Remember when I said I was hungering for a new challenge? Well, I got it. I normally don’t like to do virtual puzzles like this; I like to have it physically in my hands. However, this was just too good to pass up. I’m used to solving a physical Megaminx in around ten or so minutes. This one, as you can see when you click the picture, is taking me quite longer to try and solve. It’s all one dodecahedal-type object; the left image is the “front” and the right is the “back”. The time in the pic reads 48 minutes, and I have all of the centers solved except for two. What’s left to do is match up the edge pieces and then solve it like a regular Megaminx.

The problem with this is time. Last night, between trying to get through this, talking to others in chat and making and eating dinner, I couldn’t solve it before I just got too tired. Today, I’m doing it, but I have to abandon the poor Gigaminx because I have a birthday celebration to go to (Happy birthday to Bill K., my dad-in-law!). I will solve this thing soon; it will just take some time. Unfortunately, you can’t save your progress… if it’s abandoned, you’ll have to start all over again!

If any of you out there want to try this challenge, head on over to this address: http://users.skynet.be/gelatinbrain/Applets/Magic%20Polyhedra/dodeca_f8.htm. Word of warning… please be prepared to set aside a few hours if you really think you can do it. Just hit the “Scramble” button and go crazygonutz with it. Make sure you also set aside some time for brain-rest breaks!

Rotsa ruck!

Thursday, I came home from work, happy that it was the end of my workweek, to find this gem sitting in my mailbox. As you can see from the pics in this post, there are fourteen triangular and vertex-shaped pieces that can be twisted around each other any number of ways. Each piece is tiled, not stickered like some other puzzles. It’s very well-made and feels very solid in weight, movement and construction. I ordered it at Mefferts.com for eighteen bucks; I think over half of that went towards the shipping cost!

Due to the nature of the shape and cuts of the pyramid, the tips don’t move (only rotate) and everything else revolves around the center vertexes. This means that , despite the cool design, it’s not at all hard to solve. The minimal difficulty notwithstanding, I’m still happy with it. I’ll have fun trying to unearth its small secrets, making patterns and endeavouring to bring my solve time down. Just to let you know how easy it is to solve, I took it out of the box, showed it to the wife, mixed it up, set it down for a few minutes… and then solved it a few minutes later! In terms of difficulty, it’s really like a glorified 2×2 cube, much as a Megaminx is little more than a glorified Rubik’s Cube.

Well, I’ll be looking around for more possibilities to add to the collection. I think I’m ready for two difficult puzzles. One is the Pyraminx Crystal, which is in the final drafting stages before production at Meffert’s puzzle shop. I can’t wait for this one to be available soon! The other is either going to be a 20 color Dogic VI puzzle or a 12 color Dogic I. Before I go further, I’ll answer Travis’ comment (on my last entry) with this: yes, I’m definitely interested in a Sudokucube! That one, you have to work out where all the numbers are going to go in advance before using a 3×3x3 solution. In fact, I’m thinking of buying replacement number stickersets to put on one of my spare cubes! But I digress… Anyways, I’m in sore need of a new challenge.

Cheers! (And I still hope someone mass-produces the Gigaminx puzzle!)

I’m very happy to report that today I actually went rollerblading for the second time in three weeks! I would have gone more often, but last Friday I had to work. Fridays are great for me to do this because it’s my normal day off and I get to do it around 7 a.m. or so, or before it gets unbearable outside. Saturday is the day I normally let Christine and I sleep in, then I make breakfast and coffee before I handle the birds while she cleans the cages. During the week, I dare not roll around when I get home from work! So, Friday will be the rollerblading day.

So, this being the second time, I’m also happy to report that I was ‘blading for nearly an hour. I did put in a couple of rest breaks because my poor ankles are just not used to doing this kind of torture exercise. Two weeks ago was the first time and I only lasted thirty minutes. I want to do this regularly because of several things. One, I sit in front of a computer (or video game console) too much when I’m not at work. Two, I’m no longer a young guy (*sigh* looks in mirror at the odd love handles) being 35 years old and already diagnosed a while back with slight hypertension. Three, I’m proud of the fact that I’ve kept my gymnast’s form for so darn long… and I want to keep it for at least another 30 years!

The last point brings me to mention that I’ll also be exercising with Christine. She has gotten back to it on the recommendation of her doctor, since she was diagnosed with moderately high cholesterol. (She can’t wait for my levels to be tested!) I’ll be working on mild calisthenics, military pushups and crunchers while she uses the balance ball. Truth be told, I wouldn’t mind getting my own balance ball. It’s fun to use! (and crunchers are harder on it!)

I’m still exercising my mind with puzzles, too. I just ordered a new puzzle from Mefferts.com, called a Pyraminx. You can click the name for the Wiki entry on it; it’s a medium-difficulty puzzle (they list it as low difficulty) and it shouldn’t be hard at all for me. I just got it for the collection that I’ve got building on my desk’s filing cabinet! Mefferts is also making a puzzle called the Pyraminx Crystal, which is more of a Megaminx variant. I may order this one when supplies are ready to ship. But the thing that really blew my mind is when I discovered that someone actually created a higher-order Megaminx, aptly called a Gigaminx!! The guys who created their own versions may have plans to patent the design, but there are no production plans. Guess I’ll have to stick to the computer simulation. (You can try it by clicking here!) There’s also a Google video posted of someone solving the simulated Gigaminx!

Well, that’s all for now. I may write tomorrow, but I’m not sure what to write about. I’ve wanted to post another music review; there’s still a few new albums in my collection that I haven’t touched on yet. Or I could write about our good fortune with our tax-returns. We’ll see, won’t we? Cheers!