Craft Stick Puzzle

[John Frazee]

While Christmas shopping I saw a pack of craftsticks and thought about a puzzle for some reason. I bought a pack and thought about laying them out tight- side by side. Then lasering a photo or something onto them. They can be taped together with sign mask if need be. If taped together they can be flipped over to number the order for cheating or to make it harder by lasering another photo on the other side. Any thoughts? I may just be getting too old and flipping out! lol

[Gary Hair]

I may just be getting too old and flipping out! lol

I can't really comment on that but I think your idea is a good one. I could see them being big sellers for mothers/fathers day.

Gary

[Dee Gallo]

John, you're not flipping out, you're a laser owner! It seems like everyone has gone into a store and asked "hmmm...wonder how that would laser?" while looking at things. Isn't it a fun and invigorating feeling?

I like your idea, it is simple yet elegant. I could see this used for several levels of puzzles: for pretty young kids who can only handle a simple challenge, for grandparents who love anything with kids pix on it and can keep it around as a toy for visiting kids to play, for executives with time on their hands waiting on hold for a phone conference, for schools as give away prizes or fun-time brain teasers, for advertising giveaways, for restaurant time-wasters while you wait for your order. And so on...

Depending on the image and finish used, you could go to town with these!

cheers, dee

[Lee DeRaud]

I've got what is alleged to the hardest puzzle on Earth. It's about 8" square, made of 49 blocks of wood. The way it looks like it was made is, a solid slab was carved with an irregular ripple pattern diagonally from one corner to the other, then again with a different pattern between the other two corners, then sliced into square blocks. Then corresponding blocks were shuffled between multiple puzzles so you can't use the grain as a clue. (I've done the two-sided blank jigsaw puzzle, and this is definitely harder.)

That was probably done with some kind of CADCAM machine, but it seems like a similar thing could be done with a 2D pattern engraved on the top of a slab of wood...or multiple slabs, if you're a sadist. The tricky bit is obviously coming up with a pattern that only has one solution when cut into square blocks.

[Robert Walters]

John,

You're not thinking sadistic enough....

Stack the sticks on EDGE, then engrave a photo.
Flip em over, and engrave a photo on the other side!

=)

[Dee Gallo]

John,

You're not thinking sadistic enough....

Stack the sticks on EDGE, then engrave a photo.
Flip em over, and engrave a photo on the other side!

=)

Robert, you're evil.

[Robert Walters]

Robert, you're evil.

Gosh gee.... thanks! =)