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Puzzle Peaks10 units · 75 lessons · self-paced

Problem solving you do, not just read about

Puzzle Peaks is about getting from a start to a goal when the way is not obvious. You learn to say what the problem actually is, draw it, take it a step at a time, split a long journey into stages, back out of dead ends, work within limits, and adapt a method that worked before to a problem that looks new. Most exercises have you build the answer yourself.

Start learning Problem SolvingSee all 10 units

What you will practise

  • Understanding the problem

    What you have, what you need, and what you are not allowed to do.

  • Picturing it

    Choosing a map, a list, a table or a sketch that makes the problem easier to see.

  • Step by step

    Taking one move at a time, and splitting a long problem into stages.

  • Strategy and dead ends

    Noticing when a way is not working, and trying a better one.

  • Planning and repair

    Planning within limits, checking the result, and fixing what went wrong.

Try one

From Unit 3, exactly as it appears in the app. In a lesson you would tap your answer and hear why it works, or why not.

A boat must carry a hen, a puppy and some corn across a river. Which picture would help you solve it?

  1. A map of places and roads
  2. A list of every code, in order
  3. A log of each try and what it showed
  4. Tokens to move, one step at a time
Show the answer

Tokens to move, one step at a time

Tokens to move, one step at a time fits: it shows what is left together after each step.

The 10 units

In order, from the first step to the hardest. Each unit is a set of short lessons.

  1. 1Start to Goal6 lessons
  2. 2Know the Problem8 lessons
  3. 3Picture the Problem7 lessons
  4. 4Step By Step8 lessons
  5. 5Split the Journey7 lessons
  6. 6Strategy and Dead Ends8 lessons
  7. 7Limits and Resources7 lessons
  8. 8Plans and Projects8 lessons
  9. 9Explore and Repair7 lessons
  10. 10Adapt and Transfer9 lessons

How a lesson works

  1. Step 1

    See the idea

    A lesson opens by showing you one idea, worked through step by step.

  2. Step 2

    Use it yourself

    Then it is your turn. A wrong answer tells you why, and hints come one at a time.

  3. Step 3

    Keep it

    Ideas come back in later lessons and in your daily workout, so you keep using them.

Questions about Problem Solving

What kind of puzzles are they?
Routes, schedules, river crossings, locks, little machines and plans with limits. Most ask you to build or arrange the answer rather than choose it from a list.
Is it for coding or maths?
Neither specifically. The habits it trains, such as defining the problem, breaking it down and testing your plan, carry over to both, and to everyday problems too.
How long is a lesson?
A lesson is a short run of exercises, and you can stop between any two of them. Your place is kept.
Do I need an account to start?
No. You can start as a guest, and your progress is kept in your browser on that device.

The other worlds

Start Puzzle Peaks today

Break it down, then build the answer. No account needed to begin.

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