ഇത് ‘The Independent’-ല് ബോംബെയില് വന്ന വാര്ത്ത സുഹൃത്ത് ബാലകൃഷ്ണന് അയച്ചുതന്നതാണ്. ഇത് വന്നപ്പോഴേക്കും ഞാന് ജോലി തേടി ഗള്ഫില് എത്തിയിരുന്നു.ഈ വാര്ത്തകണ്ട് ബോബെയിലെ ചില നിര്മ്മാതാക്കള് ഇത് വ്യാവസായികാടിസ്ഥാനത്തില് നിര്മ്മിക്കുന്നതിനു വേണ്ടി സമീപിച്ചിരുന്നു. പക്ഷെ, ഇവരാരും റോയല്ട്ടി (royalty) തരാന് തയ്യാറല്ലാതിരുന്നതുകാരണം നടക്കാതെ പോയി!?
'The Independent, October 1990'
India's puzzling answer to Rubik's Cube
BOMBAY (PTI)
The prototype of a novel three-dimensional octahedron puzzle consisting of a seven piece assemblage has been designed by Shamsudhin K. Moosa, a sculptor specialising in geometrical figures.
There is just one way of solving the puzzle though there are millions of possible combinations of individual pieces. The random method, used for the popular Rubik Cube, cannot be used to solve this puzzle, Moosa said, adding that the task called for unique creative analysis and insight.
Moosa, who hails from Alwaye in Kerala, told PTI here that the seven pieces, two pairs of which are mirrior images, have to be aligned with each other to get the octahedron which is a regular convex polyhedron having eight equilateral triangles for its sides. Two square pyramids put together along their bases form an octahedron which, in mathematical parlance, is the dual of a cube.
A piece can align with any other in infinite ways to form other shapes. The puzzle can be used to form many symmetrical forms and can act as a variable sculpture involving the user's creative participation.
The prototype is in a case and unless at least an imperfect octahedron-with two or three pyramidal depressions- is formed, it cannot be put back into the case.
"It seems there is an apparent mystery of volumes as the depressions keep vanishing while at the same time retaining the volume as the puzzle is solved," Moosa said. At present the puzzle is in one colour as more colours will add to the complexity of the puzzle, he said.
Giant size models of the puzzle in gardens can be entertaining to both kids and elders and also a new sculpture could be formed in the garden every day, he said.
Also ready is the prototype of another three-dimensional puzzle with a rhombic cubaoctadron shape. It is called the 'Aryabhatta' as it is shaped like the Indian satellite.
In this puzzle one has to take out the two-dimensional pieces represented in six octagons, invert and reassemble them to get the final shape.
There is just one way of solving the puzzle though there are millions of possible combinations of individual pieces. The random method, used for the popular Rubik Cube, cannot be used to solve this puzzle, Moosa said, adding that the task called for unique creative analysis and insight.
Moosa, who hails from Alwaye in Kerala, told PTI here that the seven pieces, two pairs of which are mirrior images, have to be aligned with each other to get the octahedron which is a regular convex polyhedron having eight equilateral triangles for its sides. Two square pyramids put together along their bases form an octahedron which, in mathematical parlance, is the dual of a cube.
A piece can align with any other in infinite ways to form other shapes. The puzzle can be used to form many symmetrical forms and can act as a variable sculpture involving the user's creative participation.
The prototype is in a case and unless at least an imperfect octahedron-with two or three pyramidal depressions- is formed, it cannot be put back into the case.
"It seems there is an apparent mystery of volumes as the depressions keep vanishing while at the same time retaining the volume as the puzzle is solved," Moosa said. At present the puzzle is in one colour as more colours will add to the complexity of the puzzle, he said.
Giant size models of the puzzle in gardens can be entertaining to both kids and elders and also a new sculpture could be formed in the garden every day, he said.
Also ready is the prototype of another three-dimensional puzzle with a rhombic cubaoctadron shape. It is called the 'Aryabhatta' as it is shaped like the Indian satellite.
In this puzzle one has to take out the two-dimensional pieces represented in six octagons, invert and reassemble them to get the final shape.
