Message #835

From: spel_werdz_rite <spel_werdz_rite@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Introducing "MagicTile"
Date: Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:50:24 -0000

In a follow up with Roice, I’d like to share some more interesting details with the Klein’s Quartic puzzle.

The strategy to solving it was very much similar to how one would solve a Megaminx (my method at least). Edges, then sides, then edges, working all the way down to the bottom of the puzzle. Doing this method lead to me a very interesting discovery that, surprisingly, not even Roice new about. It turns out that Klein’s Quartic has two "bottoms." By which I mean if you follow this method of inserting pieces downward until you reach the bottom of the puzzle, you will end up at 2 different faces. At this location, solving became a bit of a new task, but still not much of a challenge. The first step was making sure the remaining 2C and 3C pieces were on their corresponding face and oriented correctly. After that, I borrowed many techniques I used for the Megaminx. However, due to some obvious differences, the end took a lot of guesswork. In the end, the puzzle took about 2.5 hours (factoring in my "hey let’s get distracted a lot" variables).

My final thoughts. Very fun. It was a true joy to play a technical 3D puzzle that technically couldn’t exist in the 3D world.