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This is a puzzle with a hidden mechanism I have had for probably 20 years and recently found. The two halves of the box can not rotate. There is something inside that rattles and rolls around, perhaps a bearing. I can pull the halves very slightly apart, enough to see a wooden circular interior in the middle of the octagon, and 2 dowels on either side of the cylinder that prevent the halves from rotating.

I have tried carefully pulling and pushing holding the puzzle at many different angles.

Anyone know the solution to this puzzle or have suggestions?

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  • $\begingroup$ Does the ball feel or sound like it's bouncing against something inside? There may be some sort of mechanism that's released when the ball gets to the right place. $\endgroup$
    – user27014
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 3:28
  • $\begingroup$ The ball rolls and clunks. No luck trying to pull at different clunk sounds. $\endgroup$
    – user51689
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 3:53
  • $\begingroup$ Starting to wonder if the rolling and clunk sounds are actually 2 different pieces inside. Gently shaking causes a rolling sound, a slow turn of the whole box causes a clunk. Shaking and turning at the same time seems to cause both rolling and clunking at the same time. $\endgroup$
    – user51689
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 4:03

1 Answer 1

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Try this

Keep it on the table, hold two opposite corners and spin it clockwise. If you can't pull or slide it apart then spin it anticlockwise.

Or you can try

To let it stand on one edge. It could be a gravity orientation puzzle.

Hope this helps! :)

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks! That did it. The rolling was a decoy. The clunk on each 90 degree turn was the real hint. $\endgroup$
    – user51689
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 4:30
  • $\begingroup$ Nice! Accept the answer please if you can :) $\endgroup$
    – R.D
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 5:05

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