1*2*9 Jade Chopsticks - Price US27


1*2*9 Gold Chopsticks - Price US37

The Gold Chopsticks costs $37, and is not available yet, it will only be produced if there are enough reservations.

The writing on the side is an ambigram. It makes the puzzle a bit non-trivial. A bit of trivia for you though, it was designed by John Langdon. I've played with this one for goodness-almost a year now! I'm glad it's finally out. It's a fun puzzle to play with.

I had just made a reservation for the Gold Chopstick (plated with pure gold ; the $37 price was stated correctly above; grigr might want to correct it in the first post), when I read your post, Roxanne.
Glad to hear that you like the puzzle

Thanks for the news grigr!
I have one invitation left in case anyone is still looking.



Roxanne, what puzzle have you not played with a year before it came out?
I've just started planing to make a new puzzle, but chances are that you've been playing with it for at least a year now

I've a few that I know are coming out this (and next) year. Sadly, for me to be able to play means everyone else beats me to reporting it's coming out. It's just an unwritten rule that Rox gets beaten to the punch. Your secret is safe with me...

Can you explain why there is such a long time between prototype and mass production? I'm sure that if consumer electronic companies took this long, they would go out of business PDQ.

In this instance, it's because so many other puzzles were being put out during the year. Remember 2 years ago when Uwe wanted to do a puzzle a month. Well, technically, he did-as long as you divided it out over 12 months. He (insert Jing here I'm sure!) decided that was too much so he's going for one every other month now.
For the Jade chopsticks (incidentally, I got to pick the name for this one! ) he wanted to get the different layered pyramids and the gift cube out first. It was a very conscious decision to hold off on this one. The chopsticks have been ready to go for a very long time. I think the final version was made seriously close to a year ago. The molds have just been waiting for him to go ahead and make them.
There is a new puzzle coming out next year that has been in the works even longer...but I can't give you a time frame on that because some smart cookie might go find the puzzle, and it's a great surprise! I love it! A real treat to play with. Simple, elegant, and difficult all at the same time!

Rox, you are the Apple Inc. of the puzzle world! Officially saying nothing, but just teasing us with enough information to build us up into a fervour

Great puzzle, really looking on buying one. Btw, I have one invitation left, PM me with your e-mail adress if you are interested (But the, you should invite other people too )

Roxanne, I can see how the individual letters are reversible in rotation or sideways (particularly the A/U combination), but the words as a whole do not create new words when giving them alternative direction or orientation. So, technically, it is not an ambigram per se.

Skarabajo.

Touché. But it sure cost a boatload to get it made.

I can imagine that the guy responsible for some of the most famous ambigrams in history (including some great logos and movie props) will charge a lot of money...

Skarabajo.

I like it! It looks nice and solveable by someone like myself. I've added my name for reservation of the gold version, but I'll probably order the standard version anyway come payday.

A bit of more history about this puzzle.
On 18 October 2009, Uwe Meffert (and e.g. also Erno Rubik) attended the Dutch Cube Day in Eindhoven.

At this DCD, Uwe saw the 1x2x13 puzzle made by Oskar van Deventer.
He very much liked the puzzle and considered to make a production puzzle of a 1x2x9 puzzle in rounded ‘fish’-like shape.
The number 9 was chosen since this is apparently a ‘lucky’ number.
Since Ola had made earlier designs (such as a 1x2x5) on which the 1x2x13 was based, he was asked to make a design.

That design was ready on 26 October 2009.

First prototypes were made on 13 December 2009.


Uwe expressed to miss a bit of a wow-effect with the puzzle and proposed to add something to the puzzle.
Since at that time we were discussing the Jade Club , I proposed to add the letters of the Jade Club.
An initial prototype design was available on 30 January 2010.


From that, it took a long time until the present, final design was ready.

Congratulations to Uwe and Ola on a very nice puzzle.

Geert

... and Oskar. Thank you!

The Gold ones make the puzzle seem like Egyptian treasure!
Anyone else agree? old gold treasure with hyroglypics type things?

i would have preferred a special version in white jade with colorful letters
.. but the good news is that JC is still alive (right?...)

Rox, how well does this thing rotate? Will it lock if the alignment's not perfect? Also, is the gold-plating prone to rub off if you play with it too much?

Can you speed cube with it? I doubt it. It will lock if it's not aligned, but it's not as bad as the hanayama 1x2x5. If that makes sense.
As for the gold plating? I don't know. Don't have one.

Funny about the color. Uwe and I drew allover one with sharpies one time trying to do just that. I guess it's just costly. I'm not sure why he didn't go with that version.

I had allmost given up hope of ever seeing it in production.
But I guess this shows that everything doesn't happen at once, sometimes it takes 3 years

Forget speedcubing, I want to know if you can eat with them!

As a date? Why not

Sometimes it takes 26 years

Oskar

Interesting looking puzzle but I don't need two of them. I would rather have the gold plated one so I put in a reservation for one. I hope enough people are interested in it for it to get produced.

I have 1 invite left, who ever wants it pm me

Does anyone know when they are shipping the white ones? See I haven't been home because of sandy and just got back yesterday. ( )
Plus I don't know if I have/had to sign for it.

Has anyone recieved their copy of this puzzle yet? I ordered mine on the 25th and it hasn't arrived yet.

I asked Uwe about this one last night. He did a bit of retooling to make the turning better (?) so they haven't shipped yet. He said they would be shipping before weeks end. (Lucky you! I have to wait until he remembers to bring me one )

Any word on if the gold ones are going to be made?

It's been quite a while since release now. Has anyone received their copy yet? Or does anyone know if they have been shipped yet?

I'm not in any hurry or anything, I just want to make sure I haven't been forgotten.

I have been curious about this puzzle, and since I cannot see the images, I must ask for a description.

Reading through this thread, I get the impression that it is some kind of fancy-shaped 1*2*9. Is that correct, or am I completely off-base.

In particular, is this puzzle, like the Rainbow nautilus, some that shapeshifts enough to be a fun puzzle just from manipulating the shape?

It's correct, it's basically a 1x2x9. And it's been released to the public, so it isn't exclusive to the jade club anymore.

And now this puzzle is available on HKNowStore: LINK

So I'm assuming that they have been shipped out. Right?

I met Uwe yesterday, he was shipping them out just before we caught up. You guys will get yours yet again faster than i get mine. He left mine in the post office by accident...Now I need to wait for the next time he comes over.

OK, so I understand these puzzles have been shipped out around 10th of December, right?
Because I placed the order on 27th Oct and didn't receive anything. I wrote also e-mail to the JadeClub and there was no reply from them.
So, I guess I should still hope for it.

The same for me - haven't received Chopsticks (as well as Nautilus), still waiting ...

UPDATE: Today I received these puzzles, everything is fine!

news about golden version? if it is not done i will take the "standard" jade version

I'm on the reserve list as well and have not got new information.
I think we have to wait and see

I'm still waiting too guys. Uwe is down under 'til Tuesday....anyone besides me have 80's bands in their heads now?

When I talk to him next week ill post if there is an update.

no news mom?

I haven't seen Uwe in almost 2 months. Oskar has....he's in Germany this month. That guy does get around!

Any word on these yet? It's been quite a while...maybe there's another thread I haven't seen?

There is this thread about the golden versions.
I have received by now all three, the Golden Nautilus, Jade Chopsticks and the Gear Ball.