Stefka-Flop - Dr. Volker Latussek - Pelikan Puzzles

Stefka-Flop

Designer: Dr. Volker Latussek

Produced by: Pelikan Puzzles

Difficulty Level: 9/10

Dimensions: 2.75" x 2.75" x 2.75"

Material: Acacia, Purpleheart

Product Description:

Stefka-Flop is an intricate and beautifully crafted puzzle designed by Dr. Volker Latussek and produced by Pelikan Puzzles. This challenging packing puzzle measures 2.75" x 2.75" x 2.75" and is made from exquisite Acacia and Purpleheart wood. The puzzle's name is inspired by the legendary Bulgarian high jumper, Stefka Kostadinova, who holds the women's high jump world record.

Dr. Volker Latussek wrote about it:

"Since 1987, the 1996 Bulgarian Olympic champion, Stefka Kostadinova, has held the women’s high jump world record with a height of 2.09 meters – providing a fitting conclusion to my little series of packing puzzles with the STEFKA-FLOP. As previously announced, LITTLE TETRA-FLOP will come as an encore, however, I would still like to pursue the principle further and use the term FLOP here and there, e.g., perhaps for a COFFIN-FLOP. STEFKA-FLOP with seven pieces follows DICK-FLOP with its six Tetra cubes and FRITZ-FLOP with only five pieces. The boxes are completely filled, and the opening is so large that some pieces have to tumble out of the box. STEFKA-FLOP has a very unusual, and very beautiful, new turning movement before a flop. Oskar van Deventer has previously published STEFKA-FLOP under the name UNFOLDED-FLOP. The seven pieces correspond to the SOMA CUBE with an unfolded v (I). That was a consolation because at first, I couldn’t find a SOMA-FLOP with all seven pieces of the SOMA-CUBE."

Kevin Sadler wrote about it:

"This is another (and to me, unexpected) entry in the Flop series of packing puzzles. I have said on several occasions that this Flop series of puzzles by Dr. Latussek are an incredible feat of puzzle design and when coupled with Pelikan’s magnificent craftsmanship and wood choices, they are some of the highlights of my packing puzzle collection. This one was stipulated to be made with a glorious Purpleheart box and Acacia soma pieces. They are not just packing puzzles with restricted openings… they are also variants on the Soma cube, using entirely Soma-shaped (or a subset of them) pieces and also are TICs as well with the very important requirement that a few of the pieces cannot fit through the entryway without rotation and then often need rotation into place inside the box which adds a special requirement for the correct order. The Soma cube has 240 3x3x3 assemblies and I am still ashamed to say that it takes me quite some time to find even one of them! And that is without the restriction of doing it within a box and also without further hindrance of restricted entry and rotational moves! This is going to be a hell of a challenge for any puzzler. I spent 3 days attempting this amazing feat of puzzle design and had to peek at the solution to find the last 3 pieces to be inserted. Having restricted the number of pieces I needed to experiment with, I finally managed to find a bunch of cubes that assembled that way and then still could not get them into the box. With a deadline looming, I looked at the cube assembly that was required and spent another happy hour or so working out how to put it inside the box. Even with a huge clue, it is still a decent challenge. I am sure that the rest of you with more time to play will manage this without help. This is a fantastic addition to the series and I cannot wait to see the others that Volker intends (I am sort of hoping they won’t be quite so tough)."

• Unique Design: Features a turning movement before a "flop" inspired by the high jump technique
• Material: Crafted from Acacia and Purpleheart wood
• Challenge: Fit seven pieces into the box with restricted entry and rotational moves
• Size: 2.75" x 2.75" x 2.75"
• Objective: Assemble the pieces to fill the box completely, ensuring that some pieces tumble out

Stefka-Flop is a fantastic addition to any collection, combining beautiful craftsmanship with a highly challenging solution process. Perfect for puzzle enthusiasts looking for a rewarding and intricate challenge.