Other Questions and Answers from the webmaster for <www.MAZES.com>

Can You Draw Four Straight Lines
through all nine dots
without lifting your pen

and a harder related puzzle
Can you do it with three straight connected lines?

This is a wonderful puzzle that will have you thinking outside the lines. I strongly urge you to work on this puzzle for as long as you can. If you need a hint, scroll down this page only as far as the first hint, then keep trying the puzzle for awhile longer. You'll be glad you did. My hints, if you need them, should help you toward finding the answer on your own. You'll be glad that I didn't just give you the answer.

First Hint:

• Have you ever heard the expression, "thinking outside the box" ?
• For this puzzle, you should literally try to think outside the box.
• Don't scroll down unless you need another hint

Second Hint:

• The only answer to this puzzle starts at any corner.
• Start your first line with dot 1, 3, 7 or 9.
• Why don't you start with 3, like I will further down.
• Don't scroll down unless you need another hint. Try as hard as you can before you scroll down for each additional hint.

Third Hint:

• Your first line can be one of the two main diagonals (or it can be one of the sides of the diagram)
• It's easier to solve if you start by drawing one of the main diagonals.
• Related hint: you will NOT draw the other main diagonal with any of your other lines.
• Why don't you draw your first line from 3 to 7.
• Don't scroll down unless you need another hint

Fourth Hint:

• Look at the diagram showing your first line drawn from 3 to 7
• Can you figure out three more lines that you can draw, starting at point 7, which will go through all the remaining dots?
• The second line can either be horizontal or vertical.
• Don't scroll down unless you need another hint

Fifth Hint:

• Have you ever heard the expression, "thinking outside the box" ?
• For this puzzle, you should literally try to think outside the box.
• Your second line needs to go outside the box.
• Your third and fourth lines will also go outside the box.
• Don't scroll down unless you need another hint
• You really really really really should NOT scroll any further down.

Sixth Hint:

• Your fourth line will end by revisiting where your first line ended.
• In other words, if you started at 3, your fourth line will end at 7.
• Don't scroll down unless you need another hint.
• You have ALL the information you need to solve this puzzle.

Please try and finish solving the puzzle on your own. When you solve it yourself, it is a much more satisfactory feeling than when someone like me tells you how to solve it.

Okay, okay, if you scroll down, I'll give you another hint.
But try to avoid scrolling down to read it if you can.
You'll be glad you did.
Try to finish the puzzle without peeking.

Seventh Hint:

• Let's revisit the first and fifth hints
• Nothing in the puzzle directions forbids going outside the box.
• The second line must leave the square formed by the nine dots.
• Let's make the second line horizontal, going through 8 and 9 to the right of the box (thinking outside the box)
• Imagine your second line on this diagram, continuing from the 7 to the right
• (if you really need to see the second line, it is further down).

Remember, try not to scroll down.
See if you can finish the puzzle without peeking.

Here's the second line:

Try to figure the rest of the puzzle out before you scroll down to see the next step.

Final hints:

• The puzzle says nothing about not crossing lines.
• Yes, your next line will cross your first line.
• Use a ruler or a piece of string.
  Put one end where I marked the "10".
  Swing the other end around to find your next line.
• There's ONLY ONE CHOICE for your next line.
• It will go through two of the dots you haven't visited yet.

Think about it ... you can finish it from here.

I'm not going to give you any more hints.

If worse comes to worse, ask any math teacher.

If you enjoy what you learn from any of my articles, I invite you to visit:

<www.MAZES.com>
***** end of article *****

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