Star Number Puzzle

Create Printable Magic Star Puzzles — Place 1 to 12 so Every Line Sums to 26

Quickly create free printable Magic Star number puzzles (also called hexagram puzzles). Place the digits 1 to 12 in the twelve cells of a six-pointed star so that each of the six straight lines of four cells sums to the magic constant of 26.

Generate Magic Star puzzles in A4 or US Letter PDF format for classroom warm-ups, puzzle clubs, long journeys, or a quiet evening. Choose the number of stars per page, set how many cells to leave blank, and add the optional solution key.

Magic Star puzzles are a delightful bridge between arithmetic and logic — addition practice becomes real deduction as solvers work out which digits go where.

Why use this Magic Star generator?

Hexagram puzzles are scarce in mainstream puzzle books, yet they offer a compact and satisfying challenge. Use them for:

• classroom mathematics warm-ups
• enrichment activities on number bonds and sums
• puzzle clubs that want something different
• travel puzzles with a distinctly mathematical flavour
• homeschool maths sessions that blend logic with arithmetic

Because each star is small and self-contained, you can fit several on a page and let the solver pick their own pace.

What you can customise

• Stars per page: up to four stars fit in a 2-column layout
• Blank cells: choose how many of the twelve cells to leave empty — more blanks means more difficulty
• Solutions page: add or omit a second page with the fully filled star
• Paper size: download as A4 or US Letter PDF
• Seed: reproduce an identical puzzle set later

Six blanks is a friendly default: it removes half of the digits but still leaves plenty of structure to work with.

Notes and limitations

• The hexagram has 12 cells: 6 outer points and 6 inner intersections.
• There are six straight lines of four cells each; each line must sum to 26.
• The magic constant 26 is fixed because 1+2+...+12 = 78 and there are three lines sharing each point.
• Print at 100% scale so the star geometry remains clean on the page.

Who Magic Star puzzles are for

Beginners

Start with only 3 or 4 blank cells so the solver gets comfortable with line sums. The first few deductions are often visible at a glance.

Puzzle enthusiasts

Dedicated solvers can turn all 12 cells blank and treat the star as a full magic-filling challenge. A few careful deductions and candidate lists do the rest.

Classroom teachers

Magic Stars are brilliant for classroom discussion on sums, symmetry, and systematic trial. Print two per page and use the puzzle as a springboard for a lesson on magic numbers.

Parents

Parents use Magic Star puzzles as a quiet challenge for older children, or as an unusual present that can be completed slowly over a weekend.

How the Magic Star works

Place each of the digits 1 to 12 exactly once so that each of the six straight lines of four cells sums to 26. That sum is the "magic constant" for the standard hexagram. Some puzzles fix a handful of cells as starting clues to make the deduction tractable.

How to use the tool

1. Choose the number of stars per page.
2. Set how many cells to leave blank.
3. Turn the solutions page on or off.
4. Select your paper size: A4 or US Letter.
5. Click Generate.
6. Preview the sheet.
7. Download the PDF.

Worked example

For a gentle warm-up, generate two stars on A4 with 4 blank cells and solutions on. The prefilled digits guide the deduction, and the answer page makes marking a breeze.

For a serious challenge, generate two stars with 10 blank cells, solutions off, on US Letter. This turns the puzzle into a near-full magic filling — a fine treat for a long evening.

Methodology

The engine starts from a known magic-star solution, then removes a configurable number of cells to create the puzzle. Because the hexagram has strong structural constraints, even a small handful of clues often yields a unique solution. The optional answer page reprints the same star with all twelve digits filled in.

Helpful preset ideas

• 2 stars on A4 with 4 blanks for a classroom starter
• 4 stars on US Letter with 6 blanks for a club pack
• 2 stars with 10 blanks for a challenging home sitting
• Solutions off for a travel puzzle

Tips for solving Magic Star puzzles

• Write the line sum, 26, next to every line to keep it in mind.
• Find any line with three known cells — the fourth is forced.
• The outer points each belong to two lines; the inner cells each belong to three.
• Use a pencil so you can revise candidates as deductions build.

Designed for A4 and US Letter Printing

The Magic Star worksheet prints cleanly on both A4 and US Letter. Cell sizes, font sizes, and spacing are tuned so the geometry of the hexagram stays clear regardless of paper size.

Related logic puzzle tools

You may also enjoy these related printable logic puzzles:

• Skyscrapers Puzzle
• Sequence Puzzle
• Sudoku Generator
• Number Pyramid Generator