I'm very proud to present the sixth in my series of "Radiolarians", or face turning icosahedra.

This is an even deeper face turning icosahedron than the Cat's Cradle (Radiolarian 5), and 5 new tiny pieces are added around each corner by the deeper cuts.

This is the third time I have attempted this puzzle. There are many many tiny pieces as you can see! Each corner is surrounded by 10 small parts.

Like the Cat's Cradle, this puzzle can jumble in two ways. Pictures of each jumble are included below, in the second and third to last images.

Thank you!

Video

Cue Inception music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imamcajBEJs

Does it ever end? Do I detect an icosahedral Chopasaurus on its way?

-Eitan

WOW!!! That sure turns nicely for a puzzle with that many small parts. And it looks smaller then I expected it would need to be. The perimeter of the corners appears nearly circular now. How do you keep them from turning in place by themselves?

Carl

If the mechanism is anything like the NovaMinx, then the mechanism of the corner pieces will have five fold symmetry, and so will be pretty hard to turn in place.

Excellent stuff Jason! I'm really looking forward to seeing where you will go with the series.

Given the sharp angles you've been able to get work, I wonder if you've got your sites set on a big chop.

That's amazing. It looks like there are cobwebs draped over it.

Hey Carl! Thanks alot for posting. You're right! These corners are so surrounded by small parts that they are almost round making the corners almost circular, and the parts around them hard to root. One of the reasons I've designed this one multiple times. But Luke has the right idea--



Every other part around the corner is rooted at a different shell with a pentagonal symmetry, which lets the corner stay pentagonal in the mechanism. Now that I've read this I have to go take another look at the Novaminx.



The big chop has a similar area with a corner surrounded by 15 parts! Whenever I get brave I look at the geometry and I get back to icosahedrons...


Thanks very much Tony! I should have mentioned this is where the name comes from. Seems appropriate this close to Halloween.

This is unbelievable.
When I saw the first pictures I was sure it would be huge and it is just as big as all other Radiolarians you made.
Nuts.

Without decreasing the incredible achievement - isn't this the same puzzle?
[EDIT: I just saw, that the cuts of the Icosacopter are slightly different, so that the Icosacopter has
one more piece unter the peaks on each face.]

The Icosacopter By S&M

How does your puzzle turn? Is it stable? I know very well, that the Icosacopter has
a lot of issues with the small pieces popping as the rails, which hold the pieces in place
are very small and usual gaps during a twist eventually become larger and a pieces falls off.
Any experiences so far?

- Frank -

Very nice. How many Raiolarian's do you plan to make?

-Doug

Hey Frank!
The icosacopter is an edge turning icosahedron, and this puzzle is face turning. So they are as different as a 3x3x3 and a helicopter cube. They are completely different puzzles. With that said, I can see why you asked. Looking at the icosacopter jumbling, it looks very similar at a glance. The icosacopter could also be said to be a shape transformation of the face turning rhombic triacontahedron.
I think the face turning rhombic triacontahedron has some similar quirks of geometry to the icosahedron, which may explain the similar looking pieces.
Turning quality on this is "very good". I think the "Cat's Cradle" is "excellent" in comparison. This many small pieces at acute angles are asking for trouble. But that said, I'm very happy with the movement (see the video), and it hasn't popped.



I have a plan with a certain number, but I'll keep it secret for now...

Ah, yeeees, of course..... I was so focused on the pieces when I recognized the pattern they build, that I ignored everything else