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The remainder of the puzzles just released by
Pelikan
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If you had not been informed by email from Jakub, then you should know that the
puzzles from the current release are now up for sale in the
Pelikan store.
All except the Minima Magnetik and Rising Peaks - Everest are still available.
If you still want the Minima Magnetik then you badger get the version Tye
Stahly from the NothingYetDesigns store to make another batch of
his version. I don't know whether Pelikan will make any more.
Today's blog is about the remainder of the summer release from Jakub and
Jaroslav. I am sure that I can help you spend some more money!
Broken Frame and Window
This is yet another tray packing puzzle from the amazing
Lucie Pauwels. Except it is not “just” another tray puzzle! Lucie seems to have the
unique ability to design these puzzles with something about them that makes
them more than trial and error. Jakub obviously is very good at recognising
the value of these amongst all the designs that he must see. The
Broken Frame and Window
is a brilliant, beautiful and challenging logical design. It consists of a
complex tray made from Maple (137 x 137mm) with a very specifically shaped
gap where the frame should be and then a square hole in the centre (the
window). To be fitted in, there are 14 unique pieces made from a deep
vibrant Purpleheart.
When I first looked at it, I sort of quailed, thinking that this would be
many many hours of trial and error and I have the memory of a demented
goldfish so have a huge problem remembering previous patterns that I had
tried. However, when I set to playing with it, I quickly realised that this
is very much a logic challenge. There are some pieces with very restricted
placement choices and a couple of gaps in the frame that have very limited
options for which of the pieces can go in them. This made the puzzle much
more compelling.
It still was not easy and took me several hours of play before I reached the
point where the frame was filled. Much to my chagrin, I had made one
assumption about one of the gaps in the frame and kept trying the wrong
approach until exasperation made me think a different way. I am sure this
was a deliberate design feature by Lucie meant specifically to trap me! The
central window is just a 5x5 square and should be relatively easy to fill
once you have worked out which pieces are left over from the frame. The only
problem is that there are 5 different ways to fill the frame and only one of
them leaves the correct pieces to fill the window. There is still some trial
and error but it is great fun!
Coffin-Flop
Over the last few years of reviewing the puzzles designed by
Volker Latussek, I think the
Flop series
is my favourite because of the fabulous accessibility and challenge. I had
thought that the series had ended but was very gratified to see the
Coffin-Flop
in the current batch. This one is beautifully made using American Walnut and
American Cherry. It is beautifully chunky and consists of three tetracubes and
three pentacubes. They are to be fitted into a 70mm across box with a 3x3x3
cavity. The pieces consist of a total of 27 voxels which will completely fill
the box with no gaps.
Volker designed this and named it as a tribute to the great Stewart Coffin -
there was even a conversation between the two puzzle powerhouses:
"Dear Mr Coffin, when your HALF HOUR was published as a packer at
Cubicdissection last year, I myself played with your basic idea of
splitting a 3x3x3 into three penta-cubes and three tetra-cubes to add a
cube-shaped box with six pieces to my FLOP SERIES. That doesn't work with
your HALF HOUR, but there is actually a similar set of six pieces that has
nice movements in and out of the box. I wonder if I can call the puzzle
COFFIN-FLOP? Pelikan will publish the puzzle.”
STC: "After all these years, what a surprise. I never was very good with names.
Often that was the hardest part. I have been so busy with other projects
lately that puzzles are now in my past. But they were fun, especially
dissections. No opinion on type of wood. I used whatever was available.
Keep up the good work.
Stewart Coffin (STC), Massachusetts"
You know from the beginning that this is going to be a huge challenge of first
construction of possible cubes and then finding the single way they can be
inserted through the limited opening (less than 2 voxels across). There will
be rotations and there will be swearing! In fact there was swearing right from
the beginning as the special transport placement of the pieces actually proved
a challenge for this puzzler to remove from the box just so that he could get
started.
The solution of course requires rotations and also the ability to control
rotations deep inside the box with no room to insert your fingers - if you can
find a way to control gravity then you will have a significant advantage. If
you are one of us normal humans who cannot change the direction of the
gravitational field as required then some real dexterity is required.
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Taking it apart and returning it to the transport position is another huge
challenge!
I adore these puzzles and was very gratified to solve it after just 2 days of
work! If you have any of the previous Flop series then you should buy this one
- it is brilliant!
The Real Euklid
Another incredibly challenging packing puzzle -
The Real Euklid
has seven cubic and cuboidal pieces to fit in the 9x9x9 box with the usual
limited entry at the top. It is rather lovely to look at being made from
Mahogany and Wenge - using these woods also gives the puzzle a nice weight.
Yes, Dr Latussek has done it yet again! There is yet another puzzle in his
incredible
Euklid packing series. This one must be really special because Volker named it as “the
REAL Euklid” as if all the previous ones had been fake. Volker
wrote the following about this design"
"Finally, we've arrived! After a few wrong turns and some significant
misjudgments, such as seemingly unique solutions suddenly turning into
double-digit numbers of solutions, I am now proud to present THE REAL
EUKLID. The task I set myself over six years ago should now be complete:
Find a 9x9x9 cubic box with a centred 5×9 opening and seven different
cuboids with an edge length of between 3 and 6 units AND A UNIQUE
SOLUTION!
In fact, I changed my design strategy for THE REAL EUKLID. Until now, I
have always focused on the most beautiful sequence of movements possible
for seven cuboids, but this time I did it the other way around: I let
the possible cuboids sink in and saw which sequence they showed me - I
tried to take on the role of the solver who wants to discover the
designer's idea but initially only sees the pieces. Looking at the
cuboids without any preconceived sequence of moves broadened my
perspective so much that I was able to complete the task. When I saw the
solution for the first time, I couldn't believe that I had achieved my
task. I was very sceptical because of my experience with EUKLID. Maybe I
didn't want to believe it because I secretly hoped that there was no
solution to my task. Overall, I had a great time designing THE REAL
EUKLID.
Now take a look at the seven cuboids and the interplay with the box for
yourself. Then you too can have a great time with THE REAL EUKLID."
There are at least two in this series that I have still not solved despite
going back to them on and off for years now. I would not be surprised if
this one joined that group. I have only really had an hour or so to play
with this one so far and have not got a clue as yet. These puzzles are not
for the faint hearted. All the shapes to be fitted inside have a side length
as a multiple of 7mm (21, 28, 35 or 42mm) and the interior is 63mm in all
directions - there is a sort of beauty to that and I am sure that knowing it
will be a help to some of you but to me - I haven’t got a clue. Good luck to
all who buy - it will be a great challenge.
Minima Smiley and Sally
The Minima Smiley puzzle I had
reviewed in April
was a great puzzle and huge seller for Pelikan. Of course, Frederic did not
want to just leave the series with a huge triumph! He had to take it one
step (or maybe quite a few steps) further by bringing the Smiley ball back
and giving him a girlfriend (and a heart to seal their love) and hence we
now have the
Minima Smiley and Sally. Oh, and as if that wasn’t enough, the bolt from the last version was
still present only bigger -
MUCH bigger. This incredible puzzle is a
serious challenge which I have still not completed as Jakub puts them on
sale. I have retrieved Mr Smiley and found Sally inside but so far have not
managed to retrieve her. There is quite a lot of thought required here as
well as some considerable dexterity. At the moment I have got Sally trapped
into a place that I cannot seem to retrieve her - it will need some thought©
and quite a bit more time.
You know you need this one for your collections - it is lovely, it’s a huge
challenge and the continuation of the series. No puzzler can truly resist a
puzzle series - especially if they are this good.
I am sure that there are some puzzles for you here! There is so much to
choose from with puzzles from 3 of the best designers in the world. Get them
whilst they are still available.
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