For teachers and families

Play for teachers

Logic and number puzzles are a good way to practise reasoning out loud: every step has a reason that can be said and checked. This page collects what Play offers for a lesson, on paper and on screen.

PrintPuzzle worksheetsSudoku, Takuzu, Futoshiki, Calcudoku, Skyscrapers, Bridges, Nonogram, Make 24. A4, from easy to expert, one to twelve puzzles per sheet, answer key on separate pages.PrintRule cardsThe rules of all 52 games, one A4 poster or two cards per page, for the board or the classroom wall.On screenToday's set as a warm-upFive puzzles a day, the same for everyone. Monday is the lightest day, so it suits the start of the week.

A 40-minute lesson with one puzzle game

This outline works with any worksheet game. Takuzu, Futoshiki and Skyscrapers suit a first lesson because their rules fit in two sentences.

5 minRuleShow the rule card on the board, or open the game and play its guided first puzzle together.
5 minTogetherSolve the first few cells as a class. After each one ask: how do we know it goes there?
20 minIn pairsHand out the worksheet, one pencil per pair. A number goes in only when the pair can say why.
7 minExplainTwo pairs show one step each and name the reason: “the only place in this row”, “the sign rules out 1”.
3 minCheckCheck with the answer key. For homework, the same game's daily puzzle.

On the board: guided starts and teaching hints

Guided first puzzle

These games teach their rule in three short steps the first time they are opened, and again from the “Guided start” button. Each step asks for one move and explains a wrong one.

Akari Bridges Hitori Tents Takuzu Queens Skyscrapers Calcudoku

Hints that teach

In these games the first press of “Hint” only points: it highlights a row, column or box and asks a question, for example “one of its missing digits fits only one cell there; which digit, and where?”. The second press shows the number and explains why it must go there, so a pupil can stop after the first.

Sudoku Futoshiki Skyscrapers Calcudoku

What each kind of game practises

Logic puzzles 15 gamesDeduction: placing only what can be proved, ruling out cases, checking every rule at once.Sudoku Takuzu Tents
Spatial puzzles 7 gamesVisualising moves before making them and planning several steps ahead.Tower of Hanoi Colour Sort Pipe Network
Number games 5 gamesMental arithmetic and the four operations, used to reach a target rather than practised in isolation.Make 24 Target Number Quick Maths
Word games 4 gamesSpelling, vocabulary and letter patterns, in Turkish and in English.Five Letters Word Search Cipher Quote
Memory and attention 9 gamesWorking memory and sustained attention, in rounds of one to three minutes.Number Memory N-Back Colour or Word
Strategy 8 gamesPlanning against an opponent: what will the other side do after my move?Mangala Four in a Row Reversi
Arcade 4 gamesReaction and hand–eye coordination. Better as a short reward than as lesson content.Snake Block Drop Brick Breaker

Pupils' data

No accounts. Pupils do not sign up or type a name or e-mail address anywhere in Play.
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Records stay on the device. Best times and streaks are kept in the browser of the device used. Every game page has a button that deletes that game's records; on shared computers, clearing the browser's site data removes them all.
Worksheets are made locally. Nothing about the sheets you make is sent anywhere.

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