Sometimes the simplest things are sent to catch you out… and
when they do, you should probably keep that to yourself. You definitely shouldn’t
tell your puzzling mates about how much of an eedjit you are – and you probably
shouldn’t write it up on your own blog – that’s just asking for scorn, shame
and laughter at your own expense.
So here goes…
I recently acquired a little Pennyhedron to add to my modest
Krasnow collection. The seller’s description mentioned that the fit was pretty
snug and it would be shipped assembled. It arrived in the expected condition
and it looked lovely… a perfectly petite puzzle.
Knowing that it was a three-finger Pennyhedron (other Pennyhedrons
may exist) I set about trying to open it… trying this way and that, changing
axis every now and then, first pulling and then pushing, adjusting my grip a
little, then pulling a bit harder, repeating the entire process and then trying
pushing even harder – all with not a lot of success.
I repeated this process across the course of several
evenings, always with the exact same result: singular piece of Pennyhedron stares
mockingly back at me.
I begin to wonder if I’m going to need to resort to Chinny’s
final solution for Pennyhedra – the large mallet.
Luckily for me I’m due a visit from the puzzle-whisperer, so
I give it to him muttering something about damned three-finger Pennyhedron and
he sets about opening it, rather quickly, because it’s not a three-finger Pennyhedron
after all – it’s a two-fingered Pennyhedron – and using the correct two finger
salute, of course it slides open perfectly (refer maker’s name, after all).
So I feel a bit of an eedjit, but I decide I should take it
along to MPP the next morning and hope some others will fall into the same trap
as I have.
I try it out on Oli who calmly assumes the correct two-fingered
salute, flukes the orientation and simply slides it open…
It’s just me then.
I’m an eedjit.
But it’s a beautifully made example from Lee so I’ll get
over my embarrassment one of these days.
Don’t cry for me, ardent reader.
Sometimes the assumptions you make about a puzzle are the biggest barrier to solving it. It is the mark of a good puzzle!
ReplyDeleteYou are clearly in need of more pennyhedrons shaped puzzles to challenge visitors :-)
ReplyDelete...would you believe I have a "Full Chinny" for just an occasion... :-) Revenge will be sweet! Mwahahahahaaaaaa
ReplyDelete