Tuesday Puzzle

Re: Tuesday Puzzle

Alex Y

For the first one, one cut is through lots of metal.

No. 2. I can get 7 pieces!

Re: Tuesday Puzzle

Larry Barrett

I see a different way to get 6 pieces, not through lots of metal; there are 2 pretty small pieces and 4 others.

Re: Tuesday Puzzle

Alex Y

Aha! I think I see that now, as well. And it works in just two dimensions, if we are seeing the same thing. At first I thought you were doing something with the little "wings" at the ends of the horseshoe in this drawing, but not necessary.

P.S., my solution for seven pieces involves some pretty small pieces as well.

Re: Tuesday Puzzle

Larry Barrett

Yes, 2 dimensions. Likely same as what you are seeing. I get 8 pieces if add on the wings.

Tuesday Answer

Bill Earl

Alex and Larry both got this one - and then some.

The first answer I had in mind was this one:

The second solution involves a horizontal section through the entire shoe, plus a single cut across both legs.

But, as our two sharp-eyed contestants noted: The details on the particular horseshow image I chose opened a few other possibilities for even more pieces as below:

Re: Tuesday Answer

Alex Y

And my seven-piece solution was to take the second solution and rotate the cuts, 45 degrees e.g., around the line where those two cut planes meet.

Twisted!

Bill Earl

Nicely done! That puts a different slant on things. To twist things further; if you align the axis of intersection of those two cuts as below, you could get 9 pieces!