Adam & Eve Disentanglement Puzzle

Adam & Eve was designed by George Miller, Tom Sun and Allen Rolfs and exchanged by Roxanne Wong during IPP37 in Paris in 2017.

http://mechanical-puzzles.com/adam-eve/

Yet Another Clover Puzzle & Chorazin

Two new puzzle reviews posted. 

Yet Another Clover Puzzle by Rik Van Grol

http://mechanical-puzzles.com/yet-another-clover-puzzle/

Chorazin by Yael Meron

http://mechanical-puzzles.com/chorazin-puzzle-inspired-synagogue/

Cast Cake

It's been a while since I last played with a Hanayama Cast puzzle. The Cast Cake is one of their most recent releases from the Cast Puzzle series, having been launched to the market just this past July. 

Gone is the packaging in the form of a black box with clear window and gold text; instead the newer contemporary looking box has the word "HUZZLE", presumably a combination of the words Hanayama and puzzle and spots a nice photo of the puzzle contained within.

The Cast Cake is the brainchild of IPP award-winning designer Bram Cohen, who also designed the Cast Rattle and the Cast Galaxy, the latter one of my personal Cast favourites.

The Cake, well, it's round and looks like a cake with a slice of it eaten. And it measures 4cm in diameter. It looks to me to be made of stonewashed brass or copper as it has a pretty good heft to it. Construction fit and finish on my copy is very good and everything fits and moves nicely without any experiencing of jamming.

The Cake consists of a 3/4 hollowed out circular "cage" and inside resides 3 rotating 3/4 discs sandwiched against one another. The object is to remove the 3 discs from the cage.

It's rated 4 out of 6 stars meaning that its more than moderately difficult but I think it deserves 5 stars because it is way harder than it looks or what I had expected. At first I thought one of the discs could "spiral" its way sideways out like a circular burr, so I tried solving it that way, but apparently not. It took me a good half and hour of manipulating and rolling the 3 discs inside and trying to feel for an "opening" of sorts before suddenly I felt something give and I was able to pull the discs out. I am not sure what I had done but it worked. As I was re-assembling the puzzle, I took time to experiment and was able to discover a technique to it. Thereafter I was able to repeat solving the Cake a majority of the time. Very challenging at first but once you understand what needs to be done (and I am not going to say anymore here to spoil other people's fun), its a matter of practice to get it right.

If anyone needs help, please PM me (I will have to draw a diagram to show you as it is impossible to explain in words).

Currently only available in Japan but should hit retail stores in other countries and available from the usual online sellers in the weeks to come. 

  

Popplock T9

Update 23 October 2017 - Dear Reader, please check out my new puzzle blog and e-store at http://mechanical-puzzles.com

The T9 from Rainer Popp came out sometime in the middle of last year. At a behemoth 11.5cm x 7cm x 2.4cm and weighing in at 1.052kg, this is one of the largest locks in the Popplock collection. 

For previous reviews of Popplocks from T2 to T8, please click below:-
1. T2
2. T3
3. T4
4. T5
5. T6
6. T7
7. T8

Rainer manufactures and produces by hand a new model Popplock every year. I have had this lock since last August and its been in storage until several days ago. There have been two reviews of the T9 so far, from Allard and Kevin and both bloggers have sung high praises of the T9. Even though I only managed to solve mine with the help of the instruction manual, I have to agree with the two gents. It is really quite magnificent from a puzzling perspective.

There is really nothing more to be said about the T9's quality and finish. A real piece of superb craftsmanship with fine detailing. Damn expensive I might add. The body is made from a block of solid brass and the shackle is stainless steel.  At first glance, it looks like a large garden variety padlock with an ordinary looking key...except the front of the T9 has, in addition to the a key hole, a circular looking dial with rivets on the front, three of them imbued with red paint.

To solve the T9, there are basically three main stages, each with a number of steps. In most sequential discovery puzzles, the first step is usually easier (not easy) than the rest, but in the case of the T9, I was actually stumped right from stage one. Took me a while to figure out what needed to be done. Yes, the key can go inside the hole and turn round and round, but that's all to it, nothing more. With my small victory at stage one, I moved on to stage two. I had a good idea what was going on and even made progress (mind you all the while not being able to see what's happening inside the lock). However, I never made it completely past stage two. Here is where I was stuck for good and finally resorted to the instructions.

Stage three is even harder than stage two. And as Kevin mentioned in his post, you need good lighting. I would also add a good eye and make sure you have your reading glasses on too for this stage. I recommend playing under white or tungsten lighting if possible. The crucial steps in stage three are so very subtle and the mechanism so well hidden (that's provided if you can reach this point) that I don't think I would have figured them out without the instructions. With the last move, the shackle suddenly springs springs open...and there you go, the T9 is solved! Resetting the T9 is surprisingly easy, given the many steps previously....just turn the key!

Once you know the moves, sequence and what to look out for, repeat solving is quite manageable and can be done reasonably quickly, within a couple of minutes even.

With the exception of the T7 and T8, Rainer Popp has made a return to the traditional Popplock style of puzzle locks with the T9. Those who have played with the earlier versions from T2 to T6 would know what I mean. Puzzle/trick locks don't show up very often, in fact since the T8 in 2013, the only other metal puzzle lock at this level of quality and manufacture that came to the market is the Swing Lock from Splinter Justus (which I do not own). 

Very difficult yes, but overall the T9 is an excellent puzzle lock with multiple stages and steps to keep one well occupied with progress and a-ha moments along the way. Expensive also yes, but lots of puzzling value for money. The workings of the lock (from the internal diagrams in the manual) have to be seen to be believed.

As far as I can tell, unfortunately there are no T9s available commercially at the moment as all appear to have gone to private hands. Not surprising, since Rainer produces very limited units for each new model, just anywhere between fifty to less than a hundred.

[Edit 8 January 2015 - I have just been informed by Wil Strijbos that he still has one last copy of the T9 available for sale at 380 euros. If anyone is keen, please PM me via my blog email and I will put you in touch with Wil]

Heavy Metal From IPP34

Update 23 October 2017 - Dear Reader, please check out my new puzzle blog and e-store at http://mechanical-puzzles.com

These two puzzles came from IPP34. The Cast Metal Puzzle (cube) was Markku Vesala's Exchange Puzzle while the Brass Ball was purchased from Dmitry Pevnitskiy during the Puzzle Party.

The Brass Ball is a co-ordinate motion puzzle. Relatively easy to take apart (with some pressing and tugging here and there) but a real bummer to reassemble. 

Somehow every time I think I have all the pieces in position ready to slide back together, something will be stuck, not to mention its really difficult to operate all the 4 pieces at the same time. When Dmitry demonstrated the Brass Ball to me at IPP, he could put it back together in a matter of seconds!

I am still struggling with this one and it remains on my table in 4 separate pieces. If anyone has the solution to this, please help, thanks.

Edit: 7.5 hours later, I played with the Brass Ball again and after a while of fiddling, got it assembled.

The Cast Metal Puzzle #81/125 on the other hand is easier. Comprising 6 pieces of tetraminoes and pentaminoes, the pieces are "interlocked" together by a magnetic ball bearing in the centre. 

Nice concept, very well made and high quality. Being cast iron, its also very heavy in the hand for such a small puzzle measuring only 3cm square.

More Metal From Wil Strijbos

Update 23 October 2017 - Dear Reader, please check out my new puzzle blog and e-store at http://mechanical-puzzles.com

The last time I received new puzzles (Nipple Bolt and Low Number Bolt) from Wil Strijbos was in January this year. Since then Wil has been rather quiet and most of us Wil fans were wondering what new toys (of his own design) he would be coming up with next. 

He was supposed to turn out an egg-shaped puzzle in time for Easter but that didn't materialise. What's on the cards in the months to come is this egg puzzle and a trick padlock of some sort.

Well, last week a package arrived containing the "4 Piece Metal Puzzle" and the "Heart In Heart". 

4 Piece Metal Puzzle
This one looks just like a jigsaw puzzle, connected together like a jigsaw puzzle but unfortunately, cannot be simply separated like a jigsaw puzzle.

It is really very well made, with a nice matt finish although I would have preferred something like a bright red over the sombre dark green. Made of aluminium, its fairly large at 7.6cm square with a thickness of 1.5cm. Tolerances are very good. Solid and heavy!

The object of course is to split the 4 pieces. Intuitively you will just want to push the pieces out like a jigsaw puzzle, but wait....it gets stuck against each other such that none of the 4 pieces can dislodge from the others.

This puzzle is the 4 piece version of a Hanayama cast puzzle that came out a while back. Go to the Hanayama website and take a look and see if you can figure out which one I am talking about.

Because I had solved the Hanayama version (which is in the more difficult range), I knew how to go about this one and very quickly got the 4 pieces apart. For the novice or beginner, the 4 Piece may pose a fair challenge (just like how it was for me the first time solving the Hanayama puzzle). A fine touch is needed to solve this one.

Heart In Heart
This is a very tiny puzzle at just 3.4cm square and 1.2cm thick. When I opened the (relatively) large box it came in together with the 4 Piece Metal Puzzle, It was so small and flat that initially I couldn't find it amongst the bubble wrap and sponge bits and thought Wil had forgotten to ship it.

The Heart puzzle is brass and aluminium and overall construction, fit and finish is very good, although still a tad below the 4 Piece Metal Puzzle.

The silver heart is recessed into the square brass piece. Object is to remove the heart and split it further apart. I don't want to spoil anyone's fun. Suffice to say, the heart is dainty and so you need to be gentle with your hands (and without force whatsoever) separate the pieces slowly.

But as you fiddle with this one, you will probably quite quickly figure out what needs to be done, so its not too difficult. Putting it back together is also not as taxing as some other similar puzzles of this genre.

Both are high quality nice puzzles, not too difficult nor overly expensive (together they costs Euros 60). And if you are a sucker for metal ones like me, definitely a must-have!

Cast G & G

Name
Cast G & G

Designer
Jin-Hoo Ahn, of South Korea.

Manufacturer
Hanayama. Launched in June 2013, the G&G is available from the usual online retailers including Sloyd of Finland and PuzzleMaster of Canada.

Type & Classification
Take-part; disentanglement.

Dimensions
6cm (Height) x 2.5cm (Width)

Materials & Construction
Made of zinc alloy (I think) and brass. Quality of construction here is generally good. One G is finished in chrome while the other is shiny brass.

IPP
The Cast G&G (also known as the Double G) won the 2012 Jury Grand Prize at IPP32 in Washington, USA

Overview
I sat next to G&G designer Jin-Hoo Ahn at dinner during IPP33 in Japan this year. A nice young man (just about twenty years old I estimated) heading for university to earn his degree. I wonder what new puzzles will emerge from him in the years to come. Over dinner he let me try out a cardboard puzzle (similar to the G&G), to which I couldn't figure out of course; at least not for the duration of the dinner.

The aim is to separate the two Gs. The G&G if I may say so, is in some ways similar to Hanayama's Cast Coil. You need to do a series of twist and turns to disentangle the two Gs. While the Cast Coil has grooves to allow the pieces to rotate against each other, the G&G has little "bumps" instead, strategically placed on the corners and edges of both Gs. This has the opposite effect of preventing or limiting movement and rotation of the two Gs which makes the puzzle challenging.

While it didn't take me long to split the two pieces, some time early on was spent studying how the two Gs interacted with each other. And of course the usual trial and error of going through the different movements of the Gs. I went through a number of dead ends. After a while, I sort of figured out how each G could move against the other and eventually solved the puzzle. Reassembly here was much easier; slide the Gs together, twist it a bit here and there and somehow it locks itself again.

Difficulty Level
Hanayama rates it at 3 out of 6 stars and I think the rating is about right. Random manipulation is unlikely to help you solve the puzzle, other than by sheer chance. As I mentioned, careful observation would serve you better.

Summary
Not a difficult puzzle by any means, but no walk in the park either. If you are the sort that is hung up about keeping your puzzles new and pristine, I think you can forget it with the G&G. The shiny surfaces of the Gs will be scratched invariably as mine was. Fellow puzzle blogger Gabriel Fernandes' copy was also similarly scratched after the solve; seems like his was worse than mine! And remember, there is no force needed here. If the pieces cannot move, its because its intended that way. Be gentle with the pieces and this will preserve the shine better.
_____________________________________________________________
For photos of my other puzzles please click here.

Popplock T8

Update 26 October 2017 - Dear Reader, please check out my new puzzle blog and e-store at http://mechanical-puzzles.com

Name
Popplock T8

Designer
Rainer Popp, who is perhaps the undisputed master of trick/puzzle lock design. Since his first lock the T1, Rainer has come up with a new puzzle lock virtually every year.

For all my reviews of Popplocks from T2 to T7 in this blog, please click below:-
1. T2
2. T3
3. T4
4. T5
5. T6
6. T7

Manufacturer
Rainer Popp. Unfortunately no longer available from the usual online retailers such as Puzzlemaster and Grand Illusions. May be available from Rainer direct or possibly Wil Strijbos.

Type & Classification
Trick/puzzle lock.

Dimensions
14cm (Length) x 3cm (Width) and 8.5cm (Height). Very heavy!

Materials & Construction
Lock body and shackle are both made of stainless steel, with some brass bits. In the tradition of Popplocks, supreme quality and manufacture with a very high price to match.

Overview

After the somewhat less than positive (and in some quarters very critical) reaction to the earlier T7 by puzzlers, many of whom had felt let down by the puzzling experience, I think Rainer has been able to regain and dominate the high ground in puzzle lock design with the T8.

The T7 is water under the bridge. As far as I can tell, every puzzler that I have been in contact with, and from what I can glean from the Internet, Facebook, puzzle forums etc, the T8 appears to be getting a standing ovation. Hence the quick sell-out by puzzle retailers, notwithstanding the very high price tag.

The T8 breaks away from the traditional "padlock look" and instead adopts a contemporary, clean and very modern styling I am add. At first glance, the uninitiated may not even think its a lock. The T8 has a stainless steel body, as opposed to the usual brass. This is only the second time Rainer has chosen to use steel; the first being the limited edition T2 (or T2VA).

The shackle runs through the cylindrical lock body which at one end sticks out a brass knob with a protruding red dot. The other end is engraved with Rainer's Popplock logo. The T8 comes without a key, so obviously it is intended that you can open the lock without one.

Rainer usually has a number of tricks up his sleeve when it comes to the Popplocks so I was trying to use all my experience with the previous six Popplocks to figure out what possible mechanism might there be which is holding the shackle in place. The T8 took me a long time; over several days of intermittent puzzling before I came upon the solution. And even here, it was not a case of logical deduction or analysis but more through trial and error (read "random trying this and that").

In the end, after I had unshackled the T8, I could only marvel at the ingenuity of the design. The solution is really so simple and elegant; but of course only after having figured it out and with hindsight.

Difficulty Level
Very difficult when you are struggling to find out the solution. Most puzzlers are stuck after the first one or two steps. Some very experienced puzzlers have taken days to solve.  But simple to execute once you know how to. Very easy (and fun) repeatable solving.

From Left: T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7 & T8
Only the T3, T7 & T8 do not have keys or key holes

Summary

The T8 scores top marks in my book not only for quality and design (very unique and unusual mechanism/trick), but also for the puzzling experience. Expensive but well worth it. As I mentioned in a Facebook post, I think from a practical standpoint given the way the T8 is solved, it can also actually be used like a real lock, tho' I doubt if anyone would!

Cast Coil

Name
Cast Coil

Designer
Edi Nagata, who is also well known for a number of puzzle designs including the famous Polo Shirt and Arrow Case packing puzzles.

Manufacturer
Hanayama. Launched back in 2011, the Cast Coil is available from various online retailers including PuzzleMaster of Canada and Ebay.

Type & Classification
Take-part; disentanglement

Dimensions
3.3cm (Length) x 3.3cm (Width) and 2.5cm (Height)

Materials & Construction
Made of zinc alloy and brass. Quality of construction, finish and fit is generally good. Both pieces have a matt patina surface (which is what I like). Not a large puzzle by any means but very weighty in the hands.

IPP
Edi's Twin Snake puzzle, the wooden version of which the Cast Coil is based on, was his competition entry for IPP29 at San Francisco, USA in 2009.

Overview
The Cast Coil is not new, having been around commercially since 2011. I have had it for quite a while and recently got round to it. The object is to dis-entangle/separate the two interlocking pieces that have been "coiled" together. Initially when I started puzzling with it, I found myself getting stuck. Firstly the two pieces are pretty tight (and this seems to be the general consensus amongst several other puzzlers). Secondly, trying to get the right orientation with the puzzle was also not easy as both pieces look almost identical, but not quite (thanks to puzzler George Bell for pointing this out to me).

On closer examination, one would discover there are grooves cut into each of the pieces and here is where they allow for rotation of the two pieces against each other. For the initial several minutes, I found the pieces locked in a dead end which ever way I tried. But eventually once I figured out the twist and turns, and how the two pieces interacted with each other, things became easier as I went along.

Re-assembly took me a whole lot longer to "twine" the two pieces back to the original state. I had to once again figure out how to orientate the pieces correctly and then to twist and slide the pieces back into position. The two pieces fit well and snug with relatively tight tolerances, so once in a while, even though the pieces seem stuck, rotation may actually be possible. Just be more gentle and persist.

Difficulty Level
Hanayama rates the Coil at 3-stars (out of 6). About there, I guess.

Summary
Not overly difficult but provides a decent challenge. A well constructed (and very pocket-able) puzzle that can be solved repeatedly once you have remembered the sequence of moves. And yes, after some time puzzling, the two pieces do become looser and you can move the pieces more easily.

Hanayama Cast Box

Name
Cast Box.

Designer
Yuta Akira.

Yoshiaki Hirano also made an Impossible Object out of 4 Cast Boxes which was exhibited at IPP33 in Tokyo, Japan in August this year, as shown below.

4 Cast Boxes linked together by their rings...impossible?

Manufacturer
Hanayama. Released exactly a year ago in September 2012, the Cast Cylinder is currently available from the usual online retailers including Puzzlemaster of Canada as well as several sellers from Ebay.

Type & Classification
Take-part; disentanglement

Dimensions
3.5cm square

Materials & Construction
The box frame is made of brass and the ring steel. Very well made and solid. The patina finish with eight screws at the corners give this cast puzzle a look and feel of quality.

Overview
The object is to remove the ring from the box frame. It's like a 3D version of the Cast Duet. The box frame has got grooves cut into the individual sides where one end of the ring (which is split) can pass through.

Puzzling involves manoeuvring the ring through the different edges of the box where eventually, one side would allow the ring to disengage. I found it rather difficult at first and kept getting stuck in a couple of the same positions. But I soon realised that not only the box but the ring itself should also be orientated on its different axes around the box frame to allow for greater movement. Took me longer than expected but I freed the ring eventually. I think the engraved "START" and "Box" must have something to do with the puzzle but I am not sure how they help in the solving.

Difficulty Level
Hanayama rates the Cylinder at 2-stars out of 6. Agreed. Relatively easy but it may be rather confusing and dis-orientating at first and rushing to try to solve won't help. Be patient and soon you will get there. Re-assembly is easy. Some practice and one gets the hang of repeated solving it pretty quickly. I am very tempted to buy three more copies to try the Impossible Object shown above.

Manholes 55

Name
Manholes 55

Designer
Frederic Boucher.

Manufacturer
Frederic Boucher. Only two copies of the puzzle were made by Frederic for the IPP33 Nob Yoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition. One has been donated to the Lilly Library Jerry Slocum Mechanical Puzzle Collection. I have the other, hence none currently available; unless Frederic decides to make more.

Type & Classification
Dexterity

Dimensions
8.2cm (Length) x 8.2cm (Width) x 3.6cm (Height)

Materials & Construction
Wood, glass, aluminium, felt, brass, steel, coins. Very well constructed and put together. Despite repeated handling by more than 170 participants during the 3 days judging process at IPP33, the puzzle withstood whatever abuse and did not appear to show any signs of wear at all. Nice size and feels very hefty in the palm.

As you can see from the photos, the puzzle consists of a wooden box topped with a glass cover (which makes the puzzle more classy than if perspex had been used) held in place by aluminium plates. Within the box is a "street" with two manholes, covered by a 50 yen coin and a 5 yen coin (ie 50+5 = Manholes 55). Also inside the box are brass and steel ball bearings.

IPP
Apart from Manholes 55, Frederic's Elle interlocking puzzle was also a design entry for IPP33.

Overview
I came upon the Manholes 55 when I was playing with the various competition entries. What intrigued and drew my interest was this very nice looking box with an unusual combination of different materials used, including glass for the construction of the puzzle. The odd thing was that both Frederic and I attended IPP33; I played with his Manholes 55 and Elle and he tried his hand at my own competition entry Ball In Cylinder No1. Yet we did not meet each other in person the entire 3-4 days while we were both there! I still do not know what he looks like!

After I returned from IPP33, I emailed Frederic to ask if he could sell a copy to me. After a couple of emails, we eventually did an exchange; my new Ball In Cylinder No.2 for his Manholes 55. Frederic had also mentioned that he made the two Manholes 55s from left over parts from his Pyramida Puzzles; no wastage of anything here which has resulted in a beautiful and attractive puzzle.

There are 3 challenges to this puzzle:-

1. Hide each ball underneath the coin (manhole cover) of the same colour.
2. Place each ball on top of the coin (manhole cover) of the same colour.
3. Without spinning the puzzle, move the balls to the green areas on each side of the street.

Challenge 2 solution

Difficulty Level
Challenges 1 and 2 are not difficult. The manhole covers (coins) and ball bearings move into place nicely with the required dexterity. A gentle touch will aid more in the solving than hard shaking. Challenge 3 is the tough one. I tried for a rather long time but could not seem to get the balls onto the felt on opposite sides. I just can't seem to get one ball to stay put while trying to manipulate the second ball to the opposite felt. Frederic provided me with the 3 solutions; there is a certain technique to solve Challenge 3 which I will attempt to try.

Summary

A well made puzzle that is fun to play with, not only for adults but also for kids (I let a friend's 8 year old have a go at it and he got through Challenge 1 without any help). With its glass, metal and wood construction, the Manholes 55 also makes a really nice display item. And if there will only be two copies (or perhaps a few more in time to come?) well,... its certainly going to be a very rare collector's puzzle.

Popplock T7

If you thought that Rainer Popp's puzzle locks could not get any bigger than the humongous T5, think again! Weighing in at a massive 1.1kg, Rainer's latest creation, the T7 is a behemoth. Measuring 12.6cm high, 6.4wide and 3cm thick, its taller and 200 grams heavier than the T5. The T7 has a rather unique octagonal cross-sectional shape with a steel button on one of the sides and a round knurled knob at the base of the lock.

The lock body is milled from a solid block of brass while the shackle is stainless steel. Like the rest of the Popplock family, build quality, fit and finish is first class. Once the lock is opened, you will also discover that the attention to detail in the construction of the inside is really incredible. From an aesthetic standpoint, both externally and internally, this is probably one of the most beautifully and intricately made puzzle locks I have come across.

From a puzzling perspective, I found the T7 much easier compared to its earlier cousins. I managed to release the shackle within minutes rather than hours. The solution to unlocking the lock has to do with manipulating the knurled knob at the bottom. Puzzlers who are familiar with the Revomaze would know exactly what I am talking about.

An additional feature, which I thought was rather clever and a real plus is that the T7 can be modified to make the solution varying degrees harder. The T7 comes equipped with all that is necessary for the owner to make it as easy or as hard to solve as he/she chooses. Oli has dealt with this much more extensively in his review of the T7 so I will not duplicate the details here. As always, Popplocks are not cheap, and the T7 is no exception.

The T7 is quite a radical departure from the earlier Popplocks. All the earlier models I have played with; the T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 have one or more clever "tricks" involved. The T7 I felt, unfortunately lacked the typical Popplock surprises one has come to expect.

A number of puzzlers in the community also felt let down by the T7, especially given the very expensive price tag that it came with. However, I would like to mention that these puzzlers probably have been saturated and "spoilt" by the Revomaze and hence understandably consider the T7 not up to standard. My humble opinion is that if there were no Revomaze in existence today, I am pretty confident that the T7 would likely have been considered by many as one of Rainer's best creations. Despite the seemingly unavoidable T7-Revomaze comparison, I think most puzzlers would agree that the solution to the T7 (or any puzzle lock for that matter) is quite imaginative and unexpected.

Personally I have only one criticism of the T7, and that is perhaps Rainer could have made the lock a much harder solve to begin with; then at least there would have been a fair amount of challenge expected from a typical Popplock, never mind the lack of trick(s). Aside from this and notwithstanding the less than positive comments from some quarters, I still consider the T7 to rank up there with the rest of its brethren. Expensive? Yes. Worth the money? Yes. Collectible? Definitely.

Jugo Flower

A year and a half ago, I ordered one of Wil Strijbos creations, the Jugo Flower. While waiting for it to arrive, Allard Walker happened to write about this puzzle on his blog and I was given some idea as to how the puzzle was supposed to work. Quite a fair bit of mathematical theory I might add (which is way out of my league) but if you are interested, check out Allard's review on his blog.

For some reason after the puzzle arrived, I left it on the back burner and busied myself with other puzzles that I had acquired around the same time, only to have forgotten about it until very recently. I was spring cleaning my puzzle cupboard when I found the Jugo Flower inside the original round box it came in, with the petals having lost some of their shine.

The Jugo Flower (a.k.a Game Jugo) is about 13 cm across in diameter and shaped like a flower with 15 "petals". The petals are made of brass and connected to a rotatable aluminium hub. 12 of the petals each have one of the 12 Chinese Zodiac animal symbols etched on them, while the remaining 3 petals have the Chinese characters representing Fortune, Wealth and Longevity.

4 petals aligned with the 4 arrows turning over together at the same time

Quality and construction of the puzzle is very precise and first rate. But despite this, the puzzle feels rather fragile, especially at the connecting points between the petals and the hub. Atop the hub are four small arrows and when the arrows are aligned with the petals, the corresponding petals can all be flipped over simultaneously. The Jugo Flower came in the solved state. The object of the puzzle is to "scramble" the petals by flipping them over (by rotating the hub) and get all the petals flipped back to the solved position.

I randomly flipped most of the petals over and tried to get them back in the original order but I could see that this was no easy task. At any one time, all four petals would flip together. Very easy to scramble but difficult to unscramble. I got most of the petals right side up but always, four would invariably remain upside down. The way the Jugo Flower functions reminded me of my Puck Puzzle, which has a somewhat similar style mechanism. I must admit I lost patience after a while and eventually gave up. I guess twisty type puzzles just don't appeal much to me.

Overall a very nice (and very rare) collector's puzzle and I don't regret paying the (very expensive) price to own one...unfortunately, from a puzzling aspect, not really my cup of tea.

I think the Jugo Flower may still be available from Wil Strijbos although I can't be sure. So if anyone is interested, please email me via my profile me for his contact.

Confounded Container

This nice little metal box puzzle came to me from Ebay. From its appearance, it has a vintage look and feel to it. Made by Bits & Pieces, the box is made of brass. Measuring 7cm x 5cm x 1.7cm, it resembles a pill/medicine box.

The top of the box is adorned with some sort of Celtic design to make it look unique. The box and accompanying literature bear no clue as to when it was produced but my guess is it was probably manufactured in the 1980s (I could be wrong though). Quality and construction is decent although the external surface has tarnished with age. In the hand, the box feels pretty solid and weighty.

The object is to remove the lid, which held down and "locked" in place. Not a difficult puzzle and I figured out the solution within a couple of minutes. (Clue:- it has the same solution as the YOT puzzles). There is enough space within the inside to hold small items.

This box seems pretty rare as I could not find any information or photo on it from the Internet. Nonetheless, a nice collectable (and functional) item!

Danlock Model B

Update 23 October 2017 - Dear Reader, please check out my new puzzle blog and e-store at http://mechanical-puzzles.com

Every puzzle review that I have come across on the Danlock has praised it. I have always wondered what was so special about it, after all, the lock looks like any another padlock. From an aesthetic point of view, it certainly does not have the Popplock-style embellishments nor the typical over-the-top dimensions.

It was only several weeks ago that I received the Model B from it's designer Dan Feldman. I waited for nearly 9 months as it was out of stock then. 

The lock itself looks pretty ordinary. Dan had chosen to use a stock lock made by the Nabob company in Israel for his puzzle. The lock measures about 8.5cm tall and 5 cm wide. It is larger than a Popplock T6, but smaller than all the other Popplocks in terms of size and weight. It has the usual brass body but instead of steel, the shackle is also brass. As a real functioning lock, the quality is very good and looks well capable of deterring break-ins.

The "trademark" of the Danlock which makes it recognizable is the broken key that comes with the lock. The object of the puzzle is not just to unlock the shackle but to relock it with everything back to their original place. Dan states in the puzzle instructions that everything that is needed to solve the lock is present; the ring that hold the two pieces of the broken key is not needed, neither is the draw-string pouch that accompanies the puzzle. In a way, the Danlock could be classified as a sequential discovery puzzle.

Unlocking the lock is easy part. When you look at the pieces you have, it is obvious that the broken key shard has to be used somehow. Using the broken key, I happily unlocked the lock in a jiffy. The real (and very difficult) challenge is to restore the lock back to its original state, with both the unbroken key and broken key attached back to the shackle. 

I was stumped for a number of days at this stage; trying different things but with no success. Finally I contacted fellow puzzle blogger Kevin Sadler for a clue. He gave me a hint and I re-examined carefully everything I had in front of me again; the lock body, shackle and the 2 keys. I decided to experiment with some moves I hadn't tried previously nor thought of. Lo and behold, my efforts were rewarded not too long after that. I managed to reinstate the Danlock to its original state. Certain aspects of the solution is very well disguised and the action steps required to completely solve the puzzle were quite surprising and totally unexpected. 

I feel it's by far the best and perhaps one of the most difficult trick locks I have come across. The only other lock that I would consider which can give the Danlock a run for the money is perhaps the Popplock T4. The real appeal of the Danlock lies in its ability to hide a really amazing mechanical puzzle design within the confines of an ordinary and non-script looking padlock. And unlike most other trick locks, here, both the opening and closing are part of the solving process.

Not cheap but the Danlock is good value-for-money given it's puzzling aspect. Definitely worth acquiring. The Model B is available directly from Dan Feldman.

A Plugged Well

A Plugged Well was Matthew Dawson's Exchange Puzzle at IPP32 held in Washington last week. Matthew Dawson is one half of the Dawson/Makishi duo that brought us the Pagoda series of wooden puzzles. For readers who have followed my blog, you may remember that I had reviewed the Pagoda No 3 quite a while back and I couldn't manage to solve it then. Until today, I have yet to revisit my Pagoda No 3 to try to solve it again, given that new puzzles seem to come my way and consume much of my time. Well, if there is any consolation this time round, I succeeded in solving the Plugged Well. But perhaps not quite the way I would have liked it to end!

Designed and made by Brian Young of Mr Puzzle, A Plugged Well is made of walnut with metal parts fabricated from brass and steel. Mine is of a darker shade brown although different copies will vary from dark to light coloured wood. The puzzle measures about 10cm tall, 6.8cm deep and 5cm wide. Quality of construction, fit and finish is excellent. Externally, there is a brass tube sitting atop the well and lower down, there is what appears to be a screw inserted into a "door" in front.

The object of the puzzle is to "unplugged" the well. Indeed the "instructions" that came with the puzzle states:- "You've inherited this oil well from Uncle Bubba who plugged it in a tricky way back in the 1960's when oil was selling for under $3 a barrel.  With oil now over $100 a barrel the challenge is to unplug the well.  You'll know you've got the oil flowing again when you find the barrel of oil.  Can you pitch your wits against Uncle Bubba and work out how he plugged the well?"

This is a sequential discovery puzzle meaning that you have to follow a series of steps in a particular order to solve it. Everything needed to solve the puzzle, such as tools and implements are also all found within the puzzle itself.

The barrel of oil sitting atop the unplugged well

I don't wish to describe how the barrel of oil is "found", so as not to spoil anybody else's fun. But suffice to say, the first four steps are pretty obvious and I quickly figured them out. Thereafter, I was stumped for a long while trying to determine the next step. As usual, when everything fails, I resorted to the usual shaking, tapping, knocking and all sorts of other actions. I can hear something loose knocking about inside but couldn't really tell what it was.

After much effort trying this and that with the "tools" available, I made some progress, but each time when I thought I achieved the next step, I became stuck and had to backtrack and start over again. Going back and forth  I lost sight of the steps I took....talk about sequential...sigh!!! But with lots of trial and error in manipulation, pushing and pulling, I was able to "feel" my way through. Something finally gave in inside, and at last I managed to unplugged the well and extracted the barrel of oil. To be honest, although I was probably headed in the right direction,  I am not really sure what I did correct to get the barrel of oil out. The insides looked quite complicated and initially I couldn't quite figure out how the internal mechanism worked.

Overall a very difficult puzzle indeed and even though its been described as sequential discovery, there are many steps which I would not have discovered on my own via a logical or systematic process of reasoning or deduction. I checked the solution that came with it and believe it or not, there are well over twenty (rather very detailed) steps to solve the puzzle!!! The schematic drawing (showing the insides) was no walk in the park either.

Nonetheless, I was very impressed at the ingenuity of design and the puzzle's solution. The Plugged Well has far more "interactive" parts and sequential steps needed than either the Houdini's Torture Cell or Wil Strijbos' First Box, all squeezed into a smallish palm sized object....quite amazing!

Now here is the clincher! In the process of taking photos of the puzzle for this review, I had accidentally re-assembled the puzzle wrongly and now the thing is stuck it seems....beyond salvation? I hope not, because the puzzle didn't come cheap. Not sure what I can do now but to email Matthew Dawson for help!!

Update 21 August 2012

With the aid of an "external" tool, I managed to "unstuck" my puzzle....Whew! Thanks to Matthew Dawson and Neil Hutchinson for their helpful suggestions.

Also, for another take on the Plugged Well, check out Jeff Chou's blog post.

Zen Puzzle By Charles O Perry

I have been hankering after a Zen Puzzle for quite some time now. To me, its probably one of the most aesthetically pleasing puzzles around. With its nice round black Delrin case encircling 5 spiral shaped brass rods to resemble a flower, the Zen is more art than puzzle.

Charles Perry's signature on 3 o'clock piece not too
 visible due to poor  quality of photo

The Zen was designed by the late architect, artist and sculptor Charles O Perry who died in 2011. Amongst the several puzzles that he had designed is also the Ball Puzzle, reviewed previously in this blog. So when not one but two Zens unexpectedly surfaced on Ebay a couple of weeks back, I was determined not to miss out on getting one. Lady Luck was with me all the way and in the end, I won my Zen with a bid price which I would consider to be a very reasonable, compared to previous winning bids.

The Zen is just the right size for the palm, at 6.2cm across in diameter and 2.9cm thick. Heavy for its size due to the brass pieces. My Zen although used, was in excellent shape. Considering the puzzle was manufactured in 1987, it was in near mint condition when I received it. There was not a single mark or blemish on the black casing and no dents or dings on the 5 brass pieces either, other than a light patina. Even the accompanying pouch made of felt was in very good condition. All the pieces fit into the casing nicely with very tight tolerances. Quality of construction for the Zen is first rate.

The object of the puzzle is to remove the 5 interlocking (or should I say inter-twining) brass pieces and re-assemble them back together inside the case again. 3 of the 5 pieces are identical while one serves as a locking piece, holding all 5 pieces securely inside the case. The case itself has got curved grooves cut into the insides to receive the brass pieces. The locking piece also happens to have Charles Perry's signature engraved on one of the exposed surfaces. Not by machine but hand etched instead by Mr Perry himself, which gives it a rather nice personal touch. 

As a puzzle, the Zen is really not difficult at all, definitely much easier than the Ball Puzzle. To disassemble is pretty easy. To put the pieces back together perhaps takes a slight while longer; but with a bit of trial and error here and there, all the pieces will soon rotate and slip into their niches within the case nicely and smoothly.

Difficult to come by, the Zen is a rare collector's piece which pops up on Ebay occasionally. While certainly not cheap, its not outrageously expensive either; as yet I have not come across any ridiculous winning bid. So grab the chance to get hold of one if you can. When you are done with the puzzling, just leave it on the table and it becomes a sculptural display as perhaps Mr Perry had intended; if not a very nice (and functional) designer paperweight.

For another take on the Zen, check out Oli's review in his puzzle blog.