Framework II

RELEASED: 5.27.2013
PRODUCED: 38 Copies
DESIGNER: Markus Götz
CRAFTSMAN: Eric Fuller
MATERIAL: Walnut, Sapele, Yellowheart, Wenge, Maple, Bloodwood, Paduak, Rosewood, Holly, Purpleheart, Cherry or Walnut Stand, Stainless pins
COMMENTS: Markus designed this puzzle quite a while ago and I always liked the looks of it. Finally I emailed him asking if the design was free...and it was! One hitch though - there was more than one solution. I greatly prefer puzzles with a single solution, so I decided to enlist Tom Jolly to see if it could be modified into a single solution. Tom quickly determined that the original had at least 15 solutions. Both Tom and Markus subsequently went to work, both coming up with interesting variations. In the end we decided to make Markus's redesign of the original, but credit should also go to Tom, whithout whom this redesign very likely would not have happened.

The goal is to remove the pieces from the frame and then replace them. A maze is created by the surface pieces, making this a difficult puzzle to solve. It's basically an external iteration of the excellent "Square Dance" Tom designed later. Here is what Markus has to say about the design:
"On this page you can see my puzzle idea "framework". This is a kind of packing problem, in which it comes assemble into seven pieces in a wooden frame. But It have the parts "in itself" - or rather "in itself". For small squares and rectangles on the top and bottom of the seven basic elements are glued, making it difficult to insert the parts in the frame. The next figure shows a few parts that have been removed from the frame. One recognizes the additionally attached squares and rectangles on the bases with which the puzzle pieces into the frame, or can hook into other pieces of the puzzle. On the left side of the image of the stator can be seen, on which the puzzle can be inserted. There are many different ways to assemble the seven pieces of the puzzle outside of the frame to a square. But only one of these options can actually be built into the frame. This puzzle's really not for beginners!"

Constriction of the frame is very strong with shouldered joints which are then further pinned with a dowel for strength. The fit of the internal pieces is very precise; it works perfectly at around 60% humidity. Under high humidity conditions this puzzle may be tight until a bit of time passes and the pieces undergo compression shrinkage.

38 total copies made for sale, each signed and dated. Ships assembled.

SIZE: 5.75"x6.5" (on stand)
PRICE: $69 (SOLD OUT)







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