Mindjewel
Mindjewel, designed by Alexander Polonsky, looks like a big colouring sparkling crystal,
which glows in red, green and blue. If you take a close look at it, then you recognize a five-sided,
transparent, symmetrical pyramid on each side.
The first task is to unfold the Mindjewel. This is relatively easy to achieve
so that within a short amount of time you hold a snake like object in your hands.
The aim is to rebuild the original crystal.
The technique is especially interesting:
Each five-sided pyramid has two slots on its pentagonal base.
The slots vary in their diameter and can pierce up to three edges.
A gum cord passes through the slots. This gum cord is responsible for the cohesion of the puzzle.
The twenty pyramids are linked to each other like on a chain.
The slots of neighbouring pyramids are opposite each other.
If you have a pyramid in front of you, which has three edges pierced by a slot,
then any of the three pierced edges can be placed next to the neighbouring pyramid.
Therefore, the number of the possible paths is:
2 * 2 * 2 * 2 * (2*3) * (2*2) * 2 * (2*2) * (3*2) * 2 = 36864
The number of combinations is relatively high. Nevertheless, the puzzle is not very difficult.
The puzzle can be easily mastered within a half hour, although there is only one path
which leads to the surface of a pentagon dodecahedron.
This puzzle excited me especially by the many twisting and turning of the pieces.
A crystal is relatively fast finished, which has only one or two pieces which do not fit.
This achievement encourages and spurs on to master the puzzle.
In my point of view, it is well suited for children. The puzzle is not very difficult and offers fun without end.