Here's a puzzle that I got back at IPP. The Stickman Puzzle Book, made by Robert Yarger, is a history of all of the puzzles made by Robert Yarger over the past 10 years, with descriptions of the types of wood, original prices, variations, and solutions for each puzzle where a solution can be reasonably given (some have multiple solutions). According to its own entry, the original came inside a complex puzzle box. You had to solve the box, remove the book, then solve the book's casing in order to read.
I just thought that I would post this picture here to make note of the fact that you need to be careful when closing the book, as pages can be easily bent by the piece that hooks around the back.
As for the book itself, it's beautiful. Sadly, this is the only Stickman puzzle in my collection (fingers crossed! Can you help?), so I have to live vicariously. So far, the Stickman puzzles are the only puzzles that stir in me great emotion. Other puzzles may inspire an approving nod, or even an appropriately surprised and envious expression, but I have openly wept at the sight of some of the puzzles in this book.
The book
The opened book
As you can see (or not see), the casing opens into 2 pieces: The 'frame' with the right side and 2 bars (the bottom one is hidden here) and a single bar. 2 moves are required to open it
As for the book itself, it's beautiful. Sadly, this is the only Stickman puzzle in my collection (fingers crossed! Can you help?), so I have to live vicariously. So far, the Stickman puzzles are the only puzzles that stir in me great emotion. Other puzzles may inspire an approving nod, or even an appropriately surprised and envious expression, but I have openly wept at the sight of some of the puzzles in this book.
Of course, in the true Stickman style, there are some mini-puzzles included in the book. After I approached Robert with my concerns about the printing errors on page 27 (see above), he asked me, in a confidential and appropriately sly tone of voice, whether or not I had solved the cipher on that page. When I have the time, I'll post the puzzle here for you guys to figure out.
The puzzle is of exceptional quality, as per the Stickman standard. My only complaints are as follows: while the puzzle is easy to solve, it is not for those with pudgy fingers. The solution requires some movement in areas that are somewhat inaccessible, so a pen may be needed. Furthermore, as per the above, care is needed when closing as damage to the pages can occur.
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