Balance Quest is a new mathematical puzzle created by Whit McMahan, who lives in Tennessee.
I think this puzzle would be great for algebra teachers to use in their classrooms when teaching addition of signed numbers.

Each puzzle contains a large grid comprised of grey and white cells - some are pre-filled with numbers, others are empty.   Your task is to fill every empty cell with a positive or negative integer in such a way so that each white cell's value equals the sum of its adjoining half-height cells.   When complete, each Balance Quest puzzle grid will "balance" itself in such a way so that the four center cells surrouding the center "zero cell" will always add up to zero.   Each puzzle has one, and only one, unique solution.

There are three alternative puzzle grid sizes to suit the player, determined by the number of rectangles in the shaded regions, either: 16, 32, or 64.   Therefore, the three available puzzle grid sizes are:
“BQ Sixteen” (small-grid)
“BQ Thirty-two” (medium-grid)
“BQ Sixty-four” (large-grid)

There are four rules that must be followed in every Balance Quest puzzle:
(1) The grey cells must include all integers between -16 and 16, except zero
      (for the Balance Quest Thirty-two Puzzle).
      In the Balance Quest Sixteen puzzle, the grey cells must include all integers
      between -8 and 8, except zero.
      In the Balance Quest Sixty-four puzzle, the grey cells must include all integers
      between -32 and 32, except zero.
(2) No number can be repeated within any of the grey cells.
(3) No number can be repeated within any of the white cells.
(4) The number in each white cell must equal the sum of its adjoining half-height cells.
      Note: The center "zero cell" is always the sum of all four of its adjacent cells.
            All other number are equal to the sum of its two adjacent cells.



Menu

Introduction to Balance Quest

Instructions for Balance Quest Sixteen (small - grid)
Balance Quest Sixteen Easy Puzzles (#1 - 3)
Balance Quest Sixteen Easy Puzzles (#1 - 3) Solutions
Balance Quest Sixteen Intermediate Puzzles (#34 - 36)
Balance Quest Sixteen Intermediate Puzzles (#34 - 36) Solutions
Balance Quest Sixteen Intermediate Puzzles (#37 - 39)
Balance Quest Sixteen Intermediate Puzzles (#37 - 39) Solutions
Balance Quest Sixteen Challenging Puzzles (#67 - 69)
Balance Quest Sixteen Challenging Puzzles (#67 - 69) Solutions
Balance Quest Sixteen Challenging Puzzles (#70 - 72)
Balance Quest Sixteen Challenging Puzzles (#70 - 72) Solutions

Instructions for Balance Quest Thirty-two (medium - grid)
Balance Quest Thirty-two Easy Puzzles (#1 - 2)
Balance Quest Thirty-two Easy Puzzles (#1 - 2) Solutions
Balance Quest Thirty-two Intermediate Puzzles (#51 - 52)
Balance Quest Thirty-two Intermediate Puzzles (#51 - 52) Solutions
Balance Quest Thirty-two Intermediate Puzzles (#53 - 54)
Balance Quest Thirty-two Intermediate Puzzles (#53 - 54) Solutions
Balance Quest Thirty-two Challenging Puzzles (#105 - 106)
Balance Quest Thirty-two Challenging Puzzles (#105 - 106) Solutions

Instructions for Balance Quest Sixty-four (large - grid)
Balance Quest Sixty-four Easy Puzzles (#61 - 64)
Balance Quest Sixty-four Easy Puzzles (#61 - 64) Solutions
Balance Quest Sixty-four Intermediate Puzzles (#65 - 68)
Balance Quest Sixty-four Intermediate Puzzles (#65 - 68) Solutions
Balance Quest Sixty-four Challenging Puzzles (#69 - 71)
Balance Quest Sixty-four Challenging Puzzles (#69 - 71) Solutions

Many thanks to Whit McMahan for giving me permission to share his puzzles with you.