Ponoko - Items by WilliamWaite tagged with puzzle

SomethingFishy

WilliamWaite — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:51:48 GMT

This puzzle has only 10 different pieces but 176 different solutions to fit those pieces into the fish-shaped tray. The pieces consist of all the permutations of connecting 4 fish scales together. This means that the pieces can all fit together with each other in a multitude of ways. With so many solutions and so few pieces, you might think that this is an easy puzzle, but it isn't. The solver is often left with one or two pieces at the end that don't fit the space that is left. Most people will need to backtrack and try again and again. This item could be cut from several different colors of tinted acylic and then the pieces switched around between them to produce several multi-colored puzzles. For example, make 1 complete set of fish pieces in each of 5 colors and use 2 pieces of each color in each of 5 puzzles. Using a P1 size for the puzzle with a 3mm white acrylic base, the cost of the materials is $4.48 per puzzle. PuzzleChallenge

InterlaceCircle

WilliamWaite — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:54:24 GMT

This Puzzle is based on an Islamic interlace design and has just 18 pieces. The frame extends into the puzzle in several places (the isolated section at the bottom of the picture is an example). This begins the pattern, and engraving on the base continues the design to help in the solving process. This engraving doesn't give away the solution because each piece will fit in many places throughout the pattern. The cherry wood pieces hold each other in place, but there is a lot of space between them which reveals the contrasting base. If this puzzle were made at about 18 cm across, then 8 puzzles could be fit per P3 size board. With a 4mm Italian Poplar base and 10mm American Cherry MDF pieces and frame, the cost of the wood would be about $5.14 per puzzle. PuzzleChallenge

CatClump

WilliamWaite — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:55:08 GMT

Sixty copies of a Precolumbian cat design are engraved on the building blocks of this puzzle. Each of the 15 pieces is a combination of four cats "clumped" together in different ways. A devilishly difficult puzzle and a real challenge for the laser engraver. Number of solutions unknown. This puzzle might be produced with 0.39 inch Tasmanian Ash mdf pieces and 0.16 inch Technoply Beech base. If the puzzle is made at about the 15 cm x 19 cm size, 10 puzzles could fit on a P3 size board. This would bring the cost of wood to $4.30 per puzzle. PuzzleChallenge