Call someone over. Arrange your matches to look like a cow as per the photo. Some people may think it looks like a dog or a reindeer. You decide what to call it.
Turning Heads
The best puzzles aren’t complicated, revealing their simple twist to solve the equation. Try this out with some matches to create what may or may not look like a cow.
You:
The cow has a head, horns, body, legs and a tail. It’s looking to the left. Now … can you move only two matches so that the whole cow is looking to the right?
Give them time to try out options.
Point out the body parts again, like they’ve missed something. Then simply move the two face matches from pointing left to pointing right, as per the photo.
You:
You need to think 3D, not 2D …
Some extra lines you can try
- Solved… in two simple moooves.
- The solution to this always turns heads.
- Hang on, is that a cow or a dog?
Try the same puzzle out with as many different animals as you can get away with. How many animals can you pass this design off as?
Or if you want to get elaborate, place the cow design between two pieces of glass and rotate it around to face the other way.
You:
There, I did it in only one move.
What do cows drink?
You almost got me there… water.
Is this what is meant by match making a cow?
I can see I have met my match once again.
What else can you do that is moooving with matches?
Check out the Coolfidence site – there are lots of cool matchstick ideas to try out.
Give Roman Matches a go here as well. Also, check out Match Pyramid and Match Moves.
- When you want to mooove people.
- When you want to make people smile.
- When you want to have some good ‘ol cow fun.
- The breakfast table
- The office canteen
- Team building events
- Mentoring
- Socializing at the pub
- A box of matches and a flat surface
- Lay your matches on the table and create your cow, looking left.
- Practice keeping a straight face.
- Just have fun.
type type
Do It Yourself (DIY)
material material
some matches and a table
size size
matches fit in your pocket
durability durability
don’t go burning any sacred cows and this will last a while
source source
the ether
time to impact time to impact
pretty much there and then
size of audience size of audience
one-on-one or a small group
possible health risk possible health risk
you could get a few curious looks
reusable how many times you can use it
just once
training needed training needed
piece of cake
AVERAGE COOLFIDENCE RATING