Home › Fun & Games › Tangram Puzzle

Tangram Puzzle

Fill each dark silhouette using all seven tangram pieces: two large triangles, one medium triangle, two small triangles, a square and a parallelogram. Pieces snap to corners, and kids mode shows where each one goes.

Last updated:

Drag the 7 pieces onto the dark silhouette.

Tip: double-tap a piece to rotate it 45°. Pieces snap to corners of the silhouette and of each other.

Advertisement
Advertisement

How to use the Tangram Puzzle

  1. Pick a shape from the list, use Prev and Next, or press Shuffle shape for a random unsolved one.
  2. Drag a piece from the tray onto the dark silhouette. It snaps when a corner gets close to a corner of the outline or another piece.
  3. Rotate or flip it: double-tap the piece, use the Rotate buttons, or press R (Shift+R turns the other way) and F to flip.
  4. Fill the whole silhouette with all seven pieces without overlaps. The puzzle is solved automatically when it is covered.
  5. Stuck? Press Show hint to outline the next piece's place, switch on Kids mode for guide lines, or press Show solution.

The seven tangram pieces

PieceHow manySide lengths (small leg = 1)AreaShare of the full set
Large triangle22, 2, 2√2 ≈ 2.832 each1/4 each
Medium triangle1√2, √2, 211/8
Small triangle21, 1, √21/2 each1/16 each
Square11, 1, 1, 111/8
Parallelogram11, √2, 1, √211/8
Total7all fit in a square of side 2√281

All angles in a tangram set are multiples of 45°, which is why rotating pieces in 45° steps is enough to make every figure.

Tips for solving tangrams

  • Place the large triangles first. They cover half the silhouette, and big open areas or long straight edges usually belong to them.
  • Look for sharp 45° points. Narrow points such as ears, beaks, sails and fins are almost always a corner of a triangle.
  • Square corners hint at the square or at the right angle of a triangle; a slanted strip with parallel sides is often the parallelogram.
  • Swap equal areas: two small triangles can form a square, a medium triangle or a parallelogram, so if one arrangement is stuck, try exchanging them.
  • Use the edges: long straight edges of the silhouette are usually the 2-unit legs or the 2.83-unit long side of a large triangle.

Frequently asked questions

What is a tangram?

A tangram is a dissection puzzle that originated in China and became popular worldwide in the early 1800s. A square is cut into seven flat pieces called tans: two large right triangles, one medium triangle, two small triangles, a square and a parallelogram. The goal is to arrange all seven pieces, without overlapping, to form a given silhouette.

What are the sizes of the seven pieces?

If the small triangle's short sides are 1 unit, its area is 1/2. The square and the medium triangle each have area 1, the parallelogram has area 1, and each large triangle has area 2. Together they make 8 square units, which is why every silhouette here has an area of exactly 8.

Do I have to use all seven pieces?

Yes. In the traditional rules every silhouette uses all seven pieces exactly once, they must lie flat and touch without overlapping, and pieces may be rotated and flipped. The parallelogram is the only piece that looks different when flipped.

How does the game know the puzzle is solved?

It compares the area of the silhouette with the area covered by your pieces. When at least 97.5% of the silhouette is covered and almost nothing sticks out, the shape counts as solved, so any correct solution works, not only the one used by the hint.

What does kids mode change?

Kids mode draws the outline of every piece inside the silhouette and makes pieces jump into the correct spot and angle when you drop them near a matching outline. It turns the puzzle into a shape-matching game that young children can finish on their own.

Why do tangrams help with learning?

Tangrams build spatial reasoning: you have to imagine how shapes rotate, flip and combine. Teachers also use them to explore area (two small triangles equal one square), congruence, symmetry and fractions of a whole.

Is my progress saved?

Yes. The shapes you have solved, the current shape and the kids mode setting are stored in your browser's local storage on this device. Nothing is uploaded.

Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?

Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.

Related tools

Jigsaw PuzzleTurn a sample picture or your own photo into a 12 to 150 piece jigsaw puzzle and solve it.Sliding PuzzlePlay the 15 puzzle and 3×3 to 6×6 sliding tile puzzles with numbers or your own photo.Nonogram PuzzlePlay unlimited nonogram (picross) puzzles from 5×5 to 15×15, each with one unique solution.Calcudoku Math PuzzleSolve KenKen-style cage arithmetic puzzles from 3×3 to 9×9, each with a unique solution.SolitairePlay classic Klondike Solitaire with Draw 1 or Draw 3 and undo.Spider SolitairePlay Spider Solitaire online with 1, 2 or 4 suits, hints, unlimited undo and a timer.Play Chess vs ComputerPlay chess online against the computer at 8 difficulty levels.Connect FourPlay Connect 4 online against the computer or a friend.Snake GamePlay classic Snake online with speeds, wall modes and high scores.Tic Tac ToePlay tic tac toe against an unbeatable AI or a friend.Block Puzzle GameClassic falling blocks puzzle game with levels and high score.MinesweeperPlay classic Minesweeper: 3 difficulties, flags, timer and a safe first click.2048 GamePlay 2048 online with swipe controls, undo and best score.Sudoku OnlinePlay free Sudoku with 4 difficulty levels, notes, hints and a timer.Word Guess GameGuess the hidden five-letter word in six tries. Unlimited games, stats and hard mode.HangmanClassic friendly hangman word game with categories, hints and difficulty levels.Memory Card GameFlip cards and match emoji pairs on 4×3 to 6×6 grids, with moves, timer and best scores.Flappy GameTap to flap a round chick through bamboo gaps and beat your high score.Dino Runner GameJump cacti and duck buzzing beetles in an original endless desert runner.Typing GameType the falling words before they land; level up and track your WPM and accuracy.Math Quiz GameTimed mental math rounds with four operations, five levels, streaks and high scores.Flag QuizGuess the flags of all 196 countries in four modes, from multiple choice to timed.Map QuizFind countries on a clickable world map or name the highlighted one, by continent.Periodic Table QuizLearn all 118 elements: quiz symbols, names and atomic numbers or click them on the table.Spelling Bee GameMake words from 7 honeycomb letters, always using the center letter. New daily puzzle.Mahjong SolitaireMatch pairs of free tiles to clear the Turtle and two smaller layouts, with hints, shuffle and undo.Scrabble Word FinderFind the highest-scoring words from your rack, with blank tiles, patterns and bingo bonus.Wordle SolverEnter your guesses and colours to see every possible answer and the best next guess.Crossword SolverFind words that fit a crossword pattern like c?t from the length and the letters you know.Word Search GeneratorMake a word search puzzle from your words, play it online or print it with an answer key.Pong GamePlay classic Pong online against the computer on 3 levels or with a friend, first to 11.Breakout GameClassic brick breaker game with levels, power-ups and lives. Play with mouse, touch or keyboard.Whack-a-MoleWhack the moles before they hide in 30 or 60 second rounds. Speed increases, best score saved.Simon Says GameRepeat the growing color and sound sequence. Classic memory game with strict mode and high score.CheckersPlay checkers online against the computer or a friend, with kings, undo and hints.ReversiPlay Reversi (Othello rules) online vs a 3-level computer or a friend, with move hints.GomokuGet five in a row on a 15×15 board against a smart computer or a friend.Battleship GamePlace your fleet and sink the computer's ships in this classic naval guessing game.Games for CatsFull-screen mice, laser dot, fish and bugs for cats to chase on a tablet, with squeaks and a tap counter.Kids General Knowledge QuizFun quiz for kids aged 5–12 on animals, space, geography and science, with read-aloud and stars.Go FishKid-friendly Go Fish card game vs the computer: ask for ranks, make books of four, voice prompts.Go Game (Baduk)Play Go on 9×9, 13×13 or 19×19 vs a simple AI or a friend, with ko, scoring and SGF export.Higher or Lower GameIs the next one higher or lower? Compare country populations, areas, buildings and mountains.Imposter Word GamePass-the-phone party game: everyone gets the secret word except the imposter. Clue, vote, reveal.Logic Grid PuzzlesSolve Einstein-style deduction puzzles with clues and an ✗/✓ grid, from easy to hard.Math Equation Guess GameNerdle-style math puzzle: find the hidden 8-character equation in six tries. Daily and unlimited.Maze Chase GameArcade maze game: eat every dot, grab power pellets and dodge four ghosts. Levels, lives and high score.Mini Golf GamePlay 18 holes of top-down mini golf: drag to putt past windmills, water and sand, with a scorecard.Connect the Dots Flow PuzzleDraw lines to join matching colored dots and fill the whole board without crossings. 5×5 to 12×12.Car Parking PuzzleSlide the blocking cars and trucks to free the red car. 120 graded levels with hints.Peg SolitaireJump pegs over each other until only one is left. English, European and triangle boards with hints.Pipes PuzzleRotate pipe tiles to connect every pipe to the source with no leaks. 5×5 to 15×15, wrap mode, timer.Pop It GameVirtual pop-it fidget toy with pop sounds, shapes and colors, plus a two-player last-pop game.Rebus PuzzlesPicture-word brain teasers like MIND over MATTER, with hints, answers and printable sets.Road Crossing GameFrogger-style arcade: hop across busy roads and a log-filled river, grab coins and fill all 5 homes.SokobanPush every box onto a goal in this warehouse puzzle. 60 levels, undo, swipe and custom levels.Spend a Billion Dollars GameSpend a billion (or any fortune) on houses, jets and good causes, then save your receipt.Spot the DifferenceFind 5 to 10 differences between two illustrated pictures, with new scenes every game.US States Visited MapClick US states to mark visited, lived or want to go, see your count out of 50 and save a PNG.Taboo Word Game CardsDescribe the word without saying the forbidden ones: 100+ cards, timer and team scores.Ultimate Tic Tac ToePlay 9 nested tic-tac-toe boards vs a Monte Carlo AI or a friend, with a rules guide.US Map PuzzleDrag the 50 states onto the US map. Snapping, timer, labels toggle, regions and an easy kids mode.US Presidents QuizName all 47 US presidencies in order against the clock, match years and facts, or study them.War Card GamePlay the classic War card game vs the computer: flip cards, fight wars, auto-play at any speed.Word Connect GameSwipe letters on a wheel to make words and fill the mini crossword. Hundreds of levels, hints, coins.Word Scramble GameUnscramble jumbled words against the clock. Pick a theme and difficulty, build streaks, use hints.Word Tile Game vs ComputerPlay a crossword board game against the computer: premium squares, tile bag, scoring, dictionary.Chinese Chess (Xiangqi)Play Chinese chess vs the computer at 5 levels or with a friend, with legal move highlights.
See all 141 Online Games →