Magnetic Puzzles

[y2khappens]

I am curious as to what your opinions are pro / con
on magnetic puzzles. I am referring to puzzles that
require an outside magnet to solve. Like or dislike?

[maztec]

Depends.

Many of them are nothing more than a trick. As a result, solving them is by chance, little feedback, and meh. But, a very very few, give you clues on the outside, actual feedback, and make great puzzles.

[Paradox]

I agree with maztec. It really all depends on how it's implemented.

Generally, external magnets can work really well in a puzzle, however I've preferred and enjoyed them the most when they're used in the mechanism of a puzzle box. Boxes from Eric Fuller (Triple Locked Box), Heartwood (Navigator Box) and the Karakuri Creation Group (Walk Of The Ladybug) really are some of the best examples in my opinion.

[y2khappens]

Thank you guys for the feedback and the puzzle box examples Paradox.
Maztec, could you give me any examples of the ones you are referring
to that give adequate feedback and that you think are "great puzzles"?

[a-maze-ing]

Magnets can enable great tricks/locks, and those tricks/locks can be very surprising (and enjoyable) if the magnet is disguised as something else or remains invisible. Nice examples are the stickman chess box and chopstick box.

If a magnet on the outside is required, then at least it should be provided as part of the puzzle. Triple locked box is a good example here, although it is so hard to first-time-solve that several puzzlers needed a step-by-step instruction. Not Oli though, he mag(net)ically solved it all by himself.

I love working with magnets myself, and am currently working on three designs of puzzle boxes involving magnets.

Ali produced a great (and good looking) puzzle box involving external magnets about a year ago, but I believe that was a one-off.

[allardwza]

Ali produced a great (and good looking) puzzle box involving external magnets about a year ago, but I believe that was a one-off.

...so far...several of us have been trying to convince him to make a couple more...

allard

[AFKAN]

Totally agree that if it's well implemented they can be great. I would say that things like the Dovetails for example, isn't what I'd call good implementation (although they're just a simple lock mechanism on those) It's back to that bloody Isis thing

[Paradox]

Yep, I'm not a fan of needing to whack a puzzle in order to release a magnetic pin. As a method of holding some parts together it's fine, but it's not much fun as part of a solution.

[jerryloo71]

I just got a copy of Dave Rosetti's IPP26 Exchange Puzzle called the "Boston Subway", designed by Oskar Van Deventer. It is an maze puzzle which requires a "magnetic wand" from the outside to move a magnetic disc through a multi-layered acrylic maze from a start point to finish point.

Is this a good use of a magnet to solve the puzzle? I am not so sure...could the maze have used a ball bearing instead of magnetic disc? Perhaps yes. I am still playing with it and sometimes the disc gets "stuck" within the maze and only some tapping/shaking can dislodge it. The magnetic wand can't dislodge the magnetic disc.

[Alimorris]

Ali produced a great (and good looking) puzzle box involving external magnets about a year ago, but I believe that was a one-off.

...so far...several of us have been trying to convince him to make a couple more...

allard

Guys I am going to make a run of these puzzles

I have all the timber thicknessed and all other parts are purchased. The one thing I need to make is
'Time'. I've had one of my busiest years for a long time but I do really want to make them.

Note to self, "Get on with it!!!!"