Tangrams- Period Puzzles for Your Players

As a Gamemaster, I love to move story forward through handouts. From thank you notes and invitations to city maps and spellbooks, physically handing props to players adds an extra layer of immersion to the game. Whenever I can, I make paper props so players and their player characters can examine clues together. The props move story and challenge players to look deeper. Today and next Friday, I’m looking at a terrific period puzzle ready to be solved by perceptive players.

In the early1800s, a simple yet challenging style of Chinese puzzle, called the Tangram, fascinated European minds. Requiring little translation, and only seven pieces of paper cut into specific geometric shapes, anyone could try it.  Tangram enthusiasts bought books full of puzzles ready to be solved. 

The seven tangram pieces arranged in a square

Most Tangrams use the same basic puzzle pieces, usually cut out of paper: five right triangles (two large, one medium, and two small), one square and one parallelogram. These seven pieces can be arranged into thousands of combinations. A tangram puzzle shows the outline of a shape made from a specific arrangement of the seven pieces. To solve, replicate the silhouette in the puzzle using every piece, without overlapping.

Tangram Puzzles…

… and Their Answers

The simplicity of a tangram puzzle makes a great handout. If the PC’s need to solve a tangram in game, why not give the players a shot at it out of game? A google search provides the template for the pieces ready to print, and more puzzles than you will ever need. Give the players the seven pieces and the silhouette they need to make, and watch them work it out.

Not all players enjoying solving puzzles and some Tangram are harder than other, so PC’s attempting to solve a Tangram can try a skill or attribute test at the GM’s discretion. The GM should be very lenient in letting the player pick a skill to use on the puzzle. We’re having fun here, not trying to get it right.

Accounting, Ad-hoc Repair, Conceal, Concentration, Craft, Engineer, Inscription, Perception, Science, and Tactics, are all acceptable, but a Wits or Resolve roll works too. Talents indicating their ability to think outside the box (Such Deduction, Eurkea!, Mathematical Mind, and They Thought You Were Mad!) give 1 automatic success each. For each net success on the test the GM places one piece of the puzzle in its correct position, (preferably an important piece revealing the solution).

This week we looked at solving Tangrams physically at the table, next week we’ll look at their history, and using Tangrams in Victoriana adventures.