Unusual Position
What is the smallest number of moves needed to result in this unusual position?
SOLUTION
The shortest game takes just 4 moves:
1. Nf3 e5
2. Nxe5 Ne7
3. Nxd7 Nec6
4. Nxb8 Nxb8
Gravity Maze
Review
Gravity Maze is one of the most popular and recognized products by ThinkFun. The goal of this puzzle/game is to build a 3D structure using blocks and tunnels. The structure should enable a small marble to travel from a starting point at the top to a finishing point at the bottom.
Gravity Maze comes in a large box and includes a plastic 5×5 grid, 11 colorful blocks of varying sizes, 3 marbles, and 60 challenge cards. The blocks are composed of small cubes and contain short tunnels passing through them. They can be positioned on the grid horizontally or vertically, and can also interlock, like LEGO blocks. This allows the solver to design an extended system of tunnels, essentially creating a labyrinth for the marbles to travel through. The challenge cards are split into 5 groups by difficulty, ranging from simple beginner puzzles (involving just a few blocks) to expert puzzles (involving up to ten blocks). Solving each of the puzzles requires careful analysis of the given pieces and all the possible ways in which they can be combined. When the structure is completed, the solver must drop a marble into one of the pieces and watch it find its way to the destination. Testing whether the constructed solution works is arguably the best part of the puzzle and it is what makes Gravity Maze so much fun.
Even though the recommended age for Gravity Maze is 8 years and up, many of my academic friends enjoyed playing with it. I am sure that middle and high schoolers will like it even more.
- 1 player, 8 years and up
- 60 challenges with varying difficulty
- unique and fun concept
- finding the solution is very satisfying
- the challenge cards are a bit flimsy
GET GRAVITY MAZE HERE
Maze of Flowers
Can you find your way through this maze of flowers?
SOLUTION
The solution is shown below.
Pass Through a Card
Take a small piece of paper – 4in by 6in, and scissors. Can you cut the paper in such a way, so that you can pass through it
SOLUTION
Yes, you can, as shown on the image below.
Penn and Teller: Fool Us
Here, at Puzzle Prime, we have been always fascinated by magic. We appreciate the amount of creativity it takes to design a magic trick, the immense talent required to execute it, and the many hours of practice needed to perfect it. As long-time fans of Penn and Teller, a few years ago, we were delighted to discover that these all-time greats have started their own TV show. “Fool Us”, soon to be running its fifth season, gathers some of the best magicians around the world and lets them perform in front of Penn and Teller, who are trying to figure out their secrets. To watch the show’s episodes, visit the CW network by clicking the banner below.
Be brave!
Which is the best move for White in this position?
SOLUTION
The best move is 1. Rc8+. Then either 1. … Kxb7 2. Rxd8, or 1. … Rxc8 2. Qxa7 Kxa7 3. bxc8 = N+, and Black loses both the Rook and the Queen.
16 Personalities Test
Even though developing your analytical and
Hidden Objects Piles 2
Can you find the objects which are hidden in the images below?
SOLUTION
The solution is shown below.
Complex Timepiece
A sundial has the fewest moving parts of any timepiece. Which has the most?
SOLUTION
The hourglass, it has thousands of grains of sand.
The Pasta Puzzle
You have 10 strings of pasta left on your plate. You randomly start tying up their ends, until there are no loose ends anymore. What is the average number of loops which are created?
SOLUTION
The expected (average) number of loops at the end of the procedure is equal to the expected number of loops created after the first tying, plus the expected number of loops created after the second tying, etc. After each tying, the number of non-loop strings decreases by 1, and then the probabilities to create a new loop are 1/19, 1/17, 1/15, etc. Therefore, the answer is the sum 1/19 + 1/17 + 1/15 + … + 1/3 + 1/1 ~ 2.1.