Can you solve it? Are you cut out for these puzzling slices?

The Puzzling Grid: Can You Crack the Code?

In a mind-bending challenge, renowned mathematician Ian Stewart has created three puzzling puzzles that will put your problem-solving skills to the test. From slicing up a square grid into identical pieces to dividing pizzas among five people, these brain teasers require lateral thinking and spatial reasoning.

The first puzzle presents a 33-cell grid with three missing corner cells. The goal is to cover the entire grid using 11 of Ian's specially designed tiles. However, can you make it work? Will you be able to find an alternative solution that meets the challenge?

Next up is another classic geometry puzzle, where a left-hand shape must be dissected into four identical pieces that can be rearranged to form a square. Does your cleverness allow you to break the mold and discover a different way to cut the piece?

But it's not all about angles – in this tasty pizza puzzle, three pizzas are divided among five people, with each person receiving either 3/5, 2/5, or 1/5 of a slice. Is there an efficient way to divide the pies so that everyone gets an equal share?

The clock is ticking – if you can't solve these puzzles before 5 pm UK time, don't worry! The answers will be revealed when Ian Stewart returns to discuss his latest book, "Reaching for the Extreme," a fascinating survey of superlatives. So get ready to flex your math muscles and show off your problem-solving prowess.
 
omg u gotta try these puzzles 🀯 they're so cool! i was stuck on that first one for ages πŸ•°οΈ but then my friend explained it in this super simple way, like we were solving it together mentally... and suddenly it just clicked πŸ’‘ now i'm hooked - who knows what other brain teasers are out there waiting to be cracked? πŸ˜„
 
πŸ€” these puzzles sound like so much fun to solve, you know? i mean, who doesn't love a good brain teaser? πŸ€“ i'm a bit worried that some people might get frustrated if they can't crack the code on time tho... 😬 we should all just take a deep breath and remember that it's okay not to have an answer right away. maybe instead of trying to figure out the solution, we could just enjoy the process of thinking creatively and seeing how far we can stretch our minds? πŸ’‘
 
🀯 I've been thinking about this... is it even possible to truly 'crack' these codes? Or are we just playing with the illusion of control? The more I think about it, the more I realize that solving these puzzles isn't about finding a single, definitive answer - it's about understanding the patterns and relationships between things. It's like trying to grasp a handful of sand - no matter how hard you squeeze, it slips right through your fingers πŸŒ€πŸ’‘
 
OMG u gotta try these puzzles 🀯 they're soooo challenging I've seen some of the solvers on online forums and let me tell u it's not as easy as it looks the first puzzle is like, super tricky with the tiles but once u get the hang of it it's all about spatial reasoning πŸ’‘ i think i might have cracked the second one myself lol but don't ask me to explain how cuz i'm still working on it πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ the pizza puzzle is pretty cool tho i feel bad for those who can't divide the slices equally cuz life isn't always fair rn
 
OMG, I'm like totally stoked about this puzzle thingy! I mean, 11 tiles to cover a 33-cell grid? Sounds like a challenge for the ultimate math whiz! 🀯 I've tried it and, tbh, it's way harder than it looks. Can't wait for Ian Stewart's book, "Reaching for the Extreme" - gotta get my hands on that ASAP! πŸ’‘ Also, pizza puzzles? Genius! Who doesn't love a good slice of math with their dinner? πŸ•πŸ€“
 
I'm gonna say that 11 tiles are way too many for a 33-cell grid 🀯 I mean, think about it, you'd have some serious wasted space and it's just not gonna cut it, no matter how clever you get with the tile placement...
 
Ugh, good luck with that πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ. I mean, who actually has the time or mental energy to solve these puzzles? The guy's trying to test our sanity, if you ask me 🀯. A 33-cell grid? That's just a recipe for disaster (or boredom). And don't even get me started on the pizza puzzle – like, what's next? Asking people to enjoy equal shares of their meals? πŸ˜’. I'm sticking to my Netflix binge-watching schedule, thanks.
 
πŸ€―πŸ“οΈπŸ˜… Distracted Boyfriend irl: πŸ™ˆπŸ’­
πŸ‘€πŸ’ΈπŸ• "Math problems are like pizza, but with less sauce"
πŸ—‚οΈπŸ”©οΈπŸ’£ I'm too busy trying to solve these puzzles to do my taxes
 
Ugh, this is gonna be so easy I'll be bored outta my mind πŸ™„. I mean, who hasn't figured out how to divide pizzas among five people already? It's not like it's some kinda super brain-twister or anything... and another thing, what's with the 33-cell grid puzzle? Can't we just use a calculator for that one? πŸ˜‚ Don't get me wrong, I'm all about lateral thinking and spatial reasoning and all that jazz... but come on, these puzzles are so straightforward. Give me something with some real math problems to sink my teeth into... like, say, a graph theory question or something πŸ€”.
 
I mean, I'm still stuck on this whole online shopping thing... remember when you'd have to physically go to a store to buy something? πŸ›οΈ Anyway, these puzzles are kinda like those old geometry problems from school. You know, the ones where you'd be like "oh no, I gotta figure out how to fit all these shapes together without it being too messy"? πŸ˜‚ It's like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube but with math! 🧩 Can't say I'm super stoked about figuring this stuff out, though. My brain just wants to sit back and binge-watch Netflix instead of thinking about spatial reasoning πŸ“Ί
 
πŸ€” I love brain teasers like these! They're like a fun little workout for your brain 🧠. The puzzles seem pretty challenging, but that's what makes them so intriguing, right? πŸ˜„ I'm especially stoked about the pizza puzzle - who doesn't love pizza?! πŸ• It's great that Ian Stewart has created these puzzles to test our problem-solving skills. I'm definitely going to give it a try and see if I can crack the code! πŸ’‘
 
omg, i'm loving this 😍 gotta say, these puzzles are giving me major brain twister vibes 🀯 but u know what's even more amazing? the fact that they're making us think outside the box (or in this case, the grid) πŸ“ˆ it's all about finding those hidden patterns and connections. personally, i'm rooting for someone to crack the code on that 33-cell grid - i mean, who doesn't love a good puzzle challenge? πŸ’‘
 
I just love puzzles like these πŸ€”πŸ‘ they're so cleverly designed to test our brains! I mean, who doesn't love a good brain teaser? 😊 Ian Stewart's puzzles are super challenging, but that's what makes them so satisfying when you finally figure one out. Plus, it's awesome how he's sharing these with us for free – what a generous guy, right? πŸ’–

I'm already thinking about how I'd approach the first puzzle πŸ€”... 33-cell grid, three missing corner cells, and 11 special tiles to cover it all up. Hmm... might need to break out my favorite coffee mug and get cozy while I try to crack this one πŸ”πŸ‘€
 
πŸ€” This is actually kinda cool! I mean, who doesn't love a good brain teaser? The idea that Ian Stewart has designed these puzzles with specific solutions in mind makes it even more interesting - like he's created these little mathematical doors for us to discover.

Personally, I think the pizza puzzle is probably gonna be the toughest one. I mean, 3/5 of a slice just doesn't seem right... we're all about fairness here! But you never know, maybe there's some clever way to make it work. Either way, it's always fun trying to figure these things out.

I'm actually curious to see how many people can solve the puzzles before 5 pm UK time - it'll be interesting to compare our problem-solving skills... or lack thereof!
 
This is gonna be so much fun πŸ€”! I love brain teasers like this - they're like a workout for my brain. But, gotta say, these puzzles seem pretty challenging... I mean, 11 tiles to cover a 33-cell grid? That's some crazy math right there πŸ“. I'm curious to see if there's more than one way to solve 'em, but at the same time, I'm thinking "is this just a clever trick to make us feel smart?" 😏.

I'm also a bit skeptical about the pizza puzzle - seems like it'd be pretty hard to divide them up evenly... unless you're willing to get creative with fractions 🀯. But hey, that's what makes puzzles so great - they keep us on our toes! Can't wait to see if I can crack the code πŸ’‘
 
I love puzzles like this πŸ€”. You know, I've always been fascinated by how our brains work when it comes to figuring out problems. I think these puzzles are great because they're not just about the answers, but about the process of thinking through them. My grandkids are always asking me for help with math stuff, and these types of puzzles would be perfect for us to work on together! πŸ‘΅πŸ»πŸ’‘
 
I'm so done with puzzles that just divide things equally lol 🀯 I mean, who needs simplicity when you can have a brain twister like this? The pizza one is literally a microcosm of our society - everyone wants an equal share but the distribution isn't possible without someone getting more than others. It's like we're trying to solve for x where no one knows what x is πŸ€”. I'm loving that Ian Stewart is pushing these puzzles out, though - it's about time we put our problem-solving skills to the test! πŸ’ͺ
 
omg i love these puzzles 🀯! the pizza one is so unfair lol who gets 3/5 slice? that's like, half a pie πŸ˜‚ but for real, i think it's doable with some creative thinking... maybe we can get away with dividing into smaller groups or something? πŸ€” as for the grid puzzle, 11 tiles seem like a lot to cover 33 cells tho... might need to use some clever patterns πŸ“ˆ and what's up with the shape cutting puzzle? sounds like a classic, but i love a good brain twister 😎 let's get solving! πŸ’‘
 
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