Pick a distinctive part.
Look for a long arm, a short branch or an inside corner. Follow that feature as you imagine the shape turning.
FREE ROTATION MATCHING GAME
Turn it.
Don't flip it.
One of these shapes is the same shape turned around. The others are a mirror image and a different arrangement. Find the twin.
Play the first board ↘Six original puzzles · Untimed · No account
↻
SAME CONNECTIONS.
NEW DIRECTION.
BOARD 1 OF 6
Find the twin.
Choose A, B or C. A turn is allowed; flipping the shape over is not. Each board has exactly one matching option.
TARGET SHAPE
After a match, select another shape to see how it differs. Revealing the answer also unlocks the next board.
LOOK FOR A FEATURE YOU CAN FOLLOW
A corner can be
your anchor.
Keep connections fixed.
Rotating changes which way the shape faces. It does not move a square to a different place within the shape.
Watch the mirror.
A reflected shape can look close. Its bend or branch may sit on the opposite side. Turning the target can help you compare.
What makes these six boards checkable?
Every shape contains six connected squares. The matching choice is made by turning the target in quarter-turns. The other choices are checked against all four orientations, so neither can become the target through rotation.
You can explore the rule without remembering a score. If a board looks tricky, turn the target, reveal the answer and look at what stayed connected.
RELIEF PRINTMAKING · PAPER EXERCISE
Which way will the linocut print?
Imagine the dark squares are the inked, raised parts of a block. Keep the top edge at the top in both views. Which impression would it leave on paper?
Check the proof
Proof B. The long upright moves from the left edge to the right. The short arm stays at the top and points the other way. Proof A is a quarter-turn of the block instead.
Try it on paper: draw the block on tracing paper, mark its top edge, then turn the sheet over from left to right while keeping the top edge up. Compare the back with the two proofs. This is a drawing exercise; no carving tools are needed.
Technique reference: Printmaking, Tang Teaching Museum. All three diagrams are original.
MORE PUZZLE VARIETY ON YOUR PHONE
Take the next
puzzle break with Cognilo.
Cognilo includes Rotation Match alongside memory, logic, number and language games. Its Daily 5 offers a short selection of puzzles, with untimed play and strategy tips.
Explore Cognilo on the App Store ↗These six web boards are an original companion exercise, not the app's full puzzle system. Check the listing for current free features and optional Pro purchases. Play results are not a measure of intelligence or health.
Turn or mirror? Six paper puzzles
Compare each pair of grids and decide whether the shape turned or reflected. For a harder challenge, name the angle or mirror line before checking the illustrated puzzles against the answer key.
Print the two-page shape challenge (PDF) · Read the text edition
French classroom · pair activity
Tourne la forme !
Practise giving and checking directions in French. Sit facing the same way. Each partner needs paper and a pencil. Keep your first drawing visible so you can compare it with the result.
- Build the starting shape. Both partners draw four touching squares in a vertical column. At the bottom, add two more squares to the right. You now have six squares, like the target on board one above.
- Give one direction. The speaker chooses one instruction below and says it without pointing. The listener keeps the paper still and sketches the turned shape beside the original.
- Check aloud. The listener describes the new shape in French. The speaker checks the drawing, then the partners swap roles and try the other direction.
- Tourne la forme d’un quart de tour vers la droite.
- Turn the shape a quarter turn clockwise.
- Tourne la forme d’un quart de tour vers la gauche.
- Turn the shape a quarter turn counterclockwise.
- Il y a quatre carrés en haut / en bas.
- There are four squares at the top / at the bottom.
- Les deux carrés de plus sont à gauche / à droite.
- The two extra squares are on the left / right.
Check both turns
Clockwise: four squares across the top, two more directly below the leftmost square. Il y a quatre carrés en haut. Les deux carrés de plus sont à gauche.
Counterclockwise: four squares across the bottom, two more directly above the rightmost square. Il y a quatre carrés en bas. Les deux carrés de plus sont à droite.
If the drawing is different, try turning the original paper to check it together. Keep the same side facing up.
The rules stay simple.
What is the difference between rotation and reflection?
Rotation turns a shape while keeping the same side facing you. Reflection makes a mirror image. In this game, only a rotated version counts as the twin.
Can I use the rotate button?
Yes. It turns only the target, one quarter-turn at a time. It is part of the exercise, not a penalty.
Is this a cognitive test?
No. It is a recreational shape puzzle. It produces no ability rating, comparison with other people or health result.
What happens after board six?
The next button becomes “Start again.” The same six boards return so you can examine the shapes again. This page does not generate an endless set or keep a history.
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