Pi Day Crossword Puzzle (free printable)
A free Pi Day crossword with thirteen words and clues for grades 3 to 8: pi, circle, circumference, diameter, radius, ratio, irrational, Archimedes and more, with an answer key.
To save a PDF, choose Print, then “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheets print.
All 13 words are in the crossword (13 × 14 squares).
About this set
Thirteen words for March 14, with clues that give each its meaning in a sentence: the distance around a circle, a line through the center from one side to the other, a number whose digits never end or repeat, the ancient Greek mathematician who worked out how to estimate pi. The crossword leads from the shape (circle, radius, diameter, circumference, area) to the number (pi, ratio, constant, digits, irrational) to the day itself (pie, Einstein). Third and fourth graders can use the word bank and a classroom diagram, while seventh and eighth graders can solve from the clues alone and explain why pi is an irrational number. The answer key lists every answer by number.
Grades: 3rd to 8th grade. Best in: March.
The words and clues
- Pi :
- The number, about 3.14, that you get by dividing a circle’s circumference by its diameter
- Circle :
- A perfectly round shape with every point the same distance from the center
- Circumference :
- The distance all the way around a circle
- Diameter :
- A line through the center of a circle from one edge to the other
- Radius :
- The distance from the center of a circle to its edge
- Ratio :
- A comparison of two numbers, such as circumference to diameter
- Irrational :
- Describes a number, like pi, whose digits never end or repeat
- Archimedes :
- The ancient Greek mathematician who worked out how to estimate pi
- Constant :
- A number that always stays the same, like pi for every circle
- Digits :
- The numerals that make up a number, such as the 3, 1 and 4 in 3.14
- Pie :
- A round dessert that people eat on March 14 to celebrate
- Area :
- The amount of space inside a flat shape
- Einstein :
- The famous physicist who was born on March 14, 1879
How to use it: five ideas
- Circle diagram: students solve, then draw a circle and label circumference, diameter and radius with the answers.
- Explain pi: students use the clues for pi and ratio to explain, in two sentences, how to find pi from a round object.
- Math history: students pick Archimedes and look up one more fact from a book, then add it to a class timeline.
- Write a clue: students write a new clue for “area” or “sphere” and trade with a partner.
- Pie break: leave the crossword and the answer key on the table beside the pie, so students can work on it while they eat.
Related
Questions
Are the clues accurate?
Yes. Pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, about 3.14, and its digits never end or repeat. Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, and Archimedes worked on estimating pi in ancient Greece.
Pi is only two letters. Does it fit?
Yes. It is the shortest answer, and it crosses a longer word. If a layout leaves it out, it is listed under the preview, and Make another will find one that fits.
Can I change the words and clues?
Yes. Each of the 13 lines is a word, a colon and its clue. Edit any of them, and the crossword is rebuilt with new numbers.
How do I save it as a PDF?
Press Print and choose “Save as PDF” as the printer. The puzzle is page one and the answer key is page two.
How do I get a different layout?
Press “Make another”. The same words and clues are placed in a new arrangement, so each table can have its own puzzle.
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