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Monday, August 31, 2009

Bram's Cube



I had the good fortune to play with Bram's Cube at the International Puzzle Party 29 in San Francisco last month. Great mechanism. Very difficult. Must buy!

http://www.shapeways.com/model/31121/bram_s_cube.html

YOT PUZZLES



YOT & YOT II are both great puzzles. Indestructible too. (I have the first YOT II ever sold.)

www.yot.com

Friday, August 28, 2009

Nob Yoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition



Katsuhiko Okamoto has created another masterpiece in the 'custom twisty puzzle' tradition. It will supposedly be commercially available soon. It won Puzzle of the Year at the prestigious IPP convention a few weeks ago. Congratulations!

http://puzzle3d.hp.infoseek.co.jp/

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Lab Mice Puzzles - In Italian



Lab Mice Puzzles - now available in Italy! This humble Mechanical Puzzle Correspondent for Games Magazine is now an International Author.

Tens of thousands have already ordered copies of Lab Mice Puzzle - printed in America, now those Lab Mice Puzzle fanatics can buy the Italian edition.

http://libreriarizzoli.corriere.it/libro/cutrofello_tom-dedalo_lab_mice.aspx?ean=9788862980593

Monday, August 24, 2009

Puzzle Sculptures



Decades/centuries from now, people will be talking about George Hart's puzzle sculptures. Buy a piece to enhance your home and as an investment!

http://georgehart.com/puzzles/index.html

Friday, August 21, 2009

LOST (TV SHOW)




At the International Puzzle Party (IPP 29) in San Francisco, I was surprised that so many puzzlers did not watch LOST. I did have an hour long conversation with Bill Darrah about our theories of LOST.

Issue: How many times has John Locke been killed?
1. His father threw him out of an office tower window. (Coincidentally, Hurley was on a lower floor meeting with his lawyer and saw the body go past that window.)

2. Hunting wild boar on the island with Michael and Kate, the smoke monster approaches. Nobody sees it attack Locke, but Kate tells Jack - the thing got Locke. Jack then sees his father run into the bush, he runs after and encounters....Locke

3. Ben shoots Locke and he falls into the mass grave of the Dharma Initiative. Locke mysteriously shows up later as if nothing had happened.

4. Locke is strangled by Ben.

My prediction: Walt will throw a knife into Locke's back to kill him again. But he probably won't stay dead.

To the hundreds of puzzlers who have been sending me emails, keep 'em coming!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Liberty Puzzles



This Mechanical Puzzles Correspondent normally does not do jigsaw puzzles. However, http://www.libertypuzzles.com/ has some great art work and the puzzles are laser cut. The wood is .25" thick. The pieces are funky. I didn't want to go to sleep last night!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Crazy Elephant Dance



This puzzle is the ternary sequel to ThinkFun's Spinout. Invented by Markus Gotz. Terrific puzzle. Click here to play the applet http://markus-goetz.de/
Click here to see someone who's played the applet for youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QEx7UFa_AI

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

200 Year Old Puzzle Finally Solved

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124648494429082661.html?mod=yhoofront

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Strimko & Chain Sudoku



The Grabarchuk Family created Strimko. Conceptis is now publishing the same type of puzzles under the name Chain Sudoku. www.strimko.com

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Intersections: Puzzles As Art



Fabulous display of all types of mechanical puzzles. Some of which I have in my collection. Other puzzles - I wish I had them! Masterfully curated by Nancy Mintz and George Miller. Ends August 16. www.svma.org

Saturday, August 1, 2009

2009 IPP Puzzle Design Competition

www.puzzleworld.org/DesignCompetition/2009/

One of the best things about attending the International Puzzle Party: getting to play/solve new puzzles. This year's competition has 80 new puzzles.