Crossteaser
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Crossteaser is one of the most
interesting puzzles manufactured by Recent Toys. Its colorful appearance is
sure to intrigue even the least curious minds. Prepare to be frustrated as
well, because this puzzle is very hard to solve.
The Crossteaser is comprised of 8
identical crosses, each with six different colors, arranged in a 3x3 grid.
There is an empty space which you use to move any adjacent piece into. By
holding the puzzle with the “Crossteaser” logo facing you, you move the pieces
up and down along the vertical slots, and left and right along the horizontal
slots in the backside of the puzzle.
The goal of the Crossteaser is to
mix the pieces and solve it so that each cross shows one single color in the
front and another on the back, also with the side colors in the same
orientation. Achieving this is extremely difficult, though, so expect some
serious puzzling.
The design of the puzzle is very
pleasant with a round frame that’s very comfortable to hold in your hands. The
transparent frame is also very practical to see where all the colors are
situated at all times. In terms of size, the Crossteaser has about 12cm in
diameter, which is big enough to manipulate. The pieces make a distinct click
sound when you put them into place – Quite a noisy puzzle, though.
As hinted above, this puzzle is one
hell of a challenge, comparable in difficulty to the Rubik’s Cube. I have tried
to solve it on several occasions, but unsuccessfully so far. I have also tried
to follow a solution guide, but even that proved to be quite difficult to read.
This one has to remain unsolved for a while longer, until I have the patience
to put it back to its former glory.
Closing Comments:
Although
I have been unable to solve it, I love the Crossteaser, and I’m sure solving it
would be extremely rewarding. Playing with it is highly satisfying, due to its
pleasant mechanism, and the colorful design is very elegant and attractive. I
most certainly recommend it, even if you think you won’t be able to solve it.
Availability: You can find the Crossteaser at the Spanish puzzle store PuzzlesdeIngenio.com.
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