How to Create Cube Puzzles & Crosswords

Create your own number puzzles using online programs.

Creating crossword and cube puzzles has never been easier. The Internet offers many programs that require users to merely enter in basic information about formatting and content, and the programs do the rest. You can create Sudoku and math cube puzzles, crossword and word search puzzles and even 3D puzzles such as virtual imitation of the Rubik's cube, and origami or Lego Soma Cube puzzles.

Instructions

1. 

   Make your own crossword puzzles easily using Discovery Education's Puzzlemaker program.

   Go to Discovery Education's Puzzlemaker website to make a crossword puzzle. Right-click on the Criss-Cross button. Enter the title of your crossword puzzle, which will appear on the top of the page with your puzzle on it. Enter the amount of squares high and wide you would like the puzzle to be, then choose the size of the squares. Lastly, enter one word followed by a space, then the question or descriptive clue per line to create the crossword questions. Hit "Create My Puzzle." You will now have a printable crossword puzzle using the words and formatting you have chosen. To save the puzzle for later printing, go to "File" in the upper-left-hand corner of your browser, then right click "Save Page As," then name the file for later use.

2. 

   Cube math puzzles can be created online.

   Visit Discovery Education's Puzzlemaker website to make a cube puzzle. Right-click on Math Squares. Enter the puzzle's name to be displayed on the top of the page with the puzzle on it. Enter the amount of squares wide and high you want the puzzle to be, then choose either to have the numbers calculate from left to right or using Natural Order Precedence, with multiplication and division before addition and subtraction. Lastly, choose whether or not you want the instructions to solving the puzzle displayed on the page with the puzzle. Right click on the "Create My Puzzle" button. You now have a printable puzzle; you can save it for later printing.

3. 

   Create and print out your own Sudoku puzzles.

   Visit EdHelper's website, which has numerous puzzle-making choices. EdHelper creates puzzles in the same manner as Discovery Education, prompting the input of characteristics and digits for the puzzles. EdHelper offers creation programs for square word search and math puzzles in addtion to square Sudoku, Kakuro, Masyu, and Hidato puzzles. EdHelpers also offers programs to create word and number crossword puzzles.

4. 

   The Soma Cube Game has seven pieces and 240 solutions.

   Create the Soma Cube Game at home using origami, Legos and other square pieces glued together. The Soma Cube uses seven game pieces made out of four cubes each and one piece with only three cubes. There are 240 ways to combine these seven pieces to make a cube.

5. 

   With technology, you can make your own virtual 3D puzzles similar to the Rubik's Cube.

   Visit the Ultimate Magic Cube website to create a Rubik's cube-like puzzle using technology. This site has a downloadable program which allows players to create 3D geometric images, with colors, cut up in any number of ways, and also allows you to solve the cube like a Rubik's cube.

Tips & Warnings

• Although Discovery Education's Puzzlemaker website recommended the use of Netscape or Internet Explorer browsers for its puzzlemaker program, I used the Firefox browser to make the puzzles without any compatibility issues whatsoever.

References

• Puzzles.com: Soma Cube
• Discovery Education Puzzlemaker: Criss-Cross Puzzle
• Discovery Education Puzzlemaker: Math Squares
• EdHelper: Make and Create Your Own Printable Puzzles
• Ultimate Magic Cube

Resources

• Discovery Education: Puzzlemaker