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The Cerebral Rings by Mag-Nif is actually a version of a puzzle believed to be around since the 17th century. It is said that the original, or an early version was found among the effects of astronomer Johannes Kepler. It is not clear, however, if he is the actual designer of the puzzle or if it was one of his colleagues.
This is an interlocking puzzle made by just three identical pieces. They are so well joined that you need the correct sequence of red buttons (one of four positions) in order to separate the pieces. The puzzle consists of a circle made by six stacks of rings, which at first sight seem to be impossible to separate. The buttons, or plungers, can be pushed up or down along the length of the stack to allow the pieces to be unlocked and separated. The movement of the puzzle is quite smooth, but it releases this strange paste that is probably used as lubricant. You will need to wash your hands afterwards, that's for sure.
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The solution is quite intriguing, since there isn't any indication or any form of a hint as to whether you're pushing the buttons in the right positions or not. It's a bit frustrating at first, because the puzzle doesn't give you any feedback - It's like going through a labyrinth completely blind. Even though this seems discouraging and intimidating, I actually found it easier than I was expecting.
The Cerebral Rings are described as having hundreds of possible combinations but only 8 solutions. I wasn't able to find all eight, but found two without much effort just by fiddling with the puzzle for about half an hour. As you move the buttons around you have to keep checking by trying to pull the pieces apart until they give in. I found that trying to put the puzzle together as one piece is a little easier, but still a challenge. If you don't change the positions of the buttons it's easy enough, but if you do move the buttons after you separate the pieces it can be quite difficult to put it back together.
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Closing Comments:
The Cerebral Rings by Mag-Nif is a different kind of interlocking puzzle, but it's an interesting one. I wouldn't say it's a great puzzle, because of the lack of feedback it gives as you're trying to solve it, but considering the design and how different it is from everything else out there, it's definitely worth a try.
Availability: You can buy a copy of the Cerebral Rings at Brilliant Puzzles for about $15 USD.
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