Liberal Forum

So, as I was responding to a thread in NHB, I remembered just how much I love challenging puzzles.  The kind I'm into are tactile, mechanical puzzles.  One I've been working on for some time now (on and off - it sits on the shelf until I get bored and then I'll play with it) is a Green Revomaze.  It has a hidden labyrinth on the inside cylinder encased in an aluminum outer cylinder.  There are traps and other "goodies" beyond just a maze, which makes it quite difficult to solve.  Here's a picture of the one I've been working on. 



I have the "silver" one as well which is supposed to be more difficult, but won't even fool with that one until I get this one open.

Below is a puzzle by German puzzle maker Rainer Popp which I would some day love to buy and give a try...


Rainer Popp makes 15 different kinds of locks which require many secret steps you must discover to open. 

Is anyone else into this kind of thing?
 

Nobody likes mechanical puzzles? Come on, people! What if I told you that the one on the bottom fired full-auto? (it doesn't)
 

Have never done a mechanical puzzle but would be up for trying it. Part of my profession is glorified puzzle solving. someone gets an error when loading data and so you construct different ways to sleuth out the issue.

impartialobserver » 24 Jun 2022, 5:08 pm » wrote: ↑

24 Jun 2022, 5:08 pm

Have never done a mechanical puzzle but would be up for trying it. Part of my profession is glorified puzzle solving. someone gets an error when loading data and so you construct different ways to sleuth out the issue.

These are very intriguing mechanical puzzles.  I cannot justify spending the money on one of Ranier Popp's locks - but, I'd love to have one. I do have a couple of revomazes.  I'm still working on the green one and won't touch the other unless/until I open the green one.  I will say this, it is one very difficult puzzle.

Unlock understanding how and why you are a specific displacement in the atmosphere now. Hell of a puzzle since one has to work against every social order to unlock it.

Energy flows paths of least resistance. Now apply thermodynamics to evolving as one of a kind. Genetics of compounding DNA timed with molecular migration of a perpetual balancing universe.

I solved the eternal way live works in plain sight. Everyone raised in doubt won't accept it.

Skans » 16 Jun 2022, 10:28 am » wrote: ↑

16 Jun 2022, 10:28 am

So, as I was responding to a thread in NHB, I remembered just how much I love challenging puzzles.  The kind I'm into are tactile, mechanical puzzles.  One I've been working on for some time now (on and off - it sits on the shelf until I get bored and then I'll play with it) is a Green Revomaze.  It has a hidden labyrinth on the inside cylinder encased in an aluminum outer cylinder.  There are traps and other "goodies" beyond just a maze, which makes it quite difficult to solve.  Here's a picture of the one I've been working on. 



I have the "silver" one as well which is supposed to be more difficult, but won't even fool with that one until I get this one open.

Below is a puzzle by German puzzle maker Rainer Popp which I would some day love to buy and give a try...


Rainer Popp makes 15 different kinds of locks which require many secret steps you must discover to open. 

Is anyone else into this kind of thing?

Big time! I have many metal bar puzzles! I love anything that makes you think and requires logic! I'm into Wordle the last few days! 

Soduku is too easy. I'm into Kakuro, black belt!

RunningWithScissors » 03 Aug 2022, 5:21 am » wrote: ↑

03 Aug 2022, 5:21 am

Big time! I have many metal bar puzzles! I love anything that makes you think and requires logic! I'm into Wordle the last few days!

I've had this compulsion to take things apart to see how they were made and function since I was a small kid.  These types of puzzles fascinate me even today. The green revomaze (photo posted) is really perplexing.  It's essentially a maze you need to work through "blind".  But, this thing incorporates some "evil" traps and tricks.  I think I know the solution to getting from the 1st part of the puzzle to the secret 2nd part, but the level of dexterity needed to find the path can be tiresome.
 

Skans » 03 Aug 2022, 8:11 am » wrote: ↑

03 Aug 2022, 8:11 am

I've had this compulsion to take things apart to see how they were made and function since I was a small kid.  These types of puzzles fascinate me even today. The green revomaze (photo posted) is really perplexing.  It's essentially a maze you need to work through "blind".  But, this thing incorporates some "evil" traps and tricks.  I think I know the solution to getting from the 1st part of the puzzle to the secret 2nd part, but the level of dexterity needed to find the path can be tiresome.

Where in the world were you? When I tried to open an antique Linhoff camera. One of those that goes poof ..
It must have taken me two hours.  

sootedupCyndi » 03 Aug 2022, 12:16 pm » wrote: ↑

03 Aug 2022, 12:16 pm

Where in the world were you? When I tried to open an antique Linhoff camera. One of those that goes poof ..
It must have taken me two hours.

Oooooo, Cameras are tricky!  And, they have tiny screws....and springs.....and tiny little parts that explode everywhere if you don't know what you are doing.  I have a Swiss made Bolex that needs to be cleaned and lubed to run right.  This may be above my pay grade. If/when I ever have the time, I might watch a youtube on this and have a go at it.  Of course, there is a 50% chance it will end up in the trash can when I'm done with it.
 

Skans » 03 Aug 2022, 8:11 am » wrote: ↑

03 Aug 2022, 8:11 am

I've had this compulsion to take things apart to see how they were made and function since I was a small kid.  These types of puzzles fascinate me even today. The green revomaze (photo posted) is really perplexing.  It's essentially a maze you need to work through "blind".  But, this thing incorporates some "evil" traps and tricks.  I think I know the solution to getting from the 1st part of the puzzle to the secret 2nd part, but the level of dexterity needed to find the path can be tiresome.

I'ld love to try it, my friend, but i don't see it.

I'll give you a puzzle that only requires brains. It took me a week to figure it out, about an hour or two a day... My daughter did it in 3 days using math only. I figured it out using logic only. I don't know how much time she put into it in those 3 days, but she did the whole math chart thing for me, looking like Einstein. I was so proud!!! 

I just did it in my head... 

You wanna hear it? No cheating! 
 

Gimme a minute... i have to find my rules...

OK, who's smart?!?
 
Here's the opening rules.

You have 12 marbles that look exactly the same. 11 of them weigh exactly the same, and the 12th is slightly lighter or heavier, but so slightly that you cannot tell without a scale.

You have a legal scale and you get 3 chances to weigh the marbles against each other.

After the 3rd weighing, you must be able to determine which marble is different, and whether it is lighter or heavier than the others. This process must be the same every time, and work every time in every possible scenario. No getting lucky!

I'll know if you cheat and look it up.
 
 

You can figure this out using math or logic, which is the beauty that my daughter showed me.

But it's really hard! This is not an easy puzzle. 
 
 

RunningWithScissors » 05 Aug 2022, 12:45 am » wrote: ↑

05 Aug 2022, 12:45 am

I'ld love to try it, my friend, but i don't see it.

I'll give you a puzzle that only requires brains. It took me a week to figure it out, about an hour or two a day... My daughter did it in 3 days using math only. I figured it out using logic only. I don't know how much time she put into it in those 3 days, but she did the whole math chart thing for me, looking like Einstein. I was so proud!!! 

I just did it in my head... 

You wanna hear it? No cheating!

Sure, let's hear it!
 

Skans » 05 Aug 2022, 7:51 am » wrote: ↑

05 Aug 2022, 7:51 am

Sure, let's hear it!

lol i gave the puzzle already? :-)  here it goes again, lol! 

Start thinking! :-)

You have 12 marbles that look exactly the same. 11 of them weigh exactly the same, and the 12th is slightly lighter or heavier, but so slightly that you cannot tell without a scale.

You have a legal scale and you get 3 chances to weigh the marbles against each other.

After the 3rd weighing, you must be able to determine which marble is different, and whether it is lighter or heavier than the others. This process must be the same every time, and work every time in every possible scenario. No getting lucky!

Just fyi, this is what a legal scale means: You have to weigh one side against the other... :-) Good luck, you brainiacs!!! This is a great mental exercise! 

Anybody who can figure this out, via logic or math, is a genius by my standards. And btw, there's no tricks and no outside objects being used. It's str8 up like I described. All this takes is logic, or like my mathematician daughter showed, math... 
 
 

Please post your results, and I'll comment, and maybe provide hints.

RunningWithScissors » 06 Aug 2022, 12:40 am » wrote: ↑

06 Aug 2022, 12:40 am

Anybody who can figure this out, via logic or math, is a genius by my standards.

Well, the way I would do it is first put six on one scale and six on the other, then you take the heavier pile and split those in 3 on each scale, then there are 3 left in the heavier pile... take two and put them each on a scale, see if one of those is heavier then the other one, if they are the same weight then the heavy one must be the one left....

I don't think that makes me a genius, maybe you should adjust your standards a bit..

 


 


 

Jantje_Smit » 06 Aug 2022, 12:54 am » wrote: ↑

06 Aug 2022, 12:54 am

Well, the way I would do it is first put six on one scale and six on the other, then you take the heavier pile and split those in 3 on each scale, then there are 3 left in the heavier pile... take two and put them each on a scale, see if one of those is heavier then the other one, if they are the same weight then the heavy one must be the one left....

I don't think that makes me a genius, maybe you should adjust your standards a bit..

 

Hint: we don't know if the marble is heavier or lighter. So weighing 6 against 6 doesn't solve anything and wastes one of your 3 weightings. 

Remember, that's one of the goals, determine which one is different, and whether it is heavier or lighter. 

I told you this ain't gonna be easy... :-)