1. Cut the Cake
Thanks to Mike Anderson for sharing this creative problem solving puzzle that uses
three untied Raccoon Circles.
With sidewalk chalk or masking tape, create a large circle on the
ground, about 10 feet (3 meters) in diameter. This is the outline of a
giant cake.
As shown in the illustration, place seven gumdrops on the cake. The
team uses the three untied Raccoon Circles to
illustrate where three straight cuts can be
made to the cake, creating seven pieces that
each contain one gumdrop. The illustration to the right gives one
possible solution.
As an alternative, make another large circle, and ask the team to
use the three Raccoon Circles to create three lines that effectively
cut the cake into eight pieces. No gumdrops this time. One
solution requires one of the lines to be curved, rather than straight,
as shown here.
If you enjoy this type of puzzle, we invite you to read:
Teambuilding Puzzles, by Jim Cain, Mike Anderson, Chris Cavert
and Tom Heck, 2005, FunDoing Publications
(www.fundoing.com). Visit the Teamwork & Teamplay website for
more information about this book.