ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Hoffman's packing puzzle

Imagine you have a bunch of square blocks of different sizes and you want to fit them all into a bigger square container. But, there is a catch! You want to pack them in a way that every single side of each block is touching the side of another block. This is where Hoffman's Packing Puzzle comes in - it is a puzzle that challenges you to find the best way to pack these blocks together so that they all fit perfectly, without any gaps or spaces between them.

It might sound easy, but it can be pretty tricky. You have to think really hard about the different shapes and sizes of the blocks and how they can fit together in the container without leaving any gaps. Some of the blocks might be really tiny, while others might be really large. You might have some that are square-shaped, while others might be rectangles or even triangles.

To solve the puzzle, you have to use your brain and your spatial reasoning skills. You might have to try different configurations of the blocks until you find the one that works. It's like playing a game of Tetris, but with real-life blocks!

In the end, the goal is to pack all the blocks together in the container so that they create a solid structure that doesn't fall apart when you lift it up. It's not only a fun challenge, but it also helps exercise your brain and problem-solving skills.