Can you solve this real-life "Connections" word puzzle?

[@robertedlund6357]

Alastair, yet another amazing explosion of ideas. Amazing. Why have I not thought of muxing my RFID’s 🤦‍♂️ So much work to get them all to work. And the answer was a simple mux. Your game gave me an idea. This is a great way to actually produce a real puzzle by making the RFID cards as puzzle pieces, this idea can check when the puzzle is completed.

[@OneiricArtisan]

Alastair, thank you for yet another incredible video. What I like about your ideas the most is how inspiring they are. Every time I watch a video of yours I instantly get a few related ideas, using a different mechanic and theme. I think you have a great ability to keep your designs sufficiently ambiguous (even though you perfectly explain every detail) so that they are very easy to understand, interiorize, and use in very different contexts. Love your enthusiasm and problem solving, you're a great designer and communicator. I usually watch your videos while logged out, but this time I was logged in so I thought I'd leave a few words and a like. Thanks again!

[@PlayfulTechnology]

Awh, thankyou so much for taking the time to write that really kind comment :) I'm so glad they give you some ideas - that's exactly what I'm hoping to do - I don't want people to copy these projects exactly, there's lots of ways they can be adapted, improved, merged with other ideas... even if they only just give you a little prompt, or an idea for one element that can incorporated in a story in an interesting way, or create a fun interaction, that's great!

[@OneiricArtisan]

@@PlayfulTechnology No, thank you! You've been doing this for years and there's always something to learn from your videos; I love your creativity. One of the few things I haven't tinkered with yet is Node-red. I have been using Arduino for a long time and I'm going to switch to esp32 now, I guess the wifi feature will open many options. I mainly make puzzle mechanisms for 'gadget caches' (for the geocaching game) and I don't use batteries or ac plugs, so with solar/wind/crank power sources the use of digital logic is usually not so easy to implement reliably. But node-red is something I've always wanted to learn anyway so I'll soon get back to your wonderful videos, I remember you made a few about that. Thank you again! You're the best youtube resource for this kind of knowledge, I just regret this niche isn't more widespread for you to get the recognition you surely deserve.

[@JohnJones-ok1nc]

True ! W comment! The rizs here is real

[@KrazeeKraftZ]

This would be a great puzzle to set up a variety of different difficulty levels quickly and easily by having a handful of different card sets. Thanks for this video.

[@PlayfulTechnology]

Yes, nice idea! It would be super easy to swap in different sets of card that were easier or harder.

[@HitsandHeadlines]

Incredible!! I can see so much potential with this puzzle

[@pattyliz27]

I do the connections puzzle almost daily! This is a really fun and clever way of making it a real-life puzzle! Wonderful work!

[@PlayfulTechnology]

Thankyou for the kind comment! (and yes, I do the Connections as part of my daily puzzle routine too :) ) x

[@JeanPhilippeGravel-formix]

I did that exact thing as an Arduino shield that I called SPI16 for the exact same purpose: controlling 16 rfid readers. Back in 2019. I made an updated version as a bus of 8 spi connections in 2021. That's pretty nice!

[@PlayfulTechnology]

In 2019 I was still able to get original NXP MFRC522 chips that worked fine on a shared SPI bus without needing any workarounds necessary! But it seems now that even fairly reputable suppliers have problems guaranteeing genuine stock. To be honest, the MFRC522 is pretty dated now and I typically use PN5180 for most RFID builds, which doesn't seem to have cloned (yet....), but for this particular project, the limited read range of the MFRC522 was actually a bonus in allowing me to space that many readers in a physically small array.

[@lizgallegos5424]

I would definitely be interested in the PCB design if you decided to make it available 😀

[@stergiostousoulis2950]

Are you looking for a rfid board whitch hosts up to 6 readers?

[@lizgallegos5424]

I’m looking for a board that can host 16 readers

[@NLGeebee]

You could reduce the complexity by removing one row of scanners. When you have completed three rows, the remaining cards have to be the fourth row.

[@isakoveugeneful]

Great video. I have been struggling with connecting multiple readers. Quick question though. What happened to "RESET" rc522 connection, you have defined reset pin 15, but it is not even connected.

[@kirijanker]

You could also make a Minecraft-themed crafting puzzle with this technic.

[@stryker_x]

I would very much be interested in the PCB. I designed one recently with 6 RFID board inputs...but I stupidly didn't check my routing well enough and they don't work.

[@IuliusCurt]

"not gonna solve the whole puzzle" *can't refrain from solving the whole puzzle*. Such a puzzlehead 😅

[@edwinsulsters3392]

Hi Alastair, I love the Ethernet connection between the MFRC522 and the Arduino. Normally you include a list of parts that you use in your puzzle, but I can't find it in the description. What's the name of the Ethernet shield you use, so I can do a search for them online.

[@Scrlk95]

He didn't use ethernet, he's using multiplexers to switch between the readers and communicate one at the time. The patch cables are used to quick connect - disconnect and ease of identification and wiring

[@edwinsulsters3392]

@@Scrlk95 But are they special multiplexers? I did a search for it but didn't found any with an port where I can insert a patchcable. Or did he make his own multiplexer with a connector?

[@lwo7736]

This would suit a murder mystery type puzzle, perhaps you have to figure out 4 murders at once and each one has a suspect, victim, location and weapon, cluedo style, that needs to be physically placed somewhere and to win, you have to place all the connected items together

[@PlayfulTechnology]

Ooh, that's a nice idea! Or, have you played videogames like Return of the Obra Dinn, or Curse of the Golden Idol (both brilliant!). They make you examine a scene, and then you have to "fill in the blanks" with the correct missing word, which would work really well here.

[@exitus64]

Hey Alastair, thank you for this amazing Videos. All of your Videos are so intersting and helpful for my Projects. The wiring withe the Ethernet-connector is so simple and smart. You talk in the Video about the Problem that multiple SPI-Devices can get Problems together. How does that affact at your project? I have also the Problem in a Project for long time and can't find the Problem. In this Project i have 8 readers (i tried to reduce it to 4 readers without any changes) and all work fine. A time later (2 - 20 min random) the Arduino freeze and not longer run the code. After reboot the it starts from begining. I tried MFRC522 and PN5180. I think both are not original. Hardware is an Aduino Mega. Software i use the reader and MQTT for connecting to Node-Redscape over Ethernet with W5500 SPI Ethernet Module. Thanks for this Video.