How to Make a Gravity Puzzle (Brain Game)

Step 1: Watch the Video!

This little brain game is all about engineering a lower center of gravity. The idea has been around forever, but most people still can't do it. The challenge is simple .. just balance these 14 nails on one nail head.  The nails can't touch anything except each other, and they all have to be balancing at the same time.

In this project you'll learn how to make a fun little mind puzzle, for giving as a gift, or for entertaining guests.  You'll also learn the secret to getting all nails these to balance at once!

Watch the video to see how to make a simple, but nice, presentation platform for the puzzle!

http://www.thekingofrandom.com

Comments

[doggg91]

As one of your youtube subs I think its fair I became a follower here and you actually led me to this sight! i didn't even know about it till I saw some vids.

[The King of Random]

Awesome! I'm glad you made it!

[Detective Inspector Me]

I love it... i made one :)
ur projects are awesome.

[The King of Random]

Excellent! Thanks so much for letting me know!!

[azwebco]

great puzzle, I've used this as an icebreaker/intro at many corporate training sessions. You can even make it work with the base nail pointing upwards so the other 14 balance on the point.

[The King of Random]

Great suggestion, thank you! And thanks for sharing a situation where you've found it practical!

[azwebco]

about 10-15 years back one of my friends was a at a conference and they were offering two round trip tickets to the first person to solve it in under 15 minutes. He texted me asking if I could figure it out because I'm sort of a enginerd/puzzle geek and 7 minutes later I sent him back a picture which I can no longer find. Of course he took his wife and not me on a trip to vegas. I stole the idea for when I was doing medium sized presentations/training sessions (though I only gave away movie tickets or something similar). Initially I used a quick grip clamp to hold the base nail but for my presentations I put it through a small circle of plywood so it looked sort of like a giant thumbtack.

[The King of Random]

He should have sent you to Vegas. Where is the love?? :)

[Boppylop]

I printed off the pattern, and im going to make it sometime! not as fancy as yours, of course, but itll do the job. :)

[The King of Random]

That's really great to hear! Thank you for letting me know, and have fun!

[dfc849]

Congrats on making the newsletter once again! That 6 minute video was well worth my time, as always. Good to know others here on instructables appreciate your work as well, so keep up the good work. And trust me, we're not just watching for the attractive assistant!

[The King of Random]

This made the newsletter? Wow, thanks for letting me know :) That's really great to hear. And thank you for your compliment on my assistant .. I'll be sure to pass it along to her :)

[rammstein2]

this can be played the other way round; balance the nails and (e.g if there are 2 players) ,each takes a nail out of the contraption in turn. First to make the nails fall loses. ;-)

[The King of Random]

That's a great variation! Nice idea, and thanks for sharing!

[kevnsam]

I saw this in 'The Steam Packet Inn' a pub in Totnes, Devon, England last year. It was basicly the same as this but the set up was just a single nail with the head ground off nailed into a block of wood with a pile of nails next to it.

[The King of Random]

Awesome! Yes, it's an old concept and all over the world, and I'm still impressed at how many people have never seen it.

[alzie]

Hey, thats tricky / clever.
I would never have thought of that.
Kudos on your assistant, Yum Yum!

[The King of Random]

Truth is I never would have thought of that either. I had to be shown the solution :D

[Picturerazzi]

Your wife is totally cute!!! :)

[The King of Random]

Thank you! I passed your compliment on :D

[mastelios]

Nice!!! and clever..

[The King of Random]

I'm glad you liked it! Thanks :)

[Petergottm]

That's so cool! I love stuff like that, I'm going to have to make one!

[The King of Random]

Thanks so much for your comment! And best of luck with your project :)

[Hiyadudez]

:O!

You're on Instructables! I'm subscribed to you on Youtube. I saw this video a while ago, its awesome!

Great ible!

[The King of Random]

Thank you very much! See you around :D