Parking Lot Puzzle

Ever had the experience of trying to retrieve your auto from one of those big city parking lots where every square inch of ground is used to cram in as many cars as physically possible. It is a great way to generate the most revenue but comes with a certain problem.   What if you car is the furthest from the exit gate ?  Imagine how much shifting of vehicles needs to take place to extricate your car when you want it.   There is a great puzzle called Rush Hour Traffic Jam which mimics this problem of switching around vehicles in a small confined space.

Rush Hour is almost as iconic as the Rubik's Cube Puzzle.   It far exceeds the rubik's in terms of play value.  The manufacturer Think Fun has created dozens of puzzles challenges which are grouped into four levels of difficulty.   The puzzle is intergenerational meaning a  PHD engineer at MIT will enjoy as much as a  7  year old.   

To begin extricating your shiny red card choose a "beginner" challenge card and arrange the other vehicles on the grid according to the placement designated.   You will not use every vehicle with a given challenge card.  The simple restrictions are that you cannot lift any vehicle from the playing surface once placed in position and you must move vehicles forward/backwards or up/down according to the grid pattern.    Remember it is exactly the same as getting your real auto out of one of those big city parking lots.

This is an extremely tactile puzzle.   A given puzzle challenge may possibly be accomplished in say as few as 35 moves.  It is okay if it takes you 60, 80 or 100 moves as long as you can eventually drive your red car out the gate.       

Puzzles like this are great because they stimulate forward thinking.  How should I go about removing my car?   What are the possibilities ?   How can I go about moving the other blocking vehicles ?   Although Rush Hour Traffic Jam is at least 8 years old, we are amazed at how many people still have never heard of this hands-on Brain Teaser.    Teachers, Camp Counselors, After School Programs, YMCA's, Boys and Girls Clubs will find this an exceptional puzzle to have in their game closet.

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Most Difficult Brain Teaser

Often puzzlers are looking for the most difficult new brain teaser to come to market. The 36 Cube Puzzle created by Think Fun Company is just such a puzzle. When assembled the puzzle must form a cube. The width, length and height are all equal.
The puzzle consists of a base with 36 permanent thin posts in varying lengths. The permanent posts form a six by six grid.
There are also 36 removable colorful thin pyramid shaped pieces which vary in length.
The objective is straightforward. Only one of each color pyramid in each row and each column. The top of the puzzle must be even (just like a flat-top haircut). One notices in the packaging that each row has ALL the same color as oppossed to the solution which requires only One of each color in each row and column.







So as you progress placing pieces on the base watch out for duplicating the same color in any given row or column. Getting between 31 to 34 pieces on the puzzle base is considered very, very good. Between 27 to 30 pyramid pieces placed correctly is Okay. One is a very Accomplished Puzzler if they can arrange all 36 pieces on the base. A person who claims they have arranged 35 of the 36 pieces is considered a fabricator.
So puzzle enthusiasts who like a real good challenge should try the 36 Cube Brain Teaser. We cannot guarantee You will be totally stumped. But we are fairly certain that most people will be baffled.

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