Bottle Puzzles
Bottle puzzles are one of my favorite types of puzzles. The object is to remove whatever is inside the bottle. Each bottle is a combination of several different types of puzzles. Obviously, the main goal makes it a take-apart/disentanglement puzzle. The bottle limits manipulation of the parts, making it a dexterity puzzle. Finally, the initial puzzlement is how the parts are able to get through the mouth of the bottle at all, making it an “impossible object.” The interaction of these 3 elements generally limits the bottle to being a simple disentanglement puzzle, an easy dexterity puzzle, and an “impossible object” that’s simple to figure out.
2 Balls and Ring Whiskey Bottle - Wil Strijbos
This is one of Wil Strijbos’ original whiskey bottle puzzles that I got from one of Nick Baxter’s puzzle auctions. Strijbos has designed at least 2 whiskey and 4 Coke bottle puzzles. This particular design has been commercialized by Eureka! puzzles of Belgium. The commercial version is designated as Bottle 4. Eureka! puzzles has 5 different bottle puzzles, 2 of which are designed by Strijbos.
One of my primary goals of attending IPP 29 was to buy some bottle puzzles from Strijbos. Unfortunately, he didn’t bring any, probably because they are relatively cheap, heavy, and fragile.
Bottle 1 - Ad van der Schagt
This is Eureka! Puzzles’ Bottle 1, designed by Ad van der Schagt.
Bottle 2 - Ad van der Schagt
This is Eureka! Puzzles’ Bottle 2, also designed by Ad van der Schagt. The current commercial version looks like it uses a shorter bottle.
Bottle Puzzle with Lock and Key
I’m not sure who the designer of this bottle is. I either got it on eBay or at Nick Baxter’s open house prior to IPP 29, and it did not come with documentation. It’s similiar to Bottle 2. Because of the way it’s constructed, it allows a additional solution method not present in Bottle 2.
