Impossible Orders is a half-term competition for the UK’s brightest mathematicians aged 8-13, organised by 1729 Maths School.
There is an incredible prize for three winners: an exclusive Day in the Life of an Oxford Mathematician experience, including an Oxford-style tutorial with the incomparable Tom Crawford (of "Tom Rocks Maths"), as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of an Oxford college and a visit to the university’s Mathematical Institute.
The competition was formulated by Dr. George Watkins, an educator and mathematician who is committed to identifying and nurturing capable young mathematicians. George brings a blend of academic expertise and educational experience to his role as Maths Talent Fellow at Purposeful Ventures, one of 1729’s founding partners. He earned his PhD in Mathematics from the University of Warwick, where his research centred on Reinforcement Learning and its application to environments that can be represented as graphs.
George has also spent five years teaching during which he played a key role in establishing the highly successful King’s College London Mathematics School. Most recently he led a series of Maths Camps, instilling a passion for maths in talented young mathematicians aged 11–14.
“Mathematics and problem-solving go hand in hand,” George tells us. “Mathematics is a language that is deeply interesting in its own right; the techniques of algebra and the laws of logic, for example, are fascinating fields of study. But the power of mathematics really becomes apparent when it is used to solve challenging problems."
“This idea is at the heart of Impossible Orders, and it is precisely what the judges will be looking for when assessing the entries: young mathematicians who can solve the problems and explain their solutions clearly, using the language of mathematics."
“This is also what we are looking for in prospective students. If your child is eager for challenge, enjoys learning new mathematical techniques and using them to tackle hard problems, why not consider applying to 1729?"
If you know an enthusiastic young mathematician who would enjoy tackling the problem, please encourage them to enter.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday 2 November 2025.
As well as the Impossible Orders competition, George also publishes a Problem of the Week on our website where young mathematicians can try some interesting puzzles and start a conversation about maths with George and the 1729 team.