Complete Solution for “Icicle Jam”
WARNING: This page completely explains the solution to my puzzle, “Icicle Jam”. If you don't want to be completely spoiled on the puzzle, click here to return to the top-level hints and solution page for this puzzle.
To aid in explaining the solution, we will use the following names for the different puzzle pieces:
Some dexterity and/or an extra pair of hands is required to assemble Icicle Jam:
- Hold piece D vertically, resting on a table, with the tabs facing up, left end (as shown above) towards you.
- Place E on top of D, tabs facing away from you, left end (as shown above) facing left, with the nearer tab of D seated in the square hole of E. Use one hand to hold both D and E together.
- Hold C vertically, tabs facing to the right, with the left end (as shown above) pointing downward. Seat C’s notch over E’s left tab and pull C to the left until it stops. If you can, use one hand to steady all three pieces; if not, you'll need to sort of “lean” C against E.
- Hold B vertically, tabs facing left, with right end (as shown above) downward. Seat B’s slot over E’s right tab and pull B to the right until it stops. You'll probably need to just lean B against E; it'll now be getting hard to try to steady everything at once, so resist the urge to sneeze or twitch.
- Place F on top of D, tabs facing toward you, left end (as shown above) facing right, seating D’s far tab into F’s slot. Pull F away from you until it stops. You're kind of on your own now to work out a strategy to hold everything together. Do you have any friends you can enlist?
- Hold A with tabs pointing down, left end (as shown above) toward you, and lower it between C and B.
- Push B left, seating B’s tabs into both A and D. This should (finally!) make everything pretty stable. Then pull F toward you, seating F into B. Now push A down to seat it and finally push C in to complete the assembly.
Thanks for your interest in this puzzle!
Pavel