Slideways

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Slideways is part of the recently successful Indiegogo project, which had some beautifully-made anodized metal puzzles, each one with a different shiny color. These puzzles are now available at PuzzleMaster for anyone to purchase.

Designed by Ray Stanton, the Slideways, as the name suggests, will have a slightly different solution than your average burr puzzle. Discovering the secret move and mastering the solution will surely require some creative thinking, and some dexterity as well...

The puzzle is very well made with a stunning purple color. It's small, measuring only 6cm (2.4"), but still handles quite well. Since the pieces can slide quite well, it can happen that the puzzle will fall apart by accident if handled in a certain way. Nevertheless, taking it apart is the easy part. You will have your hands full trying to find out how to put it back together.

This is rated as a level 6/10, but by no means don't underestimate it. Taking it apart is as easy as a level 5, but reassembling it is more like a level 7, so maybe the 6 is the average between the two parts. If you're familiar with the concept of coordinated motion, then it might be easier to visualize the solution and subsequently its reassembly. In coordinated motion, all pieces must come together in a single and symmetrical sliding move, so it takes some planning and careful study of how the pieces fit together.

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Closing Comments:

The Slideways was a very interesting puzzle to play with. It has a clever solution and a great design on top of that. I did find the solution more enjoyable than a regular burr puzzle, so I definitely recommend this one. And with this beautiful color it can certainly be used as a cool decorative object.

Availability: The Slideways is available at PuzzleMaster for just $19.99. Check out other interesting metal puzzles also worth your time and money.