Dissections of the Greek Cross

thingiverse

Here are four dissections of the Greek cross; the pieces assemble into squares. Two are well known - "a_pieces" - a symmetric dissection - - and "b_pieces" - from an old puzzle that asked for two straight cuts across a Greek cross to make 4 pieces that can be assembled into a square. They appear in Dudeney's 1917 book "Amusements in Mathematics" which has a section on Greek cross puzzles. A third dissection, "c_pieces", cuts the cross into two pairs of pieces and a fourth dissection, "d_pieces", makes four dissimilar pieces related to the symmetric dissection. A small box to hold the puzzles is given - it was created with code from thing:1255039. Filled with pieces of different colors, it can be emptied, the pieces made into 4 Greek crosses, and then replaced. OpenSCAD code is included. These puzzles showcase unique mathematical principles that challenge problem solvers to think creatively about geometry and spatial reasoning. By examining each dissection carefully, one can gain a deeper understanding of how these seemingly disparate pieces can come together to form a cohesive whole. The provided links allow readers to explore further resources on Greek cross puzzles, including the original book by Dudeney which contains a wealth of mathematical puzzles and brain teasers.