Mind Bender # 14 : Balancing Act
Posted on 01. Apr, 2008 by Chris Lang in Mind Benders
With the summer holidays and Easter being so close together this year ... I decided to hold back on the Mind Benders till now.
Here's one I came across, which is a fantastic lateral thinking puzzle and a great team builder with your family or work colleagues.
It will also win you a fortune in pubs and bars the world over.
However, it's essential you practice this before performing it in front of your intended audience.
The challenge is simply to balance 12 nails on one single nail — which is fixed upright in a block of wood. The nails must all be the same size — any length, provided they have flat heads.
What about magnetising all of the nails. If done the right way, then the pointy ends of all 12 nails should stick to the flat end of the nail in the block of wood.
Is one allowed to add a magnet to the equation?
In which case the magnet can be placed on top of the upright nail and the other 11 nails placed on top of the magnet..... or is this cheating.
Ok then, try finishing your beer and put the twelve nails in the stubby / glass and balance that on the nail. Maybe the comments about flat heads and all twelve nails being the same size is to thow us off. ; )
Still not the right answer
Maybe the answer is to turn the whole thing upside down and balance the block of wood on the one nail. Then balance all 12 nails on their heads on the block of wood. In effect they are all balanced on the one nail ??
Allan
I'm afraid that's not the answer.
So far, only Daniel Hayden has come up with the correct answer.
The secret is canterlevering.
Take one nail and lay it on it's side.
Lay the next nail perpendicular to the first and across it, with the heads together (basically making a L-shape). The third nail goes across the first on the opposite side to the second. Repeat with the 4th to 11th nails.
Lay the final nail across the top, between the heads of the 2nd-11th nails, in the opposite direction to the first.
Then carefully lift the first nail by it's ends. The criss-crossed nails at the top will begin to fall down but will be wedged by the 12th, forming a tee-pee.
Carefully balance the whole lot on the head of the vertical nail.
Seriously though..... turn the block of wood on it's side so the nail in the block is horizontal, the other flat head nails will hang from the body of the original nail using the underside of their head.