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How to Solve the Five-Inch Wooden Puzzle Gray Matter

Carved wooden puzzles can be intriguing conversation pieces, but they can also be a real headache when trying to put them back together. The XD Headstress puzzle "Gray Matter" is one such brain teaser. A five-inch octahedron, Gray Matter is labeled by retailers as "very difficult." If you are having trouble putting this tricky puzzle back together, it is likely that you are not alone. This tutorial will give you some strategies for getting on the right track, as well as pointing out where the solution lies.

Instructions

- 1
  Disassemble the Gray Matter puzzle. Do this step on a clear table. Taking apart your puzzle on the floor increases the risk of losing pieces.
- 2
  Separate the pieces by their shape. There are eleven different types of pieces within this puzzle, each a different length and with different styles of notches. Keeping them in similar groups will help you find the right piece when you need it, as well as familiarizing you with what pieces you have at your disposal.
- 3
  Try your best to put the puzzle back together without any instructions. After all, the fun of a puzzle is to see if you can figure it out. Start by criss-crossing the longer pieces together to form a three-dimensional asterisk. This will form the base of your puzzle. From there, add on additional pieces, making sure to lock the notches, until you achieve the diamond shape that you started with.
  
  If you find yourself stumped, continue onto Step 4 for directions on finding the illustrated solution.
- 4
  Visit the Family Games America website. Click the "Puzzles" button on the left sidebar. A new page will load with an expanded sidebar. Click the "XS Headstress" link. Click the orange "5 Inch Collection" icon. The Gray Matter puzzle will be the right-most icon in the second row. Click the icon. A new page will load.
- 5
  Click the round notepad icon labeled "Rules" beneath the picture of the puzzle. A pop-up box containing detailed instructions on how to reassemble the puzzle will appear. These instructions include ninety-nine steps spread out over fourteen pages. If you wish to print the instructions, click the printer icon in the top left-hand corner of the box.

Wooden Toys