4 August 2012 Sue Young

Washington Monument sequential discovery puzzle

Edward Hordern IPP32 Puzzle Exchange – Washington DC, USA. August 2012.  325 made.
Presented by Brian Young.  Made by Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Brian Young
Original Price: AU$75.90
One of these puzzles resold in March 2020 on Cubicdissection marketplace for USD 335.00 (that’s equal to about AU$520.00)
Another just resold in April 2020 in Haubrich Puzzle Auction for Euro 368 (that’s over AU$615 at today’s exchange rate)

In August 2024  one of these puzzles resold at Puzzle Paradise auction for USD 351.00 (at the current exchange rate that’s about AU$535.00)

Awarded 3rd Prize for Themed Puzzle Award at IPP32.

There’s Red, White & Blue on the flags. There’s the White monument on a Red base. Can you find the other Blue? If you keep searching you’ll find it inside the puzzle. And we’re not referring to the use of “blue” language or going “blue” in the face (excuse our Aussie slang) with frustration.

The object of the puzzle is to unlock and open it, find the blue, close and relock it. You’ll have solved the puzzle when you can complete these two stages. First stage Lock all gravity pins inside the round base of the obelisk so they do not move. This will allow you to remove the obelisk from the base. If you open the puzzle by chance then the gravity pins will still move freely; this is not the intended solution. The first stage is not completed until the gravity pins are locked inside the round base. Second stage Unlock the gravity pins so they flow freely again. This allows you to lock the obelisk back in the square base. You could find that relocking the puzzle might be more challenging than unlocking it was.

All the tools you’ll require to do the puzzle are given with the puzzle. The puzzle we’ve presented is a representation of the Washington Monument, right down to the lightening rod in the top, which can come out, so be careful not to lose it. You’ll more than likely need it to complete the puzzle.

The Monument is made from Queensland Silver Ash and it sits on a Western Australian Jarrah base. There are fabricated steel tools and magnets inside the puzzle.

Size of base is: 65mm x 65mm x 33mm The monument is 85mm tall.

For an interesting take on puzzles checkout this blog with a difference reviewing the Washington Monument done for 4th July 2015.
And its a testament to the popularity of this puzzle that puzzlers are still playing with it and blogging it in 2020. A very nice article written by Puzzle Wanderer.

Tags brian young