Learn the puzzle
Tangram Guide
Learn the goal of a tangram puzzle, meet the seven pieces and see how to rotate, flip and fit them into a shape.
What is the goal of a tangram puzzle?
Rearrange the pieces to cover a target silhouette. Every piece stays flat, each is used once, and the pieces fill the outline without gaps or overlap. You can turn or flip pieces to make them fit.
The seven tangram pieces
A classic set has five right triangles, a square and a parallelogram. Compare the five shapes and their counts below.
- Large triangles
- Medium triangle
- Small triangles
- Square
- Parallelogram
How to play online
- Move. Drag a piece toward the target, or select it and use the arrow keys.
- Turn. Choose a rotate button or press R. The classic tangram turns in 45-degree steps.
- Flip. Use Flip or press F when the piece set allows it. This is useful when the parallelogram slants the wrong way.
- Fit. Fill the outline with the whole set. Use Hint to place a piece or Show answer to study the arrangement.
The library also includes other piece sets. Check the kit name on a puzzle before choosing the matching paper template.
A short history of tangram
The tangram originated in China around 1800. It reached Europe and the United States in the early nineteenth century, where puzzle sets and books shared silhouettes for the seven pieces. Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Tangram questions
Can a tangram have more than one solution?
Yes. The same outline can sometimes be filled in different ways. Each valid solution uses the full set without gaps or overlaps.
Can I flip the pieces?
Yes in a classic tangram. The parallelogram changes its slant when you turn it over, which rotation alone cannot do.
What do I need for a paper tangram?
Print the matching template and challenge at actual size from a printable card pack. Cut out the pieces, then arrange them over the target shape.
Which shape should I start with?
Try the guided square to see the dividing lines. Then choose an easy animal activity or play the daily puzzle.
Is this the same game as Tangrams Deluxe?
Tangrams Deluxe is a separate game by Vertical Reach. Tangramgame offers browser puzzles, a daily challenge and printable activities.