So there may be a few readers out there who can actually solve a Rubik’s cube. I for one am not one of them.

As a kid growing up I always had one, and the only way I knew how to solve it was to disassemble it and put it back together the right way – not exactly a challenge.

I have recently seen some videos online that show how to solve the cube with fancy algorithms etc, but I must say, even after watching a couple of them I still don’t get it. I guess I just don’t have the right brain for it – fair enough.

Now there is a new spherical version that is about to be released this summer. I wonder if it will have the staying power and develop the cult following of its predecessor. One things for sure, I will probably at some point own one, and I will also probably never be able to solve it.

Guess what! Its Friday, and here is another 4×4 Hidato puzzle. I know what you’re thinking, Scott, that isnt on a post-it!! Well you got me there – I thought I would mix it up a little this week.

I am actually quite surprised with myself – this is the third week in a row that I have done my weekly hidato puzzle. Woo Hoo!

This weeks puzzle has at least 2 solutions (maybe more), see how many you can find.

Okay folks, Here is the second installment of my weekly Hidato Puzzle. There are at least 2 solutions to this one, see if you can find them both (there may be more too). (I put this one on a blue post-it to mix it up a little)

I read that these puzzles are supposed to have both the first and last number given – whoops, my bad for last week. Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.

It seems that quite a few of my readers like Hidato puzzles. As a result, I have decided to try and add a weekly Hidato puzzle to the site every Friday. As I will create them on a post-it, I’ll call them it “Friday’s Post-it Kidato”.

Originally I thought about creating them electronically, but then was worried it would make this site seem too much like all the other sites out there. I am hoping that my scribbles onto a post-it note make things come across as a bit more whimsical and fun.

Feel free to leave a comment with your found solutions! Now here is our first puzzle, how many paths can you find?

Hidato Rules
The idea of Hidato is to connect all the given numbers with consecutive numbers. Numbers must be adjacent to each other and can connect either vertically, diagonally, or horizontally. All spaces in the grid must be complete – in this cases, #’s 1 through 16.

A few weeks ago I posted about a Hidato puzzle from Discover Magazine and how I had found an extra solution not noted in the magazine, making 5 total solutions not the originally noted 4. (See my original Hidato post here, along with the reader comments)

Shortly after my post I had a comment posted by “matt” noting an extra spot where the 16 could fall, with the solution. (The location being the third spot in the top row)

Wow, a 6th solution to the original problem.

Then, just the other day, “JM” left a comment noting 5 more solutions all placing the 16 in that third spot. So, at least at this point, there are a total of 6 possible locations for the #16, with at least 6 total solutions placing the 16 in that third spot.

For such a new blog, I am surprised I have had so many comments posted on this topic – I love it! Keep them coming!

If you have any other possible answers to this puzzle, please send them over! I am curious to see if there are any other solutions. I can’t find any, but I am far from a puzzle expert.

I was reading the November 2008 issue of Discover Magazine. I really enjoy this magazine and find it quite interesting, even though many of the concepts they discuss are far beyond my level of education.

Discover has a section titled “Mind Games” where thy list various puzzles etc. This month they focused on the relatively new number puzzle “Hidato”. The idea is to connect all the given numbers with consecutive numbers. Numbers must be adjacent to each other connecting either vertically, diagonally, or horizontally.

One of their puzzles provided this example, and asked how many possible locations are there for the missing #16.

Hidato Puzzle - Click to Enlarge

The very first location I discovered, did not appear in their solutions. They state there are four different possible squares where the #16 can be placed. Ahh, they were wrong. There are at least 5! Here is their answer:

Hidato Puzzle Answers - Click to Enlarge

Here is my 5th solution they didn’t think of!

Hidato Extra Solution

Doesn’t this make me feel smart! (I am not posting this to say “in your face discover” – I actually love the magazine and have a subscription. I just thought, hey, this is something I can write about )