River’s Riddle of Riches

Badger and Yote were knee-deep in the river, pans swirling as they searched for flecks of gold among the riverbed pebbles. The sun was high, and the sound of the river rushing over rocks made the whole scene feel like an adventure from an old storybook.

Badger scooped up a handful of dirt and stones, letting the water wash away the mud. “Do you think we’ll find a big nugget today, Yote?”

Yote shrugged. “Maybe. But I’ve already found something better—a puzzle that’ll really make us think!” He tossed a pebble up and down in his hand, eyes twinkling with excitement.

Badger chuckled. “I should’ve known. All right, hit me with it.”

Yote looked out over the flowing river and said, “This one is all about the right combination. You find a bag with 6 different shapes. You can take any combination of 10 shapes out of the bag, but here’s the catch—the total value of those shapes has to add up to exactly 30. What combination of shapes can you take to make the total value exactly 30?”

• Diamonds, each worth 8

• Stars, each worth 6

• Hexagons, each worth 5

• Squares, each worth 3

• Triangles, each worth 2

• Circles, each worth 1

Badger furrowed his brow, clearly intrigued. “Hmm... That’s going to take some serious thinking.”

Yote grinned. “That’s the point, my friend. But I’m sure we can figure it out before the river runs dry.”

Can you help Badger and Yote find the right combination of shapes to reach exactly 30 in value? Remember, you can only choose 10 shapes in total from the bag.

🧠 Puzzles like this one challenge your ability to use logical thinking, basic math, and creativity, just like Badger and Yote do while panning for gold in the river. Our brain games newsletter delivers unique challenges like these to keep your brain sharp, your problem-solving skills fresh, and your mind ready for adventure.