T w e n t y S i d e d

Of all my puzzles, this is the only one I’ve never solved. In my defense, it’s hard to work with. It’s stiff and difficult to turn, and after a few minutes my fingers hurt from the effort. Not a very fun puzzle to experiment with.

On the other hand, it is very visually appealing. Lots of bright primary colors and a surface with just the right texture make it hard to resist picking the thing up.

Let’s be honest here: For anyone who’s been around bright and colorful infant toys, you know that many of them are attractive and amusing. It’s fun to pick them up and make them spin or beep or rotate or whatever it is the toy does. It isn’t any less fun to hold for an adult (although it’s not nearly as amazing or mysterious for us) but sensible adults (read: not me) shun them because you don’t want to get caught playing with a baby toy.

So a lot of the attraction of these puzzles is the same visual and tactile experience of the baby toy, along with the more cerebral process of solving a difficult puzzle. If you don’t believe me, just imagine how much less fun a Rubik’s Cube would be if it was made of wood and the sides were shades of grey, or simply numbered. The puzzle would still be there, but the “baby toy” appeal would be gone, and it would be much easier to put the thing down.

Shamus Young is a programmer, an author, and nearly a composer. He works on this site full time. If you'd like to support him, you can do so via Patreon or PayPal.