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Think you're smart? Work this one out then!

warrior queen

warrior queen

early bird snack pack
Joined
Jul 17, 2003
Posts
31,500
i got this puzzle today, and for the life of me i can't work out how it was done!

i've attatched 3 pics (yes, i know they're small - i took them on my phone and resizing on my puter is a nightmare!)

here's the deal...

the piece of wood is pine, cut into the shape of an 'E'

the centre post is the only one with a hole in it.

through the hole is a nail - a whole, complete, uncut, untouched, unbent, unused nail.

there is only 1/2cm gap between the nail and the side piece.

there are no holes in either end piece.

the wood is not cut or joined, and remains in one solid piece throughout.

the wood has not been steamed or bent.

the wood is 5 1/4 inches long and 2 1/2 inches high and 1 inch thick.
the nail is 3 inches long.
the gaps in the 'E' are 1 inch wide and 1 3/4 inches deep.

here's the question: how was the hole made, and how was the nail inserted?

i have no idea, and i have been thinking on this for some time.
anyone think they may know?
 
Last edited:
that's tricky

i'm thinking about it...

how large is the hole?
 
phrodeau said:
Does the nail move within its hole?
Click to expand...

yes, the nail moves freely - but only for 1/2cm in either direction before it hits the end pieces of the 'E' at either end.
 
This is the sort of puzzle that needs to be touched. Hands are wise and can solve many problems that brains cannot.
 
bg23 said:
that's tricky

i'm thinking about it...

how large is the hole?
Click to expand...

the nail is 3mm diameter - the hole is 5mm diameter.

sorry for switching measures through this, but it seemed easier to give the american measure for the big ones (but i can't work in the smaller dimensions in imperial, have to use metric.)
 
stirbird said:
This is the sort of puzzle that needs to be touched. Hands are wise and can solve many problems that brains cannot.
Click to expand...

i'm thinking it's a 'think/solve' puzzle, because the only clue i have been given is that the answer will come as 'a result of lateral thinking'!!!

and truth be told, the thing is simply too frustrating to be touching all the time!
i think i'm going mad :rolleyes:
 
bill-pix-trade said:
Is there any finish on the wood?
Click to expand...

nope.
it has been sanded to get rid of the rough edges, but other than that is completely natural.
 
One possibility is that the nail was embedded in the wood while it was growing in the tree. Then, the carver whittled the shape around the embedded nail. For the hole, patient work with a dental drill could form the hole around the nail.

I'm not saying that's how it's done. I'm sure there's a sneakier way.

Here's another similar puzzle:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/Scuppers/Impossible.jpg
 
The hole was drilled in the wood and reamed out so there was enough space to put the two pieces of the nail (see below) at an angle.

The nail was cut in half.

A drop of super glue was put on one of the halves.

Both ends were slid in and glued together.


You can't see inside the hole to see if it is bigger inside, the nail is blocking the view.

The only way to see for sure is to cut the thing open.
 
phrodeau said:
One possibility is that the nail was embedded in the wood while it was growing in the tree. Then, the carver whittled the shape around the embedded nail. For the hole, patient work with a dental drill could form the hole around the nail.

I'm not saying that's how it's done. I'm sure there's a sneakier way.

Here's another similar puzzle:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/Scuppers/Impossible.jpg
Click to expand...
that could be done with the threaded rod into the nut. Nope I am wrone never mind.
 
ChauvanistPig said:
The nail was superheated, making it easily bent and reshaped.
Click to expand...

there is absolutely no discolouration on this nail to indicate that it has been heated.
and the nail is dead straight as well, which leads me to think it hasn't been tampered with'

as for supergly - well, we cut a nail in half and tried to glue it.... no glue we used was so strong that it couldn't be worked apart. so it's not that.
 
warrior queen said:
there is absolutely no discolouration on this nail to indicate that it has been heated.
and the nail is dead straight as well, which leads me to think it hasn't been tampered with'

as for supergly - well, we cut a nail in half and tried to glue it.... no glue we used was so strong that it couldn't be worked apart. so it's not that.
Click to expand...

The bend on the nail would be in the middle...which is probably hidden by the wood inside.

Super heat the nail, bend it in the middle, insert the nail into a pre-drilled hole, slide it in a bit, bend the nail straight, finish insertion.
 
phrodeau said:
One possibility is that the nail was embedded in the wood while it was growing in the tree. Then, the carver whittled the shape around the embedded nail. For the hole, patient work with a dental drill could form the hole around the nail.

I'm not saying that's how it's done. I'm sure there's a sneakier way.

Here's another similar puzzle:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/Scuppers/Impossible.jpg
Click to expand...

very similar!
but i don't think it was done by putting it into a tree - the guy who makes these has the same thing only made with wooden pencils! these would have been rotted/damaged if they'd spent so long in a tree!

another clue i've managed to wheedle out of the maker :he says 'liquid' is involved, but it's not water.
and in any case, water would have distorted the wood too much.
and most other liquids would leave a residue.

but i'm thinking alcohol?
it would evaporate away completely, leaving the wood pristine.
 
ChauvanistPig said:
The bend on the nail would be in the middle...which is probably hidden by the wood inside.

Super heat the nail, bend it in the middle, insert the nail into a pre-drilled hole, slide it in a bit, bend the nail straight, finish insertion.
Click to expand...

there would be some sign of heating on the metal... discolouration and such.

but it still doesn't explain how the hole was done...
i haven't seen a drill or tool yet that can drill a dead-straight hole at that angle with only a 1 inch gap to work in.

and it doesn't explain the pencil puzzles either.

mad, i tell you!
frustratingly, irritatingly MAD :nana: (forgive the nana, seems appropriate)
 
another thing i noticed when i bought this...
all of the puzzles have ends cut across the grain of the wood.
(as in, if you were to look at it as an 'E', the flat top and base are cut across the grain.)
that may be important.
 
and still i glance across at this damn thing!
and it seems no-one here knows either.

it's going to drive me completely insane.
 
warrior queen said:
and still i glance across at this damn thing!
and it seems no-one here knows either.

it's going to drive me completely insane.
Click to expand...
it's a short drive though
 
warrior queen said:
here's the question: how was the hole made, and how was the nail inserted?

i have no idea, and i have been thinking on this for some time.
anyone think they may know?
Click to expand...
thats 2 questions-how far from the end of the E is the hole?
for our american friends
5mm (1/2 cm) is a little over 3/16 of an inch (3/16 = 4.8mm)
3mm is a little under 1/8 of an inch (1/8 = 3.2 mm)
 
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