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SIX PIECE BURR.Make a three-dimensional cross with three pairs of pieces crossing each other at right angles. |
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TWELVE PIECE BURRUsually has 6 long and 6 short pieces which are arranged with 4 pieces in each direction side by side. |
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CUP & BALL.Throw the ball in the air and catch it on the spike, the cup is much too easy. It is perhaps better to not play with this as the heavy ball can easily damage the carving or break the cup. |
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CHINESE RINGS.Remove the assembly of wires and rings from the handle and loop. Do not use any force or you will bend or break the wires. The solution is an easy and interesting sequence of moves in a binary sequence. For every extra ring on the puzzle the number of moves is doubled: It takes 256 moves to remove nine rings and of course another 256 to put them back again. |
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REEF KNOTThis is usually made of Tortoise shell but is sometimes included in larger sets. The object is to get the cord loop off, then back onto the central rod. |
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THE BOAT PUZZLE.Remove and return the rope and “anchor” |
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SPILLIKINS.A game for any number of players. All the Spillikins (usually 20 to 40) are dropped onto the table in a heap. The next player then uses the hook piece to remove one of the spillikins without disturbing any of the others. If successful he tries to remove another and continues until the piece under attack is disturbed when the hook is passed to the next player.Having started on one piece a player is not allowed to switch his attack to another until it has been removed from the pile. When the last piece has been removed from the table, the person with fewest spillikins is the first player in the next game, and the holder of the most drops them on the table. The more complicated shapes have a higher values than the simple ones. Traditionally a "woman" counted 5 and an "axe" 50. |
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CUBE THROUGH A CUBE.This demonstration of a mathematical curiosity (a cube can pass diagonally through another of the same size) is infrequently found in Cantonese compendia. Consisting of 2 solid cubes and another with its framework. The latter is so fragile it is usually found broken into two triangular prisms and two triangular wedges. |
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OTHER IVORY PUZZLESPuzzles that were not necessarily made in China sometimes find their way in with the Chinese made ones. Here is a Fifteen puzzle, Barrel and Ball, and Cannon and Beads. Some of the carved burrs can also be of this type. |
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BALL WITH MOVEABLE SPIKES.Occasionally found with the puzzles. Argument continues as to their use. Suggestions range from ornamental tassel to erotic stimulator. |
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LETTERS.Sets of ivory Alphabet letters for spelling games. |
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HUMMING TOPS and SPINNERSHumming Tops and their spinners are often included in the boxes. |
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