“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” Alfred Einstein
I did not used to have to patience for these things. At the first frustration I’d toss it aside and say, “I’m not good at these.” Maybe it’s part of growing up (read: getting older) for me, but I’m beginning to see the value in staying with a problem and thinking more creatively. And when the problem is hard I’ve learned to stay there, in that hard place and let it be hard and just work on it. These brain teasers do develop staying power and I think that’s a wonderful thing to learn for many places in your life. Here’s a link to the first brain teaser I shared. And here’s another!
Gordian Knot Puzzle
TutorialThis puzzle is also quite easy to make and very challenging to solve! The idea is to move one bead so that it is on the same loop as the other. No strings may be cut or knots may be undone. But you may really have the urge to do one of those things after working on this one for a while.
Materials:
6″ x 1 1/2″ x 3/4″ piece of wood (Doesn’t have to be exactly that size. Any scrap should do.)
2 large beads
3′ cord/string
To make it, drill 3 holes into the piece of wood. The center hole should be larger (ours is 1/4 inch) but not so large that the bead can fit through it. The two outside holes should be just large enough to get the cord through.
Next, fold the string in half and feed the loop (center of the string) through the center hole.
Then put both ends through the loop and pull.
Put a bead on each end, make sure the string isn’t twisted, and put each end through a side hole.
Knot the ends, glue the knots to secure, and cut any extra off the end.
Now give it a go. Give it to your family and friends for a try. If you need to, click here for the solution.
