![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKXuBz5NhK1AvPAKI5O6BQnwCi-mOflsCSxvGG1pNR3kWZdDCMxusbgBBrpJuJKT28i9Ta1WlgeHhe9Z6zzRzrTo_Z0GgO2qC7mseiwfqtmpCe0lXshLzq2iUCVBGwnPnub_ekOqOnTyZ/s200/AW_Puzz_Cat-1894_edited-1.jpg)
A while ago Johan posted some
pics on FaceBook of his experiments with variations on a triangular coordinate
motion puzzle – he’d come up with a fiendish variant that made similar variants
in my collection look rather tame by comparison – and it looked rather
stunning, so I gladly signed up for a copy of 4L Co-Mo DD – a rather
descriptive name if you can crack the code! [It stands for 4-layer coordinate
motion with double difficulty… it’s all clear when you’ve had it explained to
you…]
When it’s assembled, it
resembles a wheel with an internal ring and an outer rim – closer examination
shows that there are four layers to each of those rings, and that they all
split apart into three pieces… offset on each layer so that the three pieces
form a rudimentary spiral. The basic concept is common to a few coordinate
motion assemblies and part of the trick is realising how you need to push or
pull the various bits in order to get them to start coming apart…
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYjr2ATB_c5BmggC9bpM1oxpwoI2dVmD4HwcVtPkI5YlWyS3vah2jwxjnatp7n6roBI2VVrNdPI9YjjYlxA_0pU7RFTi4dRhIvfso_d9QoYayg7j2FihcKdzJwddn3OvX-zZR0jVavtHz/s200/AW_Puzz_Cat-1897_edited-1.jpg)
This leaves you with a floppy
set of loosely connected - but very much still intertwined - pieces, and a
serious challenge to get them all properly aligned and interacting in order to
allow the bits to finally come apart – the double difficulty part of the name
is well-deserved!
Persevere and you’re rewarded
with three separate identical (save for the wood choices!) pieces.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2cYpHCtOohX2u_u_prS85Jw6KvuwAxe_LoKsMEd6e9WL8vUDn7NqmJ56q6ZeeQL3Cqg3exxKsG5QFWrKOiF3eB7kYk4VMhxdzxTmtncMBgud74tzNf6bFEMvdqsmIBvf_-Bs5blKoMyY/s200/AW_Puzz_Cat-1912_edited-1.jpg)
It’s a great extension of a
reasonably well-known standard, but Johan’s added several lovely twists to make
it a serious challenge for even practiced puzzlists… and the stand, that
enables it to be displayed semi-open is a master-stroke that makes it display
beautifully and invites the challenger.
Skitterend Oom!
Thanks Allard! Much appreciated, Johan
ReplyDelete