As a continuity to Jin's excellent list, and to celebrate the Forum's birthday from some other
dimension, I am listing puzzles which are not "polyhedra cutting" and/or are based in their
derivatives. I am trying to encourage thinking out of the normal box. And this post is not
interested in the complex inner mechanisms which are the logical extensions of existing polyhedra
cutting puzzles (although many of them are very difficult to make), but in the unique mechanism
concepts which made unique puzzles to become reality.



Presenting the.... *rolling drums*

"Best 20 One-Piece Non-Polyhedra-Cutting Sequential puzzles of Recent Times.

I do not wish to list them in a "best order", I think each one has its own amazing structure.
Also, I will not limit my choices to ten, I would rather list all the ones which I believe
are "different" and can encourage the creation of similar or (completely new!) types.
I will let the photos and the videos do all the talking and describing. Searching for each
puzzle's origin/designer, is easy, just use the search button above!

Here we go:


Elementals (early 2007).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHziNyeanSs
Summary: David Litwin has presenteda very Classy series of puzzles, called Elementals
(and the first of the series was formely called Biohazard). The concept matches the quality, simply irresistible!


Tetrex (2007).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCQ_jgC7cY8
Summary: 3D folding with strings anyone? This has entered another dimension of puzzles.
Hopefully, someone could follow, there is still potential with Jason Smith's design!


Expansion of the Rubik's clock (2008).

Summary: If you thought the Rubik's clock was wide enough, you were wrong!
A very ambitious design by TomZ, which challenges the complexity of the original puzzle's inner mechanism.


Snakes in a Plane (2008).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyTqOVGF_YY
Summary: A variant, based on Nob Yoshigahara's rush hour, this time using spirals in a very clever way.
Made by, who else? Oskar van Deventer!


Odd numbered Magics (early 2006).

Video of Throne of Gods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrumNWgKRK0
Video of Magic Color Box: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLSacdEg4-M
Summary: The first puzzle breakthrough from Pantazis. Not only it was possible to use a closed-loop
odd numbered magic, but the moves and way of solving were totally new! The designs which are done so
far are actually a fraction of all the other possibilities, and have helped to categorise all closed loop magics.


Odd sided polygonal magics (2007).

Video of Iris Diamond: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6lEBlcmh4g
Summary: There was a lot of talk regarding the feasibilty of making odd sided polygonal magics.
The answer to this was a big "yes" by Pantazis. And although kind of restricted, they are very stable
and can move around *all* sides!


Caged 2x2x2 (2008)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpqz3zZAv7c
Summary: Alexander Solonenko made this neat 2x2x2 held by an external cage. An idea which may spark
more similar designs.


Lights Out Cube (2001).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUUoLWqZhdk
Summary: The best of the "Lights Out" series made by Tiger Toys for obvious (cubic) reasons.
A very neat and addictive puzzle, which uses maths in a different way we were used to.


Pyracircle (2008).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7kum7o_GDg
Summary: Hendrik Haak presented this puzzle at the IPP28 which made many heads turn.
Based on the Panex puzzle (or the Hanoi Tower if you prefer) while adding some circular effect,
makes it one of the most attractive puzzles.


Pachinko (2008)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu3iZDKutCM
Summary: Creating a simple(?) permutation puzzle combined with some clever "avalanche" technique
is the perfect recipe for a puzzle which is one of a kind! Made by Oskar van Deventer.


Topsy Turvy (2008)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8ZcYvU0sLY
Summary: Oskar van Deventer made an implementation of the M12 puzzle, based on the M12 group which is a
"simple sporadic group" of permutations of twelve tokens, and it was published in the July 2008 issue of
Scientific American. By nature, an extremely difficult puzzle to solve.


Number Planet Puzzle (2008)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koHrrnwvTwo
Summary: A mechanical implementation of the Mathieu M12 permutation puzzle, published in Scientific American
and made by Oskar van Deveneter. A puzzle which uses... inverses!!!


Palette and Gear series (2006, 2007).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvNMR-a95qE
Summary: Douglas Engel made some extremely interesting one-piece puzzles based on some new 2D sliding
and rotating concepts. The result was very satisfying.


Astrolabacus (1997).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIF0GIpop94
Summary: A puzzle out of this world made John D. Harris, and in my opinion, the best mathematical puzzle I ever bought.
Mysterious as an object from an alien culture, yet terrifying as a puzzle. Hide fast, before you become addicted!!!


Brain-chek (2003).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XKYOWsd-Xs
Summary: A puzzle of exceptional quality made by Steven Kunreuther. It has three intriguing levels with a
precision internal mechanism.


Switched Maze (2007).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6vFQ-zpLxA
Summary: At the IPP27 a neat puzzle attracted a lot of attention. It was Kirill Grebnev's award winning puzzle,
which used binary style moves!


Gravity based Flipedrons

Video of Cubedron: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtKw_sQOMGU
Summary: Pantazi's combination of three simple ideas (structure, removal, and gravity), ended up in creating a
series of very intriguing puzzles, which look easy, but they are not! The first of the series is about to be mass produced.


Labyrint (200?)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TMxCrVomc4
Summary: A puzzle which uses reflection from a certain angle to be solved. Sounds easy?
Not quite, as this is required to be done simultaneously for both sides!!!
(inventor and year information to be added soon)



Brainstring (2003).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsFGC1ai7n8
Summary: Guido Lap had the excellent idea of making moving string with beads on each end which would overlap
just enough to make everyone's life difficult. Just don't be discouraged when it starts looking like a big string mess!


Crossteaser (2004).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Ipa3fY-SE
Summary: Rom Dror brought back the Rolling Cubes puzzle to life, with a smart mechanical technique.
A very addictive puzzle which again shows that combination of simple ideas leads to great designs.



Now I should add more, like the C-metrick series, the Curvature of the Ball, just give me some time!




Pantazis



PS. If I have forgot a puzzle, please do not hesitate to add the link(s) by yourself by replying!
I would also be glad to answer your questions, if any arise.
PS2. The braintwist *is* a polyhedron based puzzle, but not so "cutting", as the usage of the
duality concept is simply a new breathtaking way in puzzle making!

I am really surprised to find myself on this list! While mine (the expanded clock) looks cool, it doesn't work that well. I haven't even been able to make a turn with all the pins up. Once you get over 6-8 pins facing up, it becomes impossible to turn.

It appears friction is a major issue. A lot of lubrication has been sprayed in, but it didn't do anything. Using a different plastic for making the plates didn't help either. I wonder if anyone can come up with a design for a 4x4 clock that is playable. That would be cool.

I still have quite a few sets of acrylic plates lying around. So if anyone would want one for the looks I can help you out. Though you would need to supply your own butchered clocks.

While we're at it, these are some lists that could also be made:

Best new builders
Most interesting but unmade designs/ideas
Worst custom twisty puzzles ever (anyone remember the soap thing? Just kidding.)

Yes, it has some difficulties that need to come through, but it works.
It just needs some adjustement, while the focus has been the concept
behind it and the effor spent to actually make the idea come true.






LOL I would love to see the first two lists. The last one though,
may appear too harsh for people who are not expecting it.




Pantazis

I was thinking another cool list would be the most notable 3x3 mods/transformations, since they're so prevalent. Things like the half-truncated cube, trajber's octahedron, mastermorphix, Fisher Cube, etc... There are so many great puzzles to choose from in this category alone.

Great list, Pantazis. Well thought out.

Perhaps something for the most creative materials used as well? *cough*...chocolate...*cough*

Crossteaser - Rolling cubes

Indeed. As much as I am amazed by some 3x3x3 variations, mathematically speaking,
they are all under the "umbrella" of the same algebraic group. I will surely buy any such
product which is mass produced, but would that mean I will have an entire new challenge?
Sadly, no. This is why I am trying (hard!) to ignite people to think of new ideas which
provide a challenge of a different nature.






Good point. And let me add, that there *are* puzzles where the chocolate (plus other sweets)
idea can be applied much much easier. Did anyone say flipedrons?






Exactly. The "Crossteaser" is a one-piece implementation of the "Rolling Cubes".
The same way the "Snakes in a Plane" is for the "Rush Hour" Puzzle to prevent cheating.




Pantazis

Nice list! I like to see these sort of puzzles too as well as twisties because there really are some great ones around.



Don't forget Nature Ball (joke)

PS. Pantazis, you accidentally wrote Topsy Curvy for Oskar's Topsy Turvy puzzle.

EDIT:

True! Thanks for this, it has been corrected.

Nice post, Pantazis.

I decided to stay out of this arena due to the huge number of possible puzzles, much the same reason I stayed away from sticker variants although a few of those are frankly brilliant ideas.

True! Thanks for this, it has been corrected. And you also mispelled Oskar! LOL




Thanks Jin, and as stated, I may update it in the future with more new technology designs,
most notably, C-metrick series, the Curvature of the Ball, Planets, and the Platypus.

I kind of also added some summaries for each case, including year and inventor.




Pantazis

Palette and Gear series (2006, 2007).


Wow, simply amazing. It looks like such a challange at first, but I think it would be easy once you "figured it out"

I wish I could play with it. Looks like SOO much fun.

*Bump!*

This is now a two year old list. Just to remind to many old members and to introduce to many new members.
And this is a list of puzzles which deserve to be "twisty", but not with the strict sense of the word.




Pantazis