Last night, I read this blogger's article and found Search Results for “pentomino” – 弈趣極光. The blogger is multi-talented, with interests in puzzle games, puzzle toys, and more. They even designed a game called "Dragon Chess," and I saw in the introduction that there are also Dragon Balls with destructive power, which I call Dragon Ball Battle.
3D Puzzles#
pentomino
A pentomino is a polyomino composed of five equally-sized congruent squares connected along their edges (orthogonal connections) creating 12 different shapes that are used as puzzle pieces in Recreational mathematics. Eric Harshbarger - Pentominoes They can be traced back to 1907 in puzzles created by the English inventor Henry Dudeney but were fully explored and formally defined by American Professor Solomon W.
Brain-teasing twelve pieces; five-link dominoes.
pentomino is very similar to the smart pyramid I previously bought for my child.
The gameplay is probably similar; the smart pyramid has a book with 98 pages and 17 pieces. It is divided into difficulty levels. I have seen people live-streaming or posting videos of playing this before.
This is also a combination and permutation game that requires hands-on involvement because it is 3D. It is generally not easy for most people to play, similar to a Rubik's Cube, but a bit simpler. Once you remember the formulas and methods,
Adults need to study this, and children even more so.
The thrilling interception is also a flat arrangement and combination trial-and-error puzzle game.
There is also a similar series called "Crocodile Crossing" and "Little Red Riding Hood Goes Home," roughly that name. It feels similar to thrilling interception, but I didn't purchase it.
There are also transparent card puzzles, which many Montessori education courses have. Those card toys.
And then there's the password cracking, which is actually just guessing numbers, a 5-digit number, where the number is correct and in the right position is 1A, and if the number is correct but in the wrong position, it's 4B, and then you deduce from there. Actually, paper and pen can solve it. If you use AI programming, AI will instantly tell you various language codes; you just need to have the environment set up to run it directly. So I didn't buy it at that time.
Building Blocks#
I also bought some LEGO blocks. Later, they were all domestic products. I didn't buy many. In the end, they were just bulk mixed particles.
The large particle Mega Bloks, the child's mother said that the child has grown up, so they are not allowed to play with them anymore.
Common small particles, not diamond particles.
I found that this child finds it very troublesome to play, mainly because of classification and summarization, and their little hands lack strength, often needing assistance. In the end, it all turned into building blocks together, with the child looking for pieces and the adult building blocks. After spending several hours, it was finally built, but a few days later, the child said they were missing pieces when building blocks by themselves, and everything was taken apart. Now some sets are just various parts.
My Understanding of the Difficulty of Building Blocks#
Assembling LEGO blocks according to the set instructions is an entry point to familiarize yourself with its routines. Later, even if there are motors and control circuits, it adds a bit of programming, but programming is considered empowering, giving blocks capabilities, not the blocks themselves.
Advanced players of building blocks can take any pattern given to them and design it using the blocks in hand, which requires design software similar to that used by building block set designers. That kind of design is the core of building block thinking.
Using the most universal blocks with the least cost to realize the blueprint makes you an excellent designer for the company.
I also 3D printed some puzzle toys myself, like Excalibur, Chinese knots, and various puzzles. Generally, after assembling once, I don't want to play anymore. The child can't assemble but can disassemble. After disassembling, I see it reassembled and then hide it; otherwise, if discovered, it will be taken apart again.
Some simpler ones can be assembled just by looking at the drawings, like Excalibur.
The Chinese knot is really difficult; the YouTube video is about 5 minutes long, recorded under skilled conditions, and I had to slow it down to see each step clearly. It took me 15-25 minutes to complete; if I explored it myself, it might take a very long time, and it could end up as an unfinished project.
How to Be Intelligent?#
Puzzle games and toys may not have a high impact on intelligence, that's what I think. The main influence is on emotions, perseverance, resilience, staying calm in the face of challenges, and a state of not giving up until the goal is achieved. If these are done well enough, that's already great. This is also why I play RTS games; failing for a night is not scary; what's scary is not reviewing and watching the replay.
Having a hobby is still good; it can help explain the world, serving as your interpreter.
What were Laozi and Confucius's hobbies?
Simple and Brutal Toys#
These puzzle toys are not liked by children. What they like most are simple and brutal things.
Like this one. It's been a few years. Currently, some parts are broken. They haven't been repaired. A rubber band gun that shoots rubber bands. The power is decent. It's considered safe. There’s also a revolver design, but it’s not as sturdy as this one, and that one has already fallen apart and is scrapped.
Dragonfly skimming the water, I studied it before, but I don't remember much. I'll write about it when I think of it again.