ThinkFun Gordians Knot

If you like to tinker and/or figure things out this is a perfect puzzle. I love this puzzle. I first found one at a second hands kids store and got it for my baby as a teething toy and soon became enthralled by it. Obviously, I spent more time playing with this than my baby ever has. I bought this second one as a Christmas gift and am sure that my brother will love working on it. Everyone who happens upon it in my house has been obsessed with trying to figure it out. But of course to buy this you maybe looking for some facts: Out of the two people who have taken mine apart, it took them approximately 1.5 hours. With the booklet it is challenging to put back together, but by no means impossible. It takes about 20min. Even if you're not a super genius you can take this apart! Yes there's a specific order, but you can stumble through it. I was playing around with it, when I turned it and a piece fell off! It's a great activity to get people away from screens and interacting. Plus a great conversation starter when people see it. All in all, this is a fun puzzle and definitely worth the price for the hours off entertainment you'll get out of it.

This puzzle feels solid and well-made; the plastic seems to be of good quality and the puzzle pieces slide cleanly. Unlike many other take-apart puzzles, there is no secret trick to taking it apart. Further, after sliding each piece around you'll quickly know the complete composition of every piece. It's basically a 3-dimensional maze. After some manipulation, visual inspection will reveal the exact design of each piece; there are no tricks or gimmicks involved in the puzzle's design. These factors combined with the number of steps involved in solving the puzzle mean those who enjoy the puzzle can return to the puzzle over and over again. While taking apart this puzzle is a fun task, I concur with other reviewers in preferring the use of the instruction manual for the more difficult task of reassembly. Note: those with poor dexterity may find it difficult to hold the pieces in place properly, and thus may wish to avoid purchasing this puzzle.

This would make a great gift for people who enjoy brainy pursuits. My understanding is the pieces are supposed to easily slide around when freed, but I kept coming to a point where the pieces wouldn't move with any kind of ease and would even get stuck. I finally gave up and looked at the solution and that is when I figured out what was going on. My red piece was not well constructed making it nearly impossible to get the knot undone even with the directions and even harder to get back together.

I bought this as a gift for a puzzle lover and then couldn't resist getting one for myself. It is frustrating fun at the highest level. A challenge you will not be able to put down. I even had trouble taking it apart and putting it back together without the written directions. I have yet to do it on my own even after doing it with instructions once. The written history of the Gordian Knot and directions are done in a concise, interesting, and understandable accompanying book. It is hours of fun and challenging for all levels. If you like Rubik's cube and chess, you will love this as you definitely have to plot your moves ahead to be sure you are going in the right direction.

Saw this puzzle in one of the shows on TV- Numb3rs where a couple of math whizs were nonchalantly solving it while bantering about math-y things. Fancying ourselves to be similarly cool math whiz/ geeky puzzle heads we purchased this item. Well made, fun if frustrating, puzzle. Bought for the mister to play with while watching TV. Its quite engaging for everybody from 10 yr old to 65 yr old in the house. It comes with a little solution book that we have avoided peeking into but will eventually have to because its goshdarn hard otherwise.

This puzzle was good in that it was relatively easy to figure out. The solution guide that is provided explained clearly how to take it apart. However, I use different method to piece it back together. The puzzle was a bit smaller than I expected and while I was trying to figure out, it would get caught (to be expected). Overall, I really enjoyed figuring out this puzzle and it is a cool and unique "toy" to own. I would recommend it, assuming that you are not looking for a puzzle that is meant to take hours or longer to solve.

The amazing thing about this puzzle is you get to a point where you're convinced it's impossible and someone is having some fun at your expense as you try to disassemble a toy that can't be disassembled. But if it can't be disassembled, then it can't be assembled and there it is proving you wrong by its very existence. I've lent this toy to 3 puzzle-loving friends all of whom have reached the "this is impossible" point. The only negative is that some of the pieces don't slide unless you really push on them. They'll slide but it takes more finger strength than a child could muster. Reading some of the other reviews here, I get the sense that there's some variation in the manufacturing process as other reviewers find sliding the pieces easy enough that a child can do it. On the plus side, the pieces are solid enough you never get the sense that the toy will break as you shift some of the pieces. This puzzle is an all time great puzzle. Well worth the $10.

I bought this as a Christmas gift so I don't really know how much fun it is yet, but I thought it was appropriate for a smart 8 year old girl, given that the description states for 8 and up. When I received the product, it says appropriate for age 14+. I felt bad giving this as a present, but there just wasn't time to buy another one! Hopefully, she'll figure this out and not get too frustrated.

Fine All-Around Dealer - AAA-1 = Triple A-1 Gold-Plated - Highly Recommended. Good Luck if you attempt to undo and "put-back-as-it-was" this infernal puzzle IF you don't have the "How to" instructions to do it. I you try it on your own - without the "How to" instructions, please remember that it takes some 69 precisely done moves in an exact order to just 'undo' the thing and a correspondingly +/- 69 exact precisely ordered moves to put the accursed thing back as it was !!! I'm a Mensan with 158 I.Q. and this thing drives me completely batty. Maybe - just "Maybe" - You'll Succeed in Holding Back Tears of Frustration or Resist the Overwhelming Urge to Hammer the Dickens Out of This Impossible Nightmare of a Puzzle. OR . . . You'll Be Really Really Really Smart and Get the Aforementioned 'How to' Instructions - It Will Save Your Sanity. Yes, these "Instructions" DO Come with the Puzzle (I mean, let's face it, the makers were not particularly keen of having a bunch of suicidees on their hands) So Far I have Resisted the Temptation to "Cheat". However, I'm Seriously Considering to Throw-In the Towel and Cheat Like Crazy Before They Stick Me in the Looney House. Have Fun !

Liked it very much I am still working on it thank you

Llegó bien el paquete y el producto es de buena calidad

Gifted to my dad, and he's been enjoying it. As others have mentioned though, the pieces are a little bit flexible and it's possible to solve it "incorrectly" by bending them slightly.

It is advertised as the hardest puzzle ever. Gave it to my very clever 14 yr. old granddaughter, and the last I heard she was Still working at it.