What have I been puzzling over this today?

Well, the honest answer to that question would be nothing! And everything. I've been a bit under the mental weather-happens every time I have a deadline I don't want to meet-so I have been unable to focus for more than a few minutes at a time. Add to that my dear friend Uwe putting the pressure on to write him up a blip and I've mush for brains.

So where then does one start a blog about puzzles? Well how about with the first of the puzzles that got you interested in never growing up? Add in a puzzle that I've had on the desk for a while and one that has been recently obtained and we have our first blog entry!

And thus it begins! The first real puzzle that excited me beyond belief was the Babylon tower. I have had one of these beauties on my shelf for forever and a day. It's a deceptively simple puzzle that everyone who sees it just wants to grab. 6 layers of ever so slightly darker colors of beads makes you just have to turn it. The center bits spin round very nicely, and it's ever so easy to solve. Even the thickest of co-workers is taken by it.

But wait, it gets better still. Once the twisting and turning to no where gets dull and boring, there is that great AHA! when you notice that one bead can be pushed in. It's a whole 'nother ball game now son. Suddenly the puzzle can be mucked and we're entering the solving zone. Honestly, this puzzle is a novelty to me now. I've many variations on the same theme, but the classic ivory Babylon tower will never go out of style.

It remains a favorite that is there for the solving when I'm having one of my dumb days.

Bugs favorite puzzle? Why another tower. This one comes to us all the way from Hanoi via China as shown on the box via a wholesale street a few stations from the house via a nice little shop on the corner that sells way too many baby toys and not enough real puzzles, but hey? what's a gal to do? I'll take what I can get when I can get it. I'm not too picky when it comes to puzzles. So now that we've established that I'm easy when it comes to toys, let me say that I'm very particular when I give them to my bug. This one is surprisingly good quality and very well made considering where I got it from. As a puzzle to solve? What a waste of time. Boring and tedious. Not my idea of a fun day. But shhh. Don't tell the bug. She loves being able to show up her cousins and solve this one!

Now if I have managed to do this correctly, you should be able to see a link to a video of me royally messing up the solve on this puzzle.

So there you have 2 old favorites, How about one that has been sitting on my desk for a while? Well here you go. it's a blue box! Done. Puzzle presented. You tell me what to do with it?

As you can see in the photo there's a magnet on there. Guess what? No magnets involved. Well this one is just going to sit a bit longer until I get good and frustrated by it and take a chain saw or some other man tool to it. What is it? A trick opening box. What is the problem? 3 panels to move around. but here's the catch. The morons who built this thing papered or painted or some other nonsense over the sliders. So what do we have then? A puzzle that is closed tight. Yes yes I know, from the photo it looks like I've managed to unstick the stuck stuff. Not so she says. That paint or whatever it is goes right down into the plates internal bits. Bloody morons. Who the builders? Nope. The moron who bought the puzzle! Look no further than the mirror my girl. You have no one to blame for this frustration but yourself!

And now for a recent obtainment (my spell check tells me that IS a word!) This one is called "Ich bin ein Bärliner' It was Marcel Gillen's IPP 31 exchange puzzle. And it is a beast. Or should I say a bear. (Feel free to groan. I am) I have been playing with this one for a while now. Maybe a few weeks???? Why? The silly thing appealed to me. Bears. I mean come on! Who wouldn't be impressed by bears. Add to that that it is just a packing puzzle and we're in business. Or NOT! I have managed to pack in 8 of the 9 bears. I've managed to pack in 8 of the 9 bears AND the little cube. But can I get those 9 bears to lay in bed together nicely? No such luck. Reminds me of that kids song I used to sing with bug when she was all of a little thing "there were 10 in the bed and the little one said..." Well, the bears stopped singing at 8. But hey now, the instructions say nothing of the pieces all laying flat. So maybe, just maybe this is a solution after all!

And the inevitable poor sound quality webcam video for your viewing pleasure.