How to Solve the Magic Sand Wand

The magic sand wand is a simple-looking brain teaser. It's a tube nearly filled with sand. At one end of the tube is a metal ball. The objective is to move the ball from one end of the tube to the other. If there were no sand in the tube, all you would do is flip the tube upside down, letting gravity take the ball to the opposite end of the tube. The sand creates the challenge. However, with some patience the challenge is still simple to overcome.

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Instructions

- 1
  
  Hold the tube so that it points up and down. Make sure the metal ball is at or near the bottom of the tube rather than the top. If it's at the top of the tube, the solution won't work.
- 2
  
  Begin vigorously shaking the tube. Shake the tube back and forth. Keep the top end of the tube at the top. If the tube becomes horizontal, the solution won't work.
- 3
  
  Continue shaking the tube until the metal ball emerges from the sand at the top of the tube. It has traveled from the bottom to the top, achieving the objective of the puzzle. The solution works by shaking the sand underneath the metal ball, pushing it upward.