The Parker Square

The Parker Square is an example of a Semi-Magic Square created by Matt Parker in 2016. This particular Magic Square is special in regards to how each number is a perfect square. The square is, however, regarded as only a Semi-Magic Square, because the positively sloped diagonal does not in fact add to 3051 as all other sides do. Instead, its summation is equivalent to 4107. The Parker Square is significant because it is one of the closest attempts to finding a perfect Magic Square in which all of the numbers are perfect squares.
Imperfections In The Parker Square
The Parker Square includes two major imperfections. These are the cause for the square to be deemed a Semi-Magic Square and not a Magic Square. The first of these imperfections is the repetition of multiple numbers in the square: 1, 1681, and 841. Brady Haran and Parker say in the video first demonstrating The Parker Square that "Most experts would agree that a Magic Square with repeated numbers is not truly a Magic Square". As an extension, Parker mentions the axiomatic fact that a Magic Square will always be a Magic Square if all the numbers are the same, and thus reinforces the notion that the more repeated numbers a Magic Square has, the less significance it has.
The second imperfection in the square is its positively sloped diagonal. In the square, the summation of all of the summations of rows, columns, and diagonals (excluding the positively sloped diagonal) divided by the number of rows, columns, and diagonals (minus one to account for the diagonal) is equal to the summation of any of the rows, columns, or diagonals; however, the positively sloped diagonal ruins this. While the sum of the rows, columns, and negatively sloped diagonal is 3,051, the sum of the positively sloped diagonal is 4,107.
Response
Parker stated that he believes the square is a good symbol for effort, saying, "Maybe it will become the mascot for giving things a go".<ref name=":0" /> Parker stated this after he was heckled by Haran because of his failed attempt at finding a Magic Square that contained only perfect squares.
In response to Parker's initial rejection<ref name=":0" /> of the term's use for trying to accomplish something with nearly perfect results, for the try hard nature regardless of success, or to illustrate the failure to complete something that is either hard or considered impossible within current technology and theoretical knowledge, The Parker Square caused a lot of Twitter traffic. In addition to the @TheParkerSquare Twitter handle and the #ParkerSquare hashtag, the Parker Square has been widely shared and joked about with numerous creators making memes to illustrate the two sides to the initial Parker Square debate. Haran himself has promoted use of this term by selling Parker Square t-shirts through the site Teespring.
Notability
Parker stated in the video first demonstrating The Parker Square that he decided to create the square because he wanted to win 1000 Euros, which is the prize for finding such a Magic Square (one in which all numbers are perfect squares).
The Parker Square is one of the closest attempts at finding a 3x3 Magic Square containing all perfect squares. However the existence of one of these squares is widely debated. Parker states in the video in which he details his square that "we have neither the computing power nor the number theory to determine if one of these squares exist".<ref name=":0" /> The square Parker created is just one step closer to finding this elusive Magic Square.

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