Jerry's Mechanical Puzzle & Brain Teaser Collection: August 2017

The Puzzle Exchange is one of the two main events during IPP, the other being the Puzzle Party. And this year's Exchange took place on 5th August at the Paris Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel & Conference Centre. Unlike the Puzzle Party which is open to all participants and invitees to IPP, the Exchange is limited to the Exchangers and their Exchange Assistants.

Typically an Exchanger will exchange up to a maximum of 99 puzzles (which no other collector has in his/her collection) with 99 other participants, hence he must prepare a minimum of 100 Exchange Puzzles (the 100th puzzle is for display for all to see during the IPP). Except for several rare occasions in the past, in practice the maximum number seldom happens and the average number of puzzles exchanged at each IPP is between 80 to 90+. This year, there were a total of 95 exchanges, which was on the higher side.

It is also worthwhile to note that the assistants play a vital role and do a great job of helping to hold the Exchange puzzles, taking photographs of the Exchanger/Exchangee, fetching bottled water/lunch etc during the Exchange (average duration of between 4 to 4.5 hours, depending on the number of people) and other sorts of tasks. And in one very unfortunate incident during this IPP, the assistant was helping the poor Exchanger glue up a substantial number of broken puzzles which were damaged in transit. Also, generally the rule is that one must be an Exchange Assistant at least once before being eligible to be an Exchanger at future IPPs.