Greetings fellow puzzle lovers:
My name is Jason Savage, designer of the Manx, the 21st Century
Puzzle Challenge.
The Manx is a visually deciphered, graphic art composition. The
development of this puzzle is a direct descendent of my work with
linear graphics, which I introduced as kinetic sculptures at the
1979 Spoleto Festival USA.
Over the decades, I experimented with many different configurations.
With the advent of a faster Internet and better programs, I converted
the Manx into a format that could be delivered electronically.
The Manx is now the centerpiece for timed competitions.
Unlike sequential move
puzzles, Rubik’s Cube for example,
the Manx gives me unlimited design options. I can make them extremely
easy or excruciatingly difficult. The puzzles I create for the
competitions are designed to be solved. In fact, solved relatively
quickly. Anyone, young or old, can solve a Manx. If I had to make
a comparison to another puzzle type, I would say the Manx closely
resembles a jigsaw without pieces. I’ve put together this
little clip to demonstrate the fundamental structure of the puzzle.
Enjoy.
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I would like to demonstrate the fundamentals of all Manx puzzles.
The common denominator is symbol identification.
First, you need to download and install the free Manx Training
Samples. From the main page click on Information, then click Manx
Training Samples and click the Download button. Save and install
the samples. The set consists of html and PDF pages accessed through
your browser.
After installing the files you will see a Manx Samples icon on
your desktop. Double click the icon to open the Introduction page.
Go to Practice and select Sample One. This opens a PDF file where
you will see an Instruction Sheet, Symbol Chart, Manx Graphic,
and a Grid Sheet. This sheet can be filled in on screen.
The Manx is composed of an image and electronically embossed symbols.
This simple Manx has six symbols. Your objective is to identify
what each symbol represents based on the Symbol Chart. As you identify
each embossed symbol type the letter or number in the corresponding
Plaintext Grid. After you have filled in each square of the Plaintext
Grid with a letter or number, you now must fill in the Answer Grid.
Look at the question below the Answer Grid. What is the word used
to describe one of two or more rows arranged one above the other.
The four letter answer is composed of letters or numbers found
in the completed Plaintext Grid. Now fill in the four-letter answer
in the Answer Grid. You will find the correct answer in the lower
left corner of the page. Do not cheat by looking at the answer
first.
This
is the basis of all Manx puzzles – symbol identification.
The competition Manx puzzle also uses ciphers. In other Manx samples
you will be introduced to the polyalphabetic table. It’s
not hard to understand or use, but it does present another dimension
to the Manx.
Some may be better identifying symbols. Others better at deciphering
codes. That helps balance the competition. Complete the samples
and then enter an event. The events are for charity, so come on
and enjoy the challenge. The more events you enter the quicker
you will become. You may end up a Grand Prize winner.
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After you complete each of the training samples, you will be ready
for any Manx competition.
Incidentally, I’ve
been a competitive runner for over thirty years. A race feature
that helps attract competitors is the use
of age groups awards. Major races like the Cooper River Bridge
Run, a very large and prestigious event held in Charleston, South
Carolina, use five-year age divisions. Awards can go up to twenty-five
deep in each category.
I’ve incorporated five-year age group divisions into Manx
competitions. The top three in each division receive special recognition.
If the event has a large number of competitors, we will offer awards
to the top 5% in each group. Overall winners are not eligible for
age group awards. In addition, we have a designer certificate for
all who correctly solve the Manx. Everyone can be a winner! Each
Manx event will have it’s own listing of the prizes and awards.
Proceeds from selected Manx events will be donated to Freedom
Memorials, a 501 c(3) non-profit organization working to construct
the National Afghanistan and Iraq Freedom Reigns Memorial, honoring
the military men and women who have paid the ultimate price for
freedom in the wars on terrorism. For information about the memorial,
visit www.FreedomMemorials.org. Other charities may benefit from
Manx events as well.
I truly hope you will participate in one Manx event, if not many.
See how you measure up to other competitors. Collect our distinctive
certificates. Each event will incorporate a different design.
Let me speak for one moment about the timing. After you solve
a Manx, you submit an answer form via the Internet. Your answer
goes into our database. Entries into that database are timed to
the 10,000th of a second. After the close of the event, we will
make that database available to you so you can compare your solve
time with other competitors, both overall and in your age group.
You can query the results as well; by state, country, age, time,
or name. Challenge your friends or co-workers to enter. Compete
against each other.
Thank you very much
for giving me your valuable time. At some point, I hope to hold
a Guinness World Record event. I’ll
have to design special commemorative awards for that one. By the
way, if you’re a runner or a race director, I invite you
to review my running award site – www.YourRunningMemories.com.
Continue to check our
Web site – www.MasterTheChallenge.org – for
upcoming Manx events.
Good Day!
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