Puzzle

The Puzzle is an activity that appears in JumpStart Kindergarten (1994) and JumpStart Kindergarten (1998). It is designed to teach ten different subjects: Numbers, Letters, Letter Sounds, Rhyming, Opposites, Companions, Pairs, Shapes, Sizes, and Colors.

The Puzzle is a toy/game found in Mr. Hopsalot's kindergarten classroom. In the 1994 version, it is on a table and looks like a jigsaw picture puzzle. In the 1998 version, it looks like it does in gameplay and is seen leaning against a wall on the right side of the classroom.

Characters

 * Hopsalot (1994 version only)
 * Roquefort (1998 version only)
 * Jack (1998 version only)

Description
It is hosted by Hopsalot in the 1994 version and by Jack and Roquefort in the 1998 version, but the premise and gameplay are the same. Various images and symbols are located on a 3-by-3 grid. The host(s) will present an image, letter or number and give instructions to the player to select an image or symbol from the grid that is related to the image or symbol presented in a specified way. If the correct tile is selected, it will disappear, revealing part of a photograph underneath. Then, all the tiles will be changed to contain different content and another question will be asked until all nine tiles are cleared. When this happens, the full image is visible.

The subject matter will be randomly selected at the beginning of the game. It may be changed in the 1994 version by clicking on the puzzle box on the bottom of the screen and in the 1998 version by clicking the puzzle piece button on the bottom of the puzzle console.

In the 1994 version, Mr. Hopsalot will clap using his ears when the player finishes a puzzle.

In the 1998 version, three (difficulty levels 1 and 2) or four (difficulty level 3) puzzles must be completed in order to earn a star.

Shapes
The user will be presented with a shape and asked to click the option that most resembles the shape. Some of the tiles contain the same geometric shape with a different size, color, etc., while others contain objects.

Colors
The user will be presented with a color and asked to select an option which is the same color. Options include objects, shapes, and letters.

Sizes
The user will be presented with an object and asked to find an object that is the same size, is bigger (or biggest), or is smaller (or smallest). There are also options which aren't the same kind of object at all.

Numbers
A number will be given and the user must select the tile that contains that number of objects.

Letters
An uppercase letter will be presented and the user must select the corresponding lowercase letter.

Letter Sounds
The user will be presented with a letter and must select the object that begins with that letter. Each tile also contains the name of the object written out.

Rhyming
The user will be presented with an object and must select the object that rhymes with it. Each tile also contains the name of the object written out.

Companions
The user will be presented with an object and must select an object that is closely associated with it.

Pairs
The user will be presented one of an object that comes in pairs (such as an article of clothing or a part of the body) and must select the other object of the pair, which looks identical to the given object aside from (usually) facing the opposite way.

Opposites
The user will be given a word (and an illustration) and must select the word and accompanying illustration that is its opposite.

1998 version

 * Level one: If an incorrect tile is selected, that tile and one other incorrect tile will become blank.
 * Level two: If an incorrect tile is selected, it will become blank.
 * Level three: No tiles become blank when an incorrect tile is selected.

1994 version
Create a puzzle by learning about numbers, letters, letter sounds, rhymes, opposites, companions, pairs, shapes, sizes and colors.

From the classroom, click on the puzzle sitting on the same table as the dolls. A puzzle will randomly be selected for you.

The Puzzle game offers the opportunity to work on a number of different skills. The object of the puzzle game is to create a picture. To create a picture, match the square above Mr. Hopsalot with the corresponding square on the puzzle. When you click on the correct square, a portion of a picture will replace the square. If an incorrect answer is chosen, the number of available choices will be reduced to make your selection easier. After you have matched all of the squares in the puzzle with the square above Mr. Hopsalot you will have created a picture.

Additional Puzzles
You can continue with the same type of puzzle or click on the puzzle box to try a new puzzle. Click on the puzzle box beneath the current puzzle to select a different type of puzzle. Click on a square with the name of the puzzle to play one of the following puzzles:

Numbers: Match the correct number of a group of objects with the corresponding written numeral.

Letters: Match an upper-case letter with its lower case form.

Letter Sounds:
 * 1) Match a letter with the picture of the object that begins with that letter.
 * 2) Match a word and its picture with another word and picture that begins with the same letter.

Rhymes: Match a word and its picture with another word and picture which rhymes with it.

Opposites: Match a word and its picture with its opposite.

Companions: Match a word and its picture with the companion word and picture.

Pairs: Match a word and its picture with the other word and picture which together would create a pair.

Shapes: Match a picture of a basic shape with a picture of an object that is the same shape.

Sizes: Match a picture of an object with either a bigger, smaller or exact same size picture of the same object.

Colors: Match a picture of an object with its color.

To return to the classroom, click on the arrow on the upper left hand side of the screen.

Object
Hmmmm. It's puzzling! Can you help put these picture puzzles together by matching numbers, letters, shapes, colors, sizes, or words? Jack and Roquefort will hold up a clue. Can you find the puzzle piece that matches?


 * Click on a piece of the puzzle that matches the clue.
 * If you choose the incorrect piece, some of your choices disappear to make it easier next time you choose.
 * See if you can find all the matching pieces and reveal the whole picture.
 * To select another type of puzzle, click on the puzzle piece button on the puzzle frame.
 * Complete 4 puzzles to win a star.

Levels
At the lowest level, more than one choice disappears after an incorrect choice. At higher levels, no choices disappear.

Educational Benefits
Your child will practice recognizing colors, shapes, sizes, numbers, letters, and words, matching letters with their sounds, and identifying words that rhyme, words that are opposites, and words that are similar (synonyms).

Photographs
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Trivia

 * In the 1998 version, the same voice clips are used for Letters as are used for Letter Sounds, meaning that the user is asked to find an object that starts with a letter in Letters mode even though they are actually supposed to select the lowercase counterpart to the given letter. This does not occur in the 1994 version.
 * Despite its name, in Letter Sounds mode, some of the objects do not begin with the normal phonetic sound of their first letter, such as Eye.