How to Make a Paper Clip Puzzle
If you're looking to use paperclips to make a puzzle, try creating a simple wire disentanglement puzzle: a mechanical puzzle that consists of at least two pieces with a goal of either hooking the pieces together or unhooking the pieces from each other. The Iron Heart disentanglement puzzle consists of a heart and a bow; to solve the puzzle you hang the heart on the bow.
Instructions
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1
Unwind one paperclip with pliers until it is straight. Curl each end of the wire into a small loop.
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2
Repeat Steps 1 and 2 with another paper clip. Bend this paper clip into a horseshoe shape.
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3
Loosen the loops on the horseshoe-shaped wire and slide the straight wire through both loops. Close the loops of the horseshoe-shaped wire so that the straight wire cannot be pulled out from it. Set this piece of the puzzle aside.
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4
Straighten out a third paper clip and curl it into a "U" shape. Press both ends of the U together so it is curved but very narrow.
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5
Pull one end of the narrow U shape sharply in the opposite direction with pliers so it now looks an "S." Sharply bend the other end in the opposite direction so you have a curved, narrow "M." Pull the ends of both legs outward, causing the M to look more like a "W."
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6
Bend each end inward from about halfway down, creating a heart shape. Twist the ends together in a spiral to complete your heart piece. You now have your puzzle: the goal is to get the heart piece to hang on the straight piece of wire.
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7
Solve the puzzle by sliding the narrow U-shaped fold of the heart into one of the rings of the horseshoe shaped wire and push the corresponding ring of the straight piece of wire through the narrow "U" fold. When you slide the heart out of the ring it will hang on the straight piece of wire.
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References
- Photo Credit Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images
