The object of a magic square is to arrange numbers within the cells of the square such that the horizontal rows, the vertical columns, and the two diagonals each add up to the same number called the magic number.   In the magic square below, each image suggests a number.



Magic Number = ______________

Can you solve the magic square?

Hint: You do not necessarily need to determine the number for each picture.   You can use the fact that the sum of each row, each column, and each diagonal is the same number, and that will help you determine the numbers for the images that you cannot identify.

Please send your answer as a 5 x 5 array of numbers along with the magic number.

Click here for a Printer Version of the Magic Square


Solution to the Problem:

The magic number is 60.



0 = Zero Mostel (actor)
1 = Foam #1 Finger
2 = U2 (band)
3 = Three-Ring Circus
4 = Tetris game pieces (all made of 4 blocks)

5 = Great Lakes
6 = Hex Gameboard
7 = Mickey Mantle's uniform number
8 = Tentacles of an octopus
9 = Players on the baseball field

10 = Alexander Hamilton on the Ten Dollar Bill
11 = Football players in a huddle
12 = Numbers on a clock
13 = Baker's dozen
14 = President Wilson's 14 Points

15 = Number of billiard balls in the game of 8-Ball
16 = Sixteen Candles (movie)
17 = Stalag 17 (movie)
18 = Peyton Manning's uniform number
19 = 19th Nervous Breakdown (song by the Rolling Stones)

20 = 20 Questions, Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral
21 = Blackjack (also called 21)
22 = Catch-22 (movie)
23 = Lebron James' uniform number
24 = 4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie


Correctly solved by:

1. Ivy Joseph Pune, Maharashtra, India
2. Anna M. Crabtree MCC Penn Valley,
Kansas City, Missouri
3. Sarah and Eric Harding Fort Collins, Colorado
4. Michael Cotter North Salem, New York
5. Brijesh Dave Mumbai City, Maharashtra, India
6. Jonathan Punke Joliet Central High School,
Joliet, Illinois
7. Adalene Thomas Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
8. Kaytri Flint Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
9. Linzy Carpenter Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
10. Caleb Frazier Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
11. Claire Corbasson Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado