Gridding Puzzles

This weekend I’ve created something I used to enjoy way back when I was a teen. Puzzle magazines used to have grid puzzles where the grid squares were all rearranged. It was the solver’s job to put them back in order by redrawing each square carefully in the right place according to a letter-number combination.

I’m about to cover the elements and principles of design in my graphic design class. I think that grid puzzles might be the most engaging way for students not only to understand line and shape better, but to become more observant and better artists. Some of my students claim they cannot draw at all and I hope to demonstrate to them that they can.

Here are the puzzles with instructions. I hope others can use them too – they took a long time to make!

Gridding Puzzle: Lines

Transfer the puzzle pieces from the puzzle sheet to the grid. An image will appear.

• Each puzzle piece on the puzzle sheet has a letter/number code under it.
• Find the corresponding letter/number square in the grid.
• Transfer the image on each puzzle piece into its corresponding square on the grid.
  • Draw lines at the edges between black and white.
  • Fill in any black shapes that occur.
  • A dull pencil will work best to create these thick lines.
• Visually measure where lines are placed within a square.
• Try to line up edges of lines as they flow from one square into another.
• Work slowly and craefully. Be as neat and detailed as you can.
• Mark off puzzle pieces on the puzzle sheet as you go.
• Do not trace!

Click on the images below to download and print the puzzle sheet and grid.

Image by Richard Sheppard

[solution]

Gridding Puzzle: Shapes

Transfer the puzzle pieces from the puzzle sheet to the grid. An image will appear.

• Each puzzle piece on the puzzle sheet has a letter/number code under it.
• Find the corresponding letter/number square in the grid.
• Transfer the image on each puzzle piece into its corresponding square on the grid.
  • Draw lines at the edges between black and white.
  • Fill in the black shapes.
  • Pencil works fastest. It also allows you fix mistakes.
  • Leave white squares blank.
  • Fill black squares in completely.
• Visually measure where shapes are placed within a square.
• Try to line up edges of shapes as they flow from one square into another.
• Be as neat and detailed as you can.
• Mark off puzzle pieces on the puzzle sheet as you go.
• Do not trace!

Click on the images below to download and print the puzzle sheet and grid.

[solution]