Printable Mixed Addition & Subtraction Puzzle | Grade 1

This worksheet provides targeted practice for first-grade students on mixed addition and subtraction within 20. Through a series of eight engaging math puzzles, learners will follow directional arrows to calculate unknown numbers, strengthening their operational fluency and problem-solving skills in a structured, visual format that makes practice feel like a game.

At a Glance

• Grade: 1 · Subject: Math
• Standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.C.6 — Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency within 10.
• Skill Focus: Mixed Addition and Subtraction
• Format: 3 pages · 8 puzzles · Answer key included · PDF
• Best For: Independent practice, math centers, or homework
• Time: 15–25 minutes

What's Inside

This three-page PDF download contains eight unique addition and subtraction puzzles. Each puzzle is a self-contained grid where students start with a given number and follow a path of operations to fill in the rest of the boxes. A complete, easy-to-read answer key is provided on separate pages, allowing for quick grading or self-correction by students.

Skill Progression

The worksheet follows a clear progression designed to build confidence and independence through a gradual-release model.

• Guided Practice: The first few puzzles on page one serve as a warm-up, using smaller numbers and simpler two-step paths to introduce the puzzle format. Teachers can model one of these to ensure students understand the task.
• Supported Practice: As students move through the worksheet, the puzzles subtly increase in complexity, incorporating a mix of addition and subtraction operations and slightly larger numbers to challenge their thinking.
• Independent Practice: By the final page, students are equipped to solve the multi-step puzzles on their own, applying their operational skills to complete the grids. This "I Do, We Do, You Do" structure ensures every learner can achieve success.

Standards Alignment

This resource is directly aligned with the Common Core State Standard CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.C.6, which requires students to add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction within 10. The puzzles provide a novel format for students to practice this core competency. The standard code can be copied directly into lesson plans, IEP goals, or district curriculum mapping tools.

How to Use It

This puzzle worksheet is ideal for use after direct instruction on addition and subtraction has occurred. Assign it as independent work in a math center, send it home for targeted homework, or use it as a formative assessment to gauge student fluency. For assessment, observe which students are using fingers or number lines versus those who are recalling facts automatically. Most students will complete the worksheet in 15 to 25 minutes.

Who It's For

This resource is designed for first-grade students working on mastering mixed operations. It is also suitable for advanced kindergarteners needing a challenge or second graders requiring a review of foundational facts. To support struggling learners, pair this worksheet with a physical number line or a hundred chart to help them visualize the operations.