One Ring to Fool Them All
January 30, 2017 3:39 PM Subscribe
“I am certainly an old man of 73 years, but close to where I live is my family doctor. I have been going there for 10 years, but that’s where the problem lies. In the waiting room there is a puzzle ring, and no matter what, I cannot solve it!"
Old man writes a letter to the hosts of Knight Scoop, a Japanese TV show in which a panel of "detectives" attempt to solve difficult life problems posed to them each week by way of viewer mail. The panel prides itself on its collective wisdom, but will the detectives and their team of field experts— which includes a physics teacher, a magician, and a chimpanzee—finally be stumped by a simple, old-fashioned wooden ring puzzle?
Old man writes a letter to the hosts of Knight Scoop, a Japanese TV show in which a panel of "detectives" attempt to solve difficult life problems posed to them each week by way of viewer mail. The panel prides itself on its collective wisdom, but will the detectives and their team of field experts— which includes a physics teacher, a magician, and a chimpanzee—finally be stumped by a simple, old-fashioned wooden ring puzzle?
That was a welcome respite from today's news. Thanks!
posted by mosk at 3:56 PM on January 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by mosk at 3:56 PM on January 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
I would like to think that somewhere among the Cracker Barrels of this nation, there is an ordinary peg puzzle that has never been solved, not simply because everyone loses interest in it when the cornbread comes out, but because it has been laid under a curse; and if someone were to find this puzzle and know it for what it is, and solve it, the curse on the heart of the South would be lifted.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this video, although I frankly worry about the chimp.
posted by Countess Elena at 4:01 PM on January 30, 2017 [46 favorites]
Anyway, I really enjoyed this video, although I frankly worry about the chimp.
posted by Countess Elena at 4:01 PM on January 30, 2017 [46 favorites]
This is just viral marketing for the new Ring movie, isn't it?
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:05 PM on January 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:05 PM on January 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
oh man! this was great, especially the old man's adorable little foot-kick at the end when he finally sees it solved.
posted by Old Kentucky Shark at 4:07 PM on January 30, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Old Kentucky Shark at 4:07 PM on January 30, 2017 [5 favorites]
anyone know where I can get that puzzle?
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 4:08 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 4:08 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
... if someone were to find this puzzle and know it for what it is, and solve it, the curse on the heart of the South would be lifted.
Or perhaps the South will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable (though it's possible that this may have already happened).
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:12 PM on January 30, 2017 [18 favorites]
Or perhaps the South will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable (though it's possible that this may have already happened).
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:12 PM on January 30, 2017 [18 favorites]
This is a pretty neat wooden disentanglement puzzle! I poked around and I think this specific model is Loop de Loop by a Canadian company called Puzzle Master.
posted by flatluigi at 4:15 PM on January 30, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by flatluigi at 4:15 PM on January 30, 2017 [4 favorites]
"Hmmm, it's certainly solvable..."
*draws on blackboard a picture of the puzzle that says 'solved'*
"... and that's the end of that chapter."
*dusts hands, walks off into the sunset*
posted by Joeruckus at 4:20 PM on January 30, 2017 [8 favorites]
*draws on blackboard a picture of the puzzle that says 'solved'*
"... and that's the end of that chapter."
*dusts hands, walks off into the sunset*
posted by Joeruckus at 4:20 PM on January 30, 2017 [8 favorites]
I have a waiting room in my office. I could buy a bunch of these to put in the waiting room and then claim them as business expenses couldn't I?
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:48 PM on January 30, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:48 PM on January 30, 2017 [7 favorites]
The guy seated in the middle of the panel is Toshiyuki Nishida, best known to western audiences as Pigsy in the cult TV show Monkey.
posted by misterbee at 4:50 PM on January 30, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by misterbee at 4:50 PM on January 30, 2017 [7 favorites]
I LOVED this. Thank you for posting!
posted by juliplease at 5:10 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by juliplease at 5:10 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
"I can die in peace now."
posted by zakur at 5:20 PM on January 30, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by zakur at 5:20 PM on January 30, 2017 [8 favorites]
Or perhaps the South will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable (though it's possible that this may have already happened).
Twice.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 5:24 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Twice.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 5:24 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Have not watched the video. Just looking at the puzzle I can see how to remove the cord from the wooden ring, but is the object to also remove the metal ring from around the cord? That seems as if it would take some time to figure out...
posted by caution live frogs at 5:42 PM on January 30, 2017
posted by caution live frogs at 5:42 PM on January 30, 2017
This was exactly what I needed today. I love that they all took solving the puzzle just seriously enough to be hilarious about it.
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:44 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:44 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Interesting puzzle. I wonder how long the member of the puzzle group took to actually solve the puzzle. The editing made it seem like it did not take him very long at all.
posted by tannerld at 5:49 PM on January 30, 2017
posted by tannerld at 5:49 PM on January 30, 2017
I think this specific model is Loop de Loop by a Canadian company called Puzzle Master.
I really like how that site has puzzles categorized by difficulty, and this one is only an 8 out of 10.
posted by Rhomboid at 5:49 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
I really like how that site has puzzles categorized by difficulty, and this one is only an 8 out of 10.
posted by Rhomboid at 5:49 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
caution live frogs: unless you're planning on using scissors you're mistaken on being able to remove the cord from the wooden ring
posted by flatluigi at 5:56 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by flatluigi at 5:56 PM on January 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Have not watched the video. Just looking at the puzzle I can see how to remove the cord from the wooden ring, but is the object to also remove the metal ring from around the cord? That seems as if it would take some time to figure out...
No, the goal is just to move the ring from one side to the other.
posted by dances with hamsters at 6:08 PM on January 30, 2017
No, the goal is just to move the ring from one side to the other.
posted by dances with hamsters at 6:08 PM on January 30, 2017
Metafilter: having not watched the video
posted by intermod at 8:19 PM on January 30, 2017 [14 favorites]
posted by intermod at 8:19 PM on January 30, 2017 [14 favorites]
“I have a waiting room in my office. I could buy a bunch of these to put in the waiting room and then claim them as business expenses couldn't I?”
If you're a psychiatrist you'd file it under “customer generation”.
posted by traveler_ at 8:24 PM on January 30, 2017 [7 favorites]
If you're a psychiatrist you'd file it under “customer generation”.
posted by traveler_ at 8:24 PM on January 30, 2017 [7 favorites]
As a nerd of a particular age, I loved both the puzzle and the fact that the soundtrack for the climactic moment was the love theme from Final Fantasy VIII ("Eyes on Me" by Faye Wong). I know it was popular in Japan outside of its use in the game, but it just seemed so incongruous in the video. I'm still chuckling.
posted by Kortney at 8:52 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Kortney at 8:52 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
got I had a metal wire puzzle in college where it was several rings over a long loop and the way to get it off was that you had to go through this iterative process of taking one ring off at a time and then reassembling the rest of the puzzle to solve it... god I hate these things and I can't stop doing them.
posted by GuyZero at 9:43 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by GuyZero at 9:43 PM on January 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Hey, Puzzle Master has it!
Also, browsing through puzzle master's wire puzzle collection makes me think I'm looking at a collection of medieval genital torture devices. They all look like... meat and two veg.
posted by GuyZero at 9:46 PM on January 30, 2017
Also, browsing through puzzle master's wire puzzle collection makes me think I'm looking at a collection of medieval genital torture devices. They all look like... meat and two veg.
posted by GuyZero at 9:46 PM on January 30, 2017
I have a waiting room in my office. I could buy a bunch of these to put in the waiting room and then claim them as business expenses couldn't I?
Do you have a bench vice?
posted by sebastienbailard at 11:01 PM on January 30, 2017
Do you have a bench vice?
posted by sebastienbailard at 11:01 PM on January 30, 2017
What a great show! I'll have to seek out some other clips.
They have this ring puzzle at the Hartford Science Museum, IIRC. I couldn't solve it and I'm happy to finally see the answer.
posted by painquale at 12:02 AM on January 31, 2017
They have this ring puzzle at the Hartford Science Museum, IIRC. I couldn't solve it and I'm happy to finally see the answer.
posted by painquale at 12:02 AM on January 31, 2017
wonder how long the member of the puzzle group took to actually solve the puzzle. The editing made it seem like it did not take him very long at all.
He probably knew the solution already.
posted by Pendragon at 3:08 AM on January 31, 2017
He probably knew the solution already.
posted by Pendragon at 3:08 AM on January 31, 2017
GuyZero: They all look like... meat and two veg.
Patient: Doc, I'm surprised you're showing me this picture!
Doctor: Normal ... completely normal ...
posted by oheso at 6:02 AM on January 31, 2017
Patient: Doc, I'm surprised you're showing me this picture!
Doctor: Normal ... completely normal ...
posted by oheso at 6:02 AM on January 31, 2017
The Japan Ring Puzzle Association. That is all ...
posted by oheso at 6:15 AM on January 31, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by oheso at 6:15 AM on January 31, 2017 [5 favorites]
That was such fun. Thank you for posting.
I love "Knight Scoop", never fails to entertain.
posted by james33 at 6:59 AM on January 31, 2017
I love "Knight Scoop", never fails to entertain.
posted by james33 at 6:59 AM on January 31, 2017
flatluigi: "caution live frogs: unless you're planning on using scissors you're mistaken on being able to remove the cord from the wooden ring"
Ah. Could not tell from the photo that the balls were attached to the base... that does present a challenge.
posted by caution live frogs at 12:02 PM on January 31, 2017
Ah. Could not tell from the photo that the balls were attached to the base... that does present a challenge.
posted by caution live frogs at 12:02 PM on January 31, 2017
The Japan Puzzle Ring Association exists.
thanks for posting.
posted by theora55 at 12:13 PM on January 31, 2017 [1 favorite]
thanks for posting.
posted by theora55 at 12:13 PM on January 31, 2017 [1 favorite]
Boo, sadly the link is gone. I had watched it myself, but was going to show it to Mr. Nat -- anyone have another copy?
posted by nat at 1:16 PM on February 1, 2017
posted by nat at 1:16 PM on February 1, 2017
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