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Showing posts with label Robrecht Louage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robrecht Louage. Show all posts

Bitcoin Maze #1 and #6

Posted on Feb 24, 2022 by Gabriel | 2 comments
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It's been almost seven years since I've reviewed a puzzle from Robrecht Louage. At the time, the 8 Stars Labyrinth was yet another great design that I had the pleasure to play with. Fast-forward seven years, and this time, Robrecht presents us with not only one puzzle, but six. This is the Bitcoin Maze, and it's already one of my favorites.

The first design (Bitcoin Maze #1) was entered at the 2021 Puzzle Design Competition. Trespa is Robrecht's material of choice for his puzzles, which has a solid feel in the hands unlike laser-cut wood, not to mention that the white appearance looks stunning. Michel van Ipenburg, who has collaborated in the past with Robrecht when they made Larva and Ladybird, came up with the idea for a series of six puzzles, and what an idea! Each puzzle feels different, and that's expected, since each one provides a different internal maze. #1 is supposed to be the easiest, while #6 is the hardest... In theory.

The goal of the puzzle is simple... There's a coin (a Bitcoin at that! - First time I held one in my hands) placed in a sliding platform enclosed within a frame with a labyrinth. Inside, however, there's a steel ball (or more than one) that's preventing the platform to go all the way out of the frame. Your task is to completely remove the coin from the puzzle. There's a position which looks like it's out, but you still can't remove the coin, so it needs just a bit more effort. The coin needs to be out of the puzzle.

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The funny thing is, design #1 felt more difficult than #6. I started with #1, since I was told it was the easiest, but just couldn't solve it completely. The coin was at that position mentioned above, where it's almost out, but not quite. For a change of pace, I picked up #6 and to my surprise, I solved it within 5 minutes. Luck, perhaps? I kept trying with #1, but wasn't having much luck. It took me more than a hour fidgeting with it, trying to figure out the internal mechanism to finally remove the coin. I still haven't solved it a second time, but this is what makes these puzzles so good. You can try to solve them multiple times until it becomes second nature.

Difficulty may be relative when it comes to hidden mechanism puzzles. You can't see what's going on inside, after all. You have to rely on your other senses, and sometimes you may solve it quickly or more slowly. Either way, you get to feel like a safe cracker and that's what these puzzles give you. A wonderful experience like no other type of puzzle.

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Closing Comments:

The Bitcoin Maze is a great return to form by Robrecht Louage and I totally recommend it. Whether you're choosing just one or go for the whole series as a collector, you won't regret it. And you also get that shiny coin, so more reason to get it.

Availability: To get a copy of the Bitcoin Maze, please contact Robrecht at: rlouage(at)telenet(dot)be. Note that the e-mail is presented that way to avoid spam. You just need to change what's inside the brackets with a "@" and a "."

Maze Puzzles

Posted on Jun 23, 2020 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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This time I am venturing on an often neglected type of brainteasers - maze puzzles. These are sometimes viewed as a puzzle more geared towards the casual puzzler, but you'd be surprised by the sheer variety of mazes available right now, and they are the delight of both aficionados and casual puzzlers alike. Read on to find out more about the different types of maze puzzles and some of their history.

Mazes have intrigued and fascinated us since the dawn of civilization. In fact, the Egyptians are thought to be the first ones to come up with this incredible concept over four millennia ago (around the time of the first ancient pyramids). Mazes have come a long way since the era of the Pharaohs. They have evolved in countless different ways and have many different uses, but the approach is the same: to baffle and perplex anyone that witnesses this incredible feat of human inventiveness and ingenuity.

Many people use the terms Maze and Labyrinth interchangeably, and that's probably correct in most cases. However, personally, I prefer to use the word Maze when referring to puzzles. Why? Because a maze always has dead ends and other red herrings, commonly used in puzzles, and a labyrinth is not always used as puzzle, which implies a solving process with a beginning and an end.

Today you can see mazes everywhere in your daily life, but I want to focus particularly on the mechanical maze puzzles, the ones that you can touch and play with, the ones that make me glad I'm a puzzle enthusiast, collector, solver...and writer... There's an array of different types of mazes that can please even the most uninterested of puzzle fans. They can go from simple ball-bearing puzzles, like the popular money puzzles, for the casual puzzler, to more complex structures, like the Perplexus puzzles. Whichever type of puzzle you choose, a maze always has the ability to entertain and satisfy our needs for a good mental challenge.

With so many types of mazes available, how do you choose the best ones? It all depends on what you like most about maze puzzles. One popular type of maze, usually used as an original gift, is the money mazes. This type of puzzles have a wide range of shapes and sizes. The goal is to navigate a ball bearing through a maze and unlock the mechanism that opens the puzzle so you can retrieve what's inside. You can put inside the puzzle anything not thicker than a few sheets of paper, which can be money, gift certificates, event tickets, etc.

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Hidden Mazes have also been quite popular these last several years, mostly thanks to the Revomaze, although they weren't the first ones to appear, and there are certainly many other interesting designs. The hidden mazes, as the name suggests, have some part or the entirety of its mechanism hidden from view, forcing you to rely on other sensory skills, like touch or hearing. These puzzles are exceptionally harder than the more traditional maze puzzles, but they're quite a treat for the experienced puzzlers who are looking for a serious challenge.

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If you're a more adventurous type and sometimes feel like a kid on a toy fair, the Perplexus puzzles are a perfect way to immerse yourself with a really cool and fascinating 3D maze. These original and unique puzzles let you explore and navigate with a ball bearing within a large sphere full of contraptions and winding pathways, reminiscent of a roller coaster.

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If none of these are your thing, why not try a 3D maze with a classic feel but with a new and completely different approach in design. These examples below, from Jean Claude Constantin and Jez Goode, show what 3D mazes have achieved in recent years and how good they can be with a gorgeous but functional design. They are also quite challenging.

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Mazes that require a good dose of dexterity on your part are also a fun alternative to the previous, more demanding, examples. In these puzzles, perfect hand-eye coordination will dictate your success or your failure as you try to guide a metal sphere with the help of your steady hands and...Gravity.

Double mazes are also fascinating in the sense that you have to keep in mind your progress on both of them simultaneously. There are many good examples, and Jean Claude Constantin is a craftsman that knows very well how to make a good maze puzzle, especially when two, or more, mazes are involved. His puzzles have a great complexity, and are mostly appreciated among expert puzzle enthusiasts for their unique designs and mechanisms.

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There are still more types of mazes and unique puzzles to discover, but these are the most important ones within the realm of mechanical puzzles. There may be some missing ones here and there, but I believe I compiled enough for you to have a general idea of the subject and to encourage you to research further if some puzzles interest you more.

Final Thoughts:

Mazes have evolved so much over the centuries that it's unfathomable to even think of how they will continue to baffle us in the coming decades. Judging by what history taught us time and time again with new inventions, it's safe to say that mazes are here to stay for as long as civilization exists. It's part of we are, part of our curious minds, and it's essential to our development as an intellectual species. I sincerely hope that, after reading this, you'll be more inclined to try a maze puzzle - any maze - and see for yourself how fascinating these puzzles can really be.

Availability: Most of the puzzles above mentioned are available at PuzzleMaster.


8 Stars Labyrinth

Posted on Sep 23, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Robrecht Louage has already accustomed us with very original designs year after year. As an avid IPP contestant, Robrecht always enters his new puzzles at the yearly International Puzzle Party, and this year's Ottawa event was no different. Even though it didn't earned any award at the competition, Robrecht's latest creation, the 8 Stars Labyrinth, deserves all the credit for its originality.

If you have followed the Belgian designer's work over the last few years, then you'll immediately notice something's missing in his new design. That's right, there's no coin to be freed this time around, but even so there's no excuse why you shouldn't try this one out. For lovers of labyrinths, mazes and hidden paths, the 8 Stars Labyrinth offers you a perilous journey through an obstacle-ridden trail, which only the most adventurous puzzlers will be able to overcome.

What remains common from other previous designs is the use of Trespa - An unusual but strong material made by combining Kraft paper and phenolic resin, resulting in this light-brown color seldom seen in any other puzzles, but in reality it's a great fit for an otherwise unusual puzzle itself. The top of the puzzle is covered with a semi-transparent polycarbonate sheet, which gives this foggy appearance to the labyrinth, as if you were roaming around in an eerie mist.

(Click to Enlarge) - Seen Edge-On
To start your journey, you must insert the small metal sphere in the "IN" hole found at the right of one of the sides. I believe the name of puzzle has something to do with the number of traps you can find scattered throughout the path, which is eight, if I'm not mistaken: right after you insert the sphere there's another one by the entrance, preventing you from going back in case you ever regret entering this fiendish labyrinth; following this welcoming committee is a blacked-out stretch of the path that doesn't let you see what type of trap you're facing. Here, like the other three similar traps that await you, you need to figure out how to advance to the next obstacle unscathed. Each of these four "black" traps is unique and present you with a different challenge, so proceed with caution as you approach them; farther in, you'll see another trap just like the one you encountered when you first entered the maze. You'll need some dexterity skills to pass through this one, but it shouldn't give you much trouble; one of the hardest parts of the puzzle is the hidden labyrinth at the bottom. Most of the path is covered by a plaque full of small holes that only let you see the sphere at certain points. You have to navigate through this maze mostly by instinct until you find the exit, just before passing through the last black trap; there's a final trap close to the exit, so you need to move the sphere slowly in order to avoid the pitfall ahead.

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I was intimidated at first by all the traps found in the puzzle, especially the black ones, where I didn't know what to expect. Turns out, it was easier than I thought and I was able to solve it within 10 minutes or so. The most challenging parts were the black trap in the middle (the second blacked-out stretch) and the hidden maze at the bottom. Some trial and error should take care of it, so if at first you don't succeed...

Closing Comments:

I must commend Robrecht for not being afraid to leave his comfort zone in terms of puzzle designing and to take a chance at trying different concepts other than the usual "free the coin". The effort certainly paid off, because the result, as you can see, is absolutely brilliant and the execution of the overall concept is, as always, perfect in every way.

Availability: To get a copy of the 8 Stars Labyrinth, please contact Robrecht at: rlouage(at)telenet(dot)be. Note that the e-mail is presented that way to avoid spam. You just need to change what's inside the brackets.


Larva

Posted on Oct 7, 2014 by Gabriel | 2 comments
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A few weeks ago I reviewed the Ladybird puzzle by Robrecht Louage and Michel van Ipenburg, a perfect collaboration between two respected puzzlers that resulted in a series of pretty interesting designs. Today I present you another one of those puzzles, the Larva.

The Larva follows the same principle as the Ladybird, except this time you have two sets of metal studs that you need to guide through two independent mazes instead of two overlapping ones. The two mazes are slightly different from each other, but both sets of studs need to get to the end of each maze at the same time. You move along each maze by pushing or pulling on the two vertical bars, while sliding the mazes horizontally. It's as simple as that.

The materials used in this puzzle are basically the same as well, with trespa and acrylic. This one is a little smaller, however. The acrylic frame measures 8cm x 8.5cm (3.1" x 3.3"), but the mazes extend beyond the length of the frame, both measuring 14.5cm (5.7").

(Click to Enlarge) - Left: Start Position; Right: Solved

The design of the Larva is less flashy than the Ladybird's, but that doesn't mean it's less fun. I like both design approaches. While they try to differentiate the two designs by having the mazes in a different configuration, the concept is intrinsically the same. Personally, I don't see this as a bad thing, because I liked the challenge the two of them offered. However, if you didn't like one of them, chances are the other won't make you change your mind either.

This time, to remove the coin you only need to slide one of the mazes out of the way, except they're both bound by the moves of each other. The studs follow an intuitive path for most of the time but, like the Ladybird, when you get closer to the end there's a sort of dead end where it seems you can't move either maze any more. You just need to backtrack a little to make a slight adjustment and you should be fine afterwards. Resetting the puzzle is a lot easier, fortunately...

(Click to Enlarge) - The Coin Puzzle Family
Closing Comments:

In my opinion, the Ladybird is a better design overall, but I wouldn't discard the Larva. Each puzzle has its own unique characteristics and, speaking as a collector, I would always recommend the two. You can never have too much maze puzzles...

Availability: These puzzles were made in limited quatities, so you should act quickly if you want one of these. Note also that there are two other designs by these two designers, so if you really like this type of puzzles I would urge you to get them all before they become out of stock. You can contact Robrecht at "rlouage(at)telenet(dot)be" or you can get in touch with Michel (if you don't have his contact, drop me an e-mail).


Ladybird

Posted on Sep 16, 2014 by Gabriel | 2 comments
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Over the years, I've come to associate coin puzzles with Robrecht Louage. No wonder, as every year Robrecht participates in the International Puzzle Party and enters one or two new designs featuring coins trapped in mazes. This year, at the 34th IPP, and with the collaboration of Michel van Ipenburg, the Ladybird was added as the newest member of the coin puzzles' family...And what a member! 

This is why I love Robrecht's puzzles so much. When I think he can't do better than last time, he outdoes himself time and again. It's difficult to choose one single puzzle as his absolute best, but at least Ladybird is up there as one of the best. Why? First, the design. You can't have a great puzzle without a proper and original design. Then, there's the actual puzzle itself. If it's too difficult, it may frustrate most people and they might give up on it. But, on the other hand, if it's too easy, people don't feel challenged enough or they don't feel they've accomplished anything. You gotta find the perfect balance.

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Speaking of design, the Ladybird is a great achievement in this department. Again, one of the best by Robrecht. Also, this is one of the biggest, if not THE biggest coin puzzle yet, with measurements of 13.2cm x 11.5cm (5.2" x 4.5") (without the antennae). The materials are pretty much the same as its predecessors, the main material being trespa, with a protective acrylic panel. Unlike previous coin puzzles, the back of the Ladybird puzzle was also decorated with the bug's red and black motif, for a truer large scale representation.

As for the puzzle aspect, two similar rotating mazes in two layers make this a very fun challenge to play with. There's a 1€ coin in the top layer that needs to be aligned with the hole in the acrylic in order to remove it. For that, you need to rotate each maze, independently, while pushing or pulling on the two antennae so you can navigate both mazes back and forth. Since each maze is slightly different from one another, you have to be constantly moving them so the two paths align with each other and thus, creating a path to free the coin.

This one took me a while to solve, and it's one of those puzzles that makes you think you're very close to the end, but blocks your very last couple of steps. There's a total of 160 moves necessary to solve the Ladybird, although I reckon it took me a bit more to reach my goal, and only after 20 minutes or so. Returning to the start position is a lot easier, though, so you can easily start from the beginning and try to solve it quicker the next time around.


(Click to Enlarge) - Start Position (Left) and Solved (Right)

Closing Comments:

Robrecht Louage's Ladybird is an incredible puzzle. It nails almost every requirement of what makes a great puzzle without compromising functionality. The mechanism is simple, but works flawlessly, and being a classic maze without a complex concept, it's a nice puzzle for anyone to try.

Availability: You can contact Robrecht directly at «rlouage(at)telenet(dot)be» to ask for a copy of Ladybird or any other of his original designs.


Escape From Alcatraz

Posted on Sep 26, 2013 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Robrecht Louage has accustomed us to his ingenious coin puzzle designs over the last few years, and this year's 33rd IPP Design Competition was no different. The latest addition to the family is the Escape From Alcatraz puzzle, a secret opening box with a hidden maze.

The design itself is one of the best from Robrecht. He used the back of a Belgium €1 coin, featuring King Albert II, and designed the puzzle around it, as if to imprison the King behind bars. Your task is to navigate the hidden maze and free the King from Alcatraz. The puzzle is made from fiberboard and is a bit smaller than its predecessors, measuring 9cm x 7.5cm (3.5" x 3").

(Click to Enlarge) - The Escape Begins
The concept can be compared to Rebrecht's Remove the Yolk, which featured a hidden maze as well, but even if you know all its steps by heart it won't be of much help for you to Escape From Alcatraz. The main reason is obvious, the two internal mazes are completely different. But how different, you ask? - It's hard to say, really. The only way you know they're different is by the moves you do with each other. From my experience with the two puzzles, I'd say the Yolk puzzle is a little harder than the Alcatraz, probably because the maze has a few more moves to free the coin, or just because I got better since then.

Looking at the description of the puzzle at IPP's website I discovered that one of the materials used, besides fiberboard and steel balls, is a magnet. I only knew about this after I had solved it, so I was a bit surprised, because I would've never figure out a magnet was present. Maybe that explains why it's so tricky to navigate the maze, since you never know exactly where the steel balls - or just ball - are. The magnet may be preventing the balls from moving freely.

(Click to Enlarge) - Escape Imminent
The first time I tried to Escape From Alcatraz it took me about 15 minutes. The platform that holds the coin has about 5 steps. In other words, it will slide off the frame in 5 different stages, with the coin being closer to the exit point with every step - An alternative name could be "5 Steps Invisible Lock". Strangely, it took me much less time to get the coin back at the starting position - about a minute or two. I was expecting it to be equally challenging, but I was glad it didn't. After several successful solves I can now solve it in just a few seconds. I think I pretty much learned all the basic moves, but I'm still not certain what exactly is going on inside that mechanism. I think it's just part of the fun in solving it.

(Click to Enlarge) - Escape Successful
Closing Comments:

Escape From Alcatraz is yet another brilliant puzzle from Robrecht Louage. It may not have won an award at this year's IPP, but the design alone is deserving of recognition. The best part about it is that it keeps you guessing and analyzing it in further detail. It may be a while before you can figure out its mechanism completely. I can't wait to find out what Robrecht has in store for us next year.

Availability: To order a copy of Escape From Alcatraz, you can contact Robrecht directly.


1€ Labyrinth Puzzle

Posted on Jan 24, 2013 by Gabriel | 3 comments
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Last year, also in January, I reviewed two puzzles from Belgian puzzle designer Robrecht Louage: Remove the Yolk and 4 Steps Visible Lock (winner of IPP 2011 Jury Grand Prize). This year, Robrecht participated again in the 32nd IPP and his contribution was the 1€ Labyrinth Puzzle. It didn't win an award, but it doesn't make it less impressive than its predecessors.

I loved his previous two puzzles, so I was obviously eager to try his latest design. Suffice it to say, I was as impressed as I was the first time around. The quality and design of the puzzle are perfect, as well as its solving experience.

The materials used in the 1€ Labyrinth Puzzle are pretty much the same, with trespa and acrylic providing a great visual appearance. The trespa frame is relatively small with dimensions of 10 x 7cm (3.9" x 2.8"), although the acrylic platform extends its total length to 18.5cm (7.3").

There are a couple of similarities between the 1€ Labyrinth Puzzle and the 4 Steps Visible Lock: both have some sort of maze that you have to navigate with steel balls by pushing and pulling the acrylic platform, until you're able to free the coin. While you could see the whole maze in the Visible Lock (not quite, but still 99% of it), you can only see part of it in the Labyrinth Puzzle, with the rest being up to your puzzler intuition.

In all fairness, you only need to see what's shown of the maze, as you wouldn't be able to figure out the final part right away, even if you could see the whole maze. That's the beauty of it, though. The final part is always the trickiest. If you solved the Visible Lock, you'll know what I'm talking about.

The Labyrinth Puzzle had me "puzzled" for a while. It didn't take me long to solve it, around half and hour or so, but for the most part, I thought I had it almost solved, when in reality I was very far from it. You can see in the picture below that the coin is almost at the end of the maze, but it's not enough to remove it... And here lies the genius of the puzzle, having you believe you're almost there and a feeling that it's just a little more effort.

(Click to Enlarge) - Almost there... Or am I?
In fact, I stumbled on the solution almost by accident when I was holding the puzzle at a different position (I'm not saying which one). I was very surprised to see the coin free in such an unexpected way. I won't go into more details about the solution, because I believe that if you find out for yourself, the feeling will be much more rewarding. I'll just say that it'll leave a big smile on your face when you solve it. It's definitely worth it.

(Click to Enlarge) - Solved
Closing Comments:

If you own any of Robrecht's puzzles, then you're gonna love the 1€ Labyrinth Puzzle. It has everything you want in a puzzle - Great design, superb quality, and above all, a wonderful solving experience with that a-ha moment as the icing on top.

Availability: You can contact Robrecht Louage directly at his e-mail "rlouage(at)telenet(dot)be" to get a copy of his 1€ Labyrinth Puzzle or to ask for availability on some of his other great designs.


Remove The Yolk

Posted on Jan 13, 2012 by Gabriel | 2 comments
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A few days ago, I reviewed Robrecht Louage's 4 Steps Visible Lock and I was very impressed with the concept of removing a coin from the puzzle. It's like getting a reward for solving it... 

Today, I have another one of Robrecht's puzzles to review and this one requires to remove a coin as well. How does it compare to the previous puzzle? - Continue reading to find out.

Remove the Yolk was entered at the 2010 30th IPP Design Competition and it's about the same size as the 4SVL, also built with trespa and manufactured by Robrecht himself. The appearance of the puzzle is made to resemble an egg and the coin represents the yolk. The goal is to remove the coin, but for that you have to work out how a hidden locking mechanism works.

The mechanism consists of what appears to be small steel balls, judging by the rattling inside, and they lock some movements depending on the way you're holding it. By tilting the puzzle at different angles, it will make some of the balls inside shift back and forth, allowing this way the sliding platform with the coin to move.

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The big difference between the Remove the Yolk and the 4 Steps Visible Lock is that the latter had most of the mechanism visible and you knew what you were doing, despite the last step being a "blind step". In this puzzle, however,  there's no visual perception of what's going on inside, so you have to rely only on your hearing and your sense of touch.

I solved this puzzle after the 4SVL one, and my impression is that it's a bit harder. It took me about an hour to get the coin out, and even when I solved it, I wasn't sure what I had done specifically to accomplish that. It does have its advantages, because since you don't know exactly how to do it, you can solve it multiple times and still enjoy it, until eventually you figure out the exact process to get it opened.

I found a YouTube video showing how to solve it, and after seeing it I had another try and it did work. If you have one and had enough of frustration, you can see the video here.

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Closing Comments:

After solving two of Robrecht Louage's puzzles, I can honestly say that I've became a fan of his work and I will look forward to seeing other designs by him. He also entered in other two previous IPP's with La Cerradura Doble in 2008 and La Cerradura 3D in 2009. I'm very curious to see what he prepared for his next puzzle entry at this year's IPP.

If you'd like to buy a copy of the Remove the Yolk puzzle, contact Robrecht Louage.

4 Steps Visible Lock

Posted on Jan 9, 2012 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Robrecht Louage is a puzzle designer from Belgium. His latest design, the 4 Steps Visible Lock, has earned him the Jury Grand Prize at the 31st IPP Puzzle Design Competirion, held last year in Berlin, Germany.

The puzzle is made of acrylic and a material called trespa. There are four steel balls, two for each different size and it measures 11.5cm Length x 6.5cm Width x 2.5cm Height (4.53"x2.56"x0.98").

The 4 Visual Tricks Puzzle, as it was first called and suggested by its name, consists of four distinct movements that keep a coin well locked inside. Your objective, as you might have guessed by now, is to slide the platform enough, so that it reaches the hole found at the right, to be able to remove the 1 Euro coin.

The beauty of the 4 Steps Visible Lock is that there are actually 5 steps you need to complete, in order to solve it, but the 5th and last one is hidden... And that's all I can say about this (un)visible step, without spoiling the solution too much.

As you first pick up the puzzle, you'll notice that the first step is a two-part locking mechanism done by a couple of small steel cylinders, located at the top and bottom of the sliding platform. The intriguing part is that, if you try to get one of the cylinders out of the way, by tilting the puzzle at the opposite direction, the other one falls into place and locks the mechanism again. You have to be patient and come up with a strategy to free both of them, at the same time and get to next step. After you overcome the first part, the three following steps are easier to achieve.

(Click to Enlarge) - Top View

The second step is related to the larger couple of steel balls at the bottom. As you tilt the puzzle to get each ball to their specific spot, they tend to follow each other, because of the nature of the movement you're trying to do. This is not that hard to achieve though.

The third and fourth steps are similar and are interconnected, as they need to be done at the same time. The two paths are executed by the two smaller steel balls and are easily accomplished.

The tricky part however, besides the first one, where you had the cylinders, is the one that you can't really see and when you finally solve it, it's when you realize its whole purpose and use for the actual coin.

Closing Comments:

After solving the 4 Steps Visible Lock, I can understand the reason why it was awarded the Jury Grand Prize at the 31st IPP. The concept is brilliant and the elegant and attractive design is what makes it so appealing to a puzzle lover.

To get a copy, you can contact Robrecht Louage by e-mail at "rlouage(at)telenet(dot)be".

(Click to Enlarge) - Solved

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