Kadon Enterprises, Inc., Tiny Tans figures

Puzzle shapes for: Tiny Tans

The groups of silhouettes below are all the possible symmetrical shapes you can form with each of the three Tiny Tans puzzles, provided you join pieces according to their corresponding lengths of side. Each piece is made of triangles that are half-squares, from cutting a square in half diagonally, corner to corner. They are also called isosceles right triangles. Here's the structure of the pieces, showing the individual building blocks:

The Tiny Tans grid

The long side of each triangle is its hypotenuse and will always be diagonal in your solutions. The short sides of each triangle are the sides of their original square and will always be horizontal or vertical. This way you will be able to draw your solutions on square grid paper by following the lines of the grid or connecting corners diagonally. Therefore we can say that all the figures shown below are "grid-specific." They build your ability to visualize shapes and structure. It is surprising how many people, who don't know this "secret," get stumped by the Tiny Tans challenges.

A few additional shapes shown, not symmetrical, are the pentominoes that can also be formed with that group of pieces. Although there are 12 different pentomino shapes (see the Quintillions set), not all of them can be modeled with the pieces of any one Tiny Tans set. You may be able to do so by mixing parts from all three Tiny Tans.

There are hundreds of other shapes you can make when you mix and match pieces from more than one puzzle. For example, using the pieces from the T and the U, you can form the many symmetrical shapes pairs of pentominoes can make. Also check out the 25th anniversary collection of figures to make with all 3 Tiny Tans combined. Have fun!

The "Tantalizing T" collection:

Tiny Tans 'Tantalizing T' collection of puzzle figures

Update: In May 2020, George Sicherman identified these additional symmetrical shapes to complete the "Tantalizing T" collection:

Tiny Tans 'Tantalizing T' addendum of figures by George Sicherman

The "U Can Do It" collection:

Tiny Tans 'U Can Do It' collection of puzzle figures

Update: In May 2020, George Sicherman identified these additional symmetrical shapes to complete the "U Can Do It" collection:

Tiny Tans 'U Can Do It' addendum of figures by George Sicherman

The "Square and Fair" collection:

Tiny Tans 'Square and Fair' collection of puzzle figures

To order any one of the three styles of Tiny Tans singly rather than all three as a group, click on the image of the one you want, and it will be added immediately to your shopping basket. The unit price is $10 for acrylic and $15 for wood. (Shipping discount)

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