six drinking straws on your table, you are required to make a shape of exactly four equilateral triangles. No straw can be cut and only one person can hold any of the straws at any time. All straws must be used!
Supervision Instructions
If more than one person is holding the straws intervene and remind them of the instructions
Solution
The only way they can achieve this is with a 3d model.
Task T2
Set up
Place the Group instructions and a pair of scissors on the table
Group Instructions
Cut out the five individual shapes in the puzzle below. Then place the five pieces of paper together to form a perfect square.
Supervision Instructions
None
Solution
Task T3
Set up
Place the Group instructions on the table. There are no additional items for this task
Group Instructions
How do you get ten horses into nine stables?
Supervision Instructions
None
Solution
T E N H O R S E S
Task T4
Set up
Place the Group instructions on the table. There are no additional items for this task
Group Instructions
Change the position of just one of the words below so that all the words are in an alphabetical sequence:
llama phoenix hyena alligator beaver elephant tortoise antelope
Supervision Instructions
None – do not give the group any clues at all
Solution
Solution you move antelope to the beginning and the initials spell alphabet. (groups read the question as alphabetical order)
Task T5
Set up
Place the Group instructions on the table. Set up the four straws and object (any item) in the format shown below.
Group Instructions
Here is a glass made of straws. You are to move two straws only to get the object out of the glass without breaking the glass.
At the end you must still have an intact glass. Only one person can touch the straws at any moment in time. You cannot cut or bend the straws
After each attempt you have to return the puzzle to its original shape as shown below
Supervision Instructions
You may need to reset the shape from time to time or remind the group that only one person can touch the straws.
Solution
Task T6
Set up
Place the Group instructions on the table. Place six straws on the table.
Group Instructions
Place six straws so that each straw is in touch with all the other five straws. Only one person can touch the straws at any moment in time. You cannot cut or bend the straws.
Supervision Instructions
You may need to remind the group that only one person can touch the straws.
Solution
Task T7
Set up
Place the Group instructions on the table. Set up the four straws and object (any item) in the format shown below.
Group Instructions
Can you move one straw to make a square?
Only one person can touch the straws at any moment in time.
You cannot cut or bend the straws. After each attempt you have to return the puzzle to its original shape as shown below
Supervision Instructions
You may need to reset the shape from time to time or remind the group that only one person can touch the straws.
Solution
Task T8
Set up
Place the Group instructions on the table.
Group Instructions
Can you move one straw to make four triangles?
Only one person can touch the straws at any moment in time. You cannot cut or bend the straws.
After each attempt you have to return the puzzle to its original shape as shown below.
Supervision Instructions
You may need to reset the shape from time to time or remind the group that only one person can touch the straws.
Solution
Task D1
Set up
Place the Group instructions on the table. The group also need a full bottle of water, sellotape and 10-12 sheets of A4 paper.
Group Instructions
You are required to balance the bottle you are given at least twelve inches off the table for a period of at least ten seconds. You may use any materials in the room to enable you to balance the bottle but you may not use any of the furniture.
Supervision Instructions
You will need to act as judge once they believe they have the bottle balanced checking both the time and height requirements.
Hints
It is easier if the group gets someone to drink the water in the bottle to reduce the weight. If they use their initiative eg look around for other items, books, bags etc they can come up with a solution quite quickly.
Task D2
Set up
Place the Group instructions on the table. You need to have a group of at least ten people.
Group Instructions
The group is required to line up in the order of their birth month and the date of their birth within that month. The earliest in the year (January to December) should be at the front of the line, the latest should be at the back of the line.
If more than one person is born in a month, you also need to organise yourself by date with the 1st at the front and the 31st at the back of that month’s group.
The group can speak for five minutes to plan how the group is going to carry out this task but at that time you must not communicate your birth month or date.
After five minutes the group can start to line up. Once you start to line up only one person may speak at a time and they can only say one word.
You cannot communicate with each other in any other way other than by speaking. When you think you have it right you should raise your hands and your line up will be checked.
Supervision Instructions
You will need to act as timekeeper and checker.
Hints
This task requires participants to listen and react as well as speak. When one person says a month, the others born that month should go and stand by them.
Task D3
Set up
Place the Group instructions on the table. You need to have a group of at least eight people.
Group Instructions
You must think of an animal and write it down on the post it note and conceal the note on your person. Your group must then organise themselves to line up in size order with the smallest animal at the front and the largest at the back. You can only communicate your animal by actions. There is to be no talking at all between animals.
The group can speak for five minutes to plan how the group is going to carry out this task but at that time you must not communicate what animal you are going to be.
Once you are lined up raise your hands, your post its will be checked by the observer and you will be told whether you are in order or not.
If you are not in order you must try again.
Supervision Instructions
You will need to act as timekeeper and checker.
Hints
This task requires participants to watch each other and react to what they see. They also need to put effort in to acting out their animal.
Task D4
Set up
Place the Group instructions on the table.
Each group should have a roll of sellotape, 30 straws and 20 pieces of A4 paper plus a sweet.
Group Instructions
You have to build the tallest tower possible but there must be a sweet supported on the top of the tower.
You can only use the materials on the table.
Supervision Instructions
You will need to act as timekeeper and checker.
Hints