Not Tangram

As a kid, I did like puzzles, at least until I discovered Tangram. Few things can be enjoyed on so many levels: It’s simple, reusable, facilitates abstraction and meditation. I don’t know where to stop. I have printed photos onto a tangram square and used it as a miniature puzzle. I have written two Tangram stories, i.e. picture books with few words where each illustration consist of two or three tangram puzzles.

I even saved money and bought Dumont’s New Tangram, which has eight new tangram shapes and comes with beautifully designed puzzles. It was not a success with me, maybe because the pieces were cheaply made, maybe because the design of the pieces felt too arbitrary.

Here now is my own take on a tangram variation. There are five different pieces, for a total of eight, that fit together as a circle.

The curved pieces allow organic puzzles. Here is an easy one:

Compact puzzles are a little harder, but nothing is really difficult:

I think of these pieces more as of means for designs that for puzzles. Here is my favorite so far:

So, go ahead, make your own designs, and write Not Tangram stories. I am done with that. For now.