To Crack the Code: Creative Math Challenges Ahead of 2026.
Math enthusiasts, rejoice! The clock is ticking towards 2026, and in celebration, a puzzle master has set your mind to work on deciphering numerical enigmas. This challenge comes with a warning: the only tools at your disposal are four basic operations (+, –, x, ÷), brackets, exponentiation, concatenation, and some creative thinking.
First up is an expression equal to 26 using six 1s. The solution lies in clever use of parentheses and multiplication: (1+1)×(1+1+11). Similarly, other challenges beckon with tantalizing clues like this one, each requiring the solver to think outside the box.
We find five different approaches to cracking the code, including:
- Six 9s used in a single expression
- Six 8s combined using multiplication and exponentiation
- A trio of six 7s added together in a clever way
- Six 6s that yield the desired result with some nifty use of brackets
- Four 5s paired up in an intricate calculation
- And finally, a bonus challenge involving... well, let's just say it's not a partridge in a pair tree.
Solutions to these enigmas have been revealed by puzzle enthusiast Inder Taneja. His website, numbers-magic.com, is a treasure trove of mathematical curiosities and logic problems.
If you're ready for more mental gymnastics, feel free to submit your own challenge to this journalist. Who knows what clever puzzles await?
Math enthusiasts, rejoice! The clock is ticking towards 2026, and in celebration, a puzzle master has set your mind to work on deciphering numerical enigmas. This challenge comes with a warning: the only tools at your disposal are four basic operations (+, –, x, ÷), brackets, exponentiation, concatenation, and some creative thinking.
First up is an expression equal to 26 using six 1s. The solution lies in clever use of parentheses and multiplication: (1+1)×(1+1+11). Similarly, other challenges beckon with tantalizing clues like this one, each requiring the solver to think outside the box.
We find five different approaches to cracking the code, including:
- Six 9s used in a single expression
- Six 8s combined using multiplication and exponentiation
- A trio of six 7s added together in a clever way
- Six 6s that yield the desired result with some nifty use of brackets
- Four 5s paired up in an intricate calculation
- And finally, a bonus challenge involving... well, let's just say it's not a partridge in a pair tree.
Solutions to these enigmas have been revealed by puzzle enthusiast Inder Taneja. His website, numbers-magic.com, is a treasure trove of mathematical curiosities and logic problems.
If you're ready for more mental gymnastics, feel free to submit your own challenge to this journalist. Who knows what clever puzzles await?