If a puzzle has 9 pieces and 3 are lost, how many pieces are remaining?

To find out how many pieces remain after some are lost, you can simply subtract the number of lost pieces from the total number of pieces. In this case, you start with a total of 9 pieces. If 3 of those pieces are lost, you perform the calculation:

9 total pieces - 3 lost pieces = 6 remaining pieces.

Thus, there are 6 pieces left. This reasoning aligns with basic subtraction concepts, making the answer accurate and straightforward.