The Steel Ball Paradox! - An Impossible Puzzle! (almost)

[@Mr.Puzzle]

Another time it seems I found a new and unique "Mr.Puzzle Solution". However, it was faaaaar away from the intended solution. Want to see it in a future video? Vote below! Keep on puzzling everyone and have a nice weekend!

[@groowanderer]

So this was not the intended solution? I thought you nailed it.

[@wich1]

I'm curious, definitely want to see the intended solution. Also the other puzzle

[@youtubeuniversity3638]

This SHOULD be the intended solution...

[@Dogbreath42]

does the intended solution have to do with using all 3 dimensions of the puzzle instead of just trying to do it flat on a tabbe?

[@franzlewisgrasso470]

My first idea was to spin the puzzle in step two so the big balls will be forced to go to the outside and with a lithe bit of luck the smal ball will pass throu😉

[@deyesed]

The inertial solution is brilliant because the first little one misdirects you.

[@Bibibosh]

Flase insecurity

[@squelchedotter]

That was my immediate thought when I saw the balls were bigger and heavier.

[@Mithesil]

I had a feeling it had something to do with inertia

[@ChadDidNothingWrong]

If you tapped it on the table just like he held it at 10:59, I'll bet the two bigger balls would bounce back up more than the little one due to their greater mass. I feel like that's how it's probably meant to be solved

[@Mithesil]

Yeah that makes sense

[@ClarkPotter]

"It's obviously sandblasted." Had no idea how incredibly ignorant of telltale sandblasting I was.

[@dawud7791]

Germans

[@carrot4126]

same :’)

[@xjanise2412]

i have no idea what that means

[@sarahchellew8244]

HAHAAHHAAHHA

[@nolansprojects2840]

Easier to tell in person 😜😂

[@HonkeyKongLive]

That gasp on completion was incredible hahaha

[@Mr.Puzzle]

😅

[@Zoso14892]

My headphones were on full because I couldn't hear over the fan, I'm sending Mr Puzzle my dry cleaning bill!

[@TS_Mind_Swept]

@@Zoso14892 or you could just throw it in the wash, much cheaper

[@mittensfastpaw]

Just simple pure joy. :)

[@lamontsingz_7343]

I hollered when he solved it. 🤣🤣🤣

[@ClassyCrustatio]

For a film I worked on we actually used the Buddha ball to balance a small candle that had a mettle base with a slight spin to give it a futuristic look. It was really cool to have a floating candle in the background of a scene.

[@Mr.Puzzle]

Nice Idea!

[@IceDragon978]

That sounds cool.

[@ultrite2696]

"It's truly been... a roundabout path. Thank you... Gyro."

[@squishyglass6788]

I was waiting to come across a comment like this, didnt think I actually would but here we are.

[@incription]

NYO-HO!

[@ianian4162]

Is this a JOJO refrence?

[@joemarmar2861]

I was waiting for it

[@ToastedLater]

Had to watch the vid because “Steel Ball” in the title caught my eye

[@pokerandphilosophy8328]

I think the intended solution is the very clever one you found last: to unscrew the acrylic sheet cover.

[@Mr.Puzzle]

🤣

[@negitivebike3169]

Or a tiny magnet

[@dave72f]

I missed that the cover was removed and thought for 80% of the time it was removed he had become a master of knowing the movement of the balls to a level where he could move his fingers over them with perfect synchronisation to their movements from his tilt. 🤣🤣

[@NoName_NoTitle]

@@negitivebike3169 how does a magnet help, when it would attract all the balls?

[@jasperdoesstuff9082]

I love how he takes it off camera for a minute and you can just hear him shaking the thing

[@PanduPoluan]

Mr. Puzzle is sparing us from the violent scenes ...

[@jaymac7203]

Lol

[@rodamik]

I was sitting here tilting and rotating and turning my phone like I was trying to solve the puzzle...😂😂😂

[@1.4142]

This could be a mobile game

[@Adnan_Khan__111]

@@1.4142 yes tag top developers here

[@nayyarrashid4661]

@@Adnan_Khan__111 No need. There are already a lot of puzzles like this in Breath of the Wild where you have to actually use gyroscope on joycons to control the ball on screen. Although not exactly similar the puzzles are still physics based .

[@mekyiamky6285]

@@nayyarrashid4661 i have spent 1 hour on one of those puzzles but i beat the game.

[@leomadero562]

@@nayyarrashid4661 yeah we don't need phone apps when you can just buy a switch and buy breath of the wild and play far enough into the game to get to the puzzle which many many people say is the worst thing in existence

[@stoneseabolt]

I'll never get tired of hearing "Hi! And welcome to another episode of Mr. Puzzle!"

[@thepuzzler2773]

Yurp

[@TS_Mind_Swept]

I kind of like the more mellow way he used to say it before, to be honest..

[@hydrogamer471]

mr paasle

[@Michel-7.7.7]

He stole that from mr. Carlsson

[@andrewpotapenkoff7723]

It's hard to solve, yes. But how hard it was to design, that's what amazes me

[@magieenvtuber9783]

I mean this one was pretty easy, like i knew hot to solve it in first 3 minutes, but it was fun watching someone trying to figure it out and do second "gate" kinda similar way, but diffrent at the end. I kinda wanted to tilt the thing giving momentum to the ball and as it would be about to pass swing the thing, so the balls without momentum go up and the one with momentum just goes by

[@LadyTigerLily]

Mr. Puzzle's laughter is so delightful. I never get tired of seeing what entertaining things, puzzles or gadgets, get showcased in each video.

[@GoodSmile3]

I'm impressed how original a puzzle can be in 2021, yes please do the 2nd puzzle too! And what a lovely ball, pseudo perpetuum mobile!

[@Mr.Puzzle]

I thinks it was designed around 2008

[@theperegrinator8007]

@@Mr.Puzzle Nein, 2003 ! And it is the most expensive metal puzzle in history ! It was sold for US$11,750 on CubicDissection on 14/02/16 !

[@zahven]

@@theperegrinator8007 I found this video. Check the desc: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2THl4dnpchon9E

[@CookieeMonstarr666]

For 2021 you might want to check out Gardenscape puzzle.

[@zsch6859]

@@CookieeMonstarr666 lol

[@ShelLuser]

2:40 "And if you solve the puzzle of how to get this in..." .. I actually grinned there ;)

[@NiceEyeballs]

2:35

[@pinkius]

7:55 - _"makes a mistake"_ Auto subtitles: *_"help me"_*

[@themiddleman9376]

Wow this guy’s got balls of steel!

[@cumunist2120]

Correct

[@sevenover42]

Correct

[@Skinflaps_Meatslapper]

they're kind of on the small side tbh

[@rpgilagamedev4839]

Lol

[@theusher2893]

Balls balls balls balls balls balls

[@Myrtle2911]

It's been so rare lately that you give a puzzle a 5/5! This definitely looks deceptively simple. Very cool. I'd love to see the other one.

[@972CHENZO]

Lmao when it jumped from 21 minutes to over an hour and to what sounds like him hitting it just made me bust out laughing

[@sinajakelic]

Sir, definitely show us the other one - not a lot of puzzles get your 5/5 rating, so the manufacturer definitely deserves more recognition. Doesn’t have to be a full episode, you can sneak it in as you did the magnet ball here, or many others. Always enjoying your content! No other puzzle channel can compare.

[@Tony-iu7sw]

Lol. The light makes the bigger ball bearings look like eyes 👀 😄

[@rgbok5453]

I didn't see that until now. Can't unsee

[@jakobporenta]

Its kind of creepy

[@rurounisora]

When Mr Puzzle says: "what can I do?!" you know you're in for a treat 🔥

[@inz1]

The small ball has less mass which means it changes direction and accelerates faster than the large balls because the larger balls have more inertia to overcome before they can change direction.

[@zzyz7751]

You've got the patience of a saint. Had it been me I would've hammered that puzzle to pieces out of frustration

[@kylekinkade9211]

Your real live reactions to solving all these great puzzles is what brought me to click that subscribe button a couple years ago. Please, keep on puzzling!!!

[@prancingmoose]

I was thinking about freezing it to make the metal balls just a little smaller thinking that was genuinely the solution

[@marwerno]

I probably would have tried to cheat it with magnets 😁

[@amosbackstrom5366]

Steel expands like 0.07% of its length for each 100^F rise in temperature. That would have to be unbelievably tight tolerances it to work on a winter night but not in the summer. By the looks of it, the balls would each have to shrink by about 5 to 10% for this to work

[@soulbound2]

Mycheat solution was a hammer

[@XavyIRL]

I come back every 3 months or so and catch up. Happier and happier every time

[@brandon8541]

0:55 so “intriggering”... I like it, a mix between “Intriguing” and “triggered”. I think we’ve found a new word for something that’s curiously frustrating.

[@informationyes]

apparently there is this thing where when we try to think of solutions to problems an important part of the creative process called Incubation is to go away and relax and focus on other things for a bit, its like it allows the brain to process it in the background

[@MYZS]

Your channel is one of my favourite places to go to calm down, get chill and comfy. Thank you Mr. Puzzle, keep on keeping on going

[@jackrabbitism]

Wonderful how you worked out and voiced that solution and then executed it moments later. Great to watch. Very impressive.

[@matthuck378]

I'm frustrated and stressed just watching, lmao. This would drive me nuts.

[@YaofuZhou]

“Do it again to make sure it is not a fluke” 😆

[@amarug]

as a phd in mechanics, i lift my hat off for this one!

[@sergiomaeda1446]

easy. 1- leave the ball in the middle of the big balls 2-lift to leave the glass upright, and make a centrifugal movement 3- the big balls will rise and let the ball pass. 4-end

[@Mr.Puzzle]

👏👏👏👏 nope... 🤗 😉

[@foreverknight66]

"keep in mind that knowing the solution cannot be reversed" My dumbass: "wanna bet?"

[@rodiculous9464]

Me seeing the thumbnail: "just move the balls into the groove with your fingers so the small ball can pass, duh!" Me clicking on the video: "OH......"

[@IndieSamurai101]

The inertia concept was really brilliant!

[@rijubhatt8366]

Beautiful Puzzle and Elegant Solution. Thank U, Mister Puzzle 🧩.

[@Naomi_Selina_Art]

it's actually not the speed that allows that solution, but the greater inertia of the two larger heaver metal balls that cause them to bounce in a slightly longer time than the small ball

[@chrisswinerton9603]

Just another reason why I watch Mr. Puzzle. Puzzle solving and a science lesson all in one. ❤️👍😀

[@Mr.Puzzle]

😅

[@Mrcloc]

2:40 of frustration shouting at the screen: "Turn it so the window faces you!!"

[@adamnichols476]

I love your videos. The pure joy and excitement noise you made felt justified. Its pretty good when such a simple puzzle can be so rewarding.

[@onedeadsaint]

I'm glad you like dexterity puzzles cause I get to watch you solve them because I have _zero_ interest in them myself. much too fiddly for my tastes.

[@programaths]

Puzzles were you have all the information are, for me, the best ones. Now, puzzles where the puzzles is in part to be able to get some information out of it are nice too (like the labyrinth ones where you have to separate two pieces or roll a ball from one end to the other without seeing the maze). I have the Dr. Nim game and it can be seen as a puzzle. You can ask people how to beat it, knowing they can see all its working. Few people are able to solve that question although, the solution seems very obvious when told. I did interview and one of the problem I gave (and that I dropped, due to too many people failing it) was to write a winded piece of code that shuffle an array. The only thing to care about was that the code never use the values in the array to do the shuffle. That's one bit of the trick. The other is the same as with Dr. Nim. The question is, given the output, what was the input. Candidates do the obvious: write the algorithm backward in an attempt to be able to rune the shuffle backward and recover the input. The twist is that the shuffling code use modular arithmetic and a theorem of modular arithmetic. So, when they come to that part they are baffled because modulus basically map an infinity of values to one. (it's a very primitive hashing function) That should be a hint that the algorithm is "one way", but they never got the hint. So, here is the puzzle: how to solve Dr. Nim and that algorithm question ? (And the fact you don't need to know the algorithm gives a huge hint!)

[@OceanBlu75]

I love this guy

[@Pzevv]

This puzzle is ingenious. I had the idea of bouncing it before you actually solved it, but I wasn't sure the small ball would have enough springiness off the back wall, and that it would have enough momentum. I really wish I could get my hands on one of these!!

[@ibashu1578]

From the first second on i felt like this could be a mindblowing airstream mechanic (with the airchannel at the bottom). I shortly realised that it would need more airholes for it.

[@lilsmammy1387]

Idk how I got to this video in my KZbin rabbit hole, but it’s quality content so I’m fine with it. Keep doin your puzzles man, you’re great

[@muldoon67]

Best puzzle for a long time. Now they need to make a slightly bigger version with 2 or 3 more stops.

[@jerusasardar9764]

You know it’s a good puzzle if it takes Mr. Puzzle more than an hour to solve

[@MisterRorschach90]

Watching this on a phone had me turning my phone all over the place trying to see what was happening.

[@jamesgolden7317]

This is the first episode I'm watching of yours. I really enjoyed it. 😁

[@atheontimesconflux1067]

Alright the answer is simple, but first we have to talk about parallel universes

[@toosnkeets]

As expected of you, Atheon, Time's Conflux

[@Ghiaman1334]

Dojyaan

[@AnonEMus-cp2mn]

It took time, but I was satisfied that my prediction of the second step of the puzzle was correct. The 'locking' balls are larger and thus require more inertia to move compared to the smaller 'key' ball. My theory for the first step was to flip/spin the box counter-clockwise with the pivot point being between the two small bearings, so the 'locking' ball is spun towards the right and the 'key' ball is spun towards the left from centrifugal force.

[@CrimFerret]

I was thinking getting the little ball sitting on the two large balls with the puzzle on it's side and then spinning it to force the two large balls up and out letting the small ball through might work.

[@Zgembo121]

Solution for 2nd part of puzzle: you are supposed to do a fast movement forward and stop without moving back. that way the 2 big balls will go up and widen, and the small ball will move back due to the BOUNCE of the wall, the ball will reverse its direction yet the 2 big balls wills stay at the wide point, and the small ball will move pass them. The ball bounce is the twist to the puzzle (sorry for the pun).

[@Mr.Puzzle]

The big balls are not running an a flat surface. The surface is tilted and they will automatically move back into the closed position when flat on the table.

[@clatz13]

Could you put the box on it's side, with the small ball sitting on the two bigger balls. Then if you spin it the two balls will be forced outwards, and therefore upwards. The small ball will then drop down.

[@nom3nnescio]

that wont work, balls are on the same side of the block. left one would go up, but right one down. and you would have to apin so fast it would be impossible.

[@derekyarno6644]

I've been watching your videos for so long I always assumed I had subscribed and hit the bell. Realized today after quite some time I had failed. Fixed that right away! Cheers and keep puzzling!

[@bobman929]

That 1hr mark when starts shaking it in frustration had me

[@MrBrettStar]

At 4:33 on your timer you answered how to solve it. The big balls always move faster! by getting the small ball close and then tilting back the big balls move back faster leaving the small ball ahead of them, you just needed to flick back and forwards at the exact right time.

[@inz1]

Isn’t it the opposite of that, the larger balls have more mass which means they take longer to change direction/gain momentum.

[@MrBrettStar]

@@inz1 yep, I think you are right, the bigger balls take more inertia to get moving, which is why he’s able to pass the smaller ball. It has nothing to do with it bouncing.

[@inz1]

@@MrBrettStar it’s both, that’s why the small ball needs to bounce off the roof. It can change direction faster than the larger balls can, which allows it to speed through the gap before the large balls return to rest at the bottom.

[@---cr8nw]

Just out of curiosity, would a magnet do the trick? Could you guide one ball bearing around with a magnet with affecting the others? To me, the trick is thinking about the materials. Aluminum and acrylic don't have the same magnetic property as steel ball bearings.

[@CamoSquid]

That reaction once he got it was awesome😂👏

[@groreistad5234]

This was a damn good puzzle, I like that we can see exactly what’s going on. Personally I would love to see the other one as well. 😃

[@guyincognito.]

If you orient the box so the short edge is horizontal, the two big balls sit in opposite inclines. You can then move the small ball past one of the bigger balls using the same technique as the first part of the puzzle, then tilt the box standing lengthwise round its horizontal plane, and the two big balls will swap positions, pushing the small ball through the channel. I'm convinced that this is the intended solution.

[@DiscoFang]

The reason the first part works is the small raised channel is there to roll the small ball against. The big balls don’t have that similar raised channel. To get the small ball around one of the big balls as you describe, it is resting in the “nest” against the big ball so needs to go “uphill” to get past it. To tip to get it up that “hill” would also move the big ball in it’s channel. He tried that move in both orientations on the short sides down.

[@DiscoFang]

At 9:55 he tries it.

[@SupermarketSweep777]

With the large ball bearings I was wondering if spinning it was the solution. As the centrifugal force would bring them outward giving room for the small bearing to fall in.

[@MojoMfg]

So simple and beautifully crafted! Plus the design is genius! I will look forward to seeing you solve the other one

[@clarissevanrossum4]

I've got balls of steel! Which severely annoy me at this point...

[@DreiKiekensGaming]

My brain dies from only watching. Your patience is sth I'm jealous of.

[@4dub802]

Intrigering 😂😂😂... love your videos!!

[@The-Man-On-The-Mountain]

This is a playthrough for grand dads. Awesome.

[@mikefochtman7164]

After about 5 minutes, I'd be digging in my drawer for a magnet!!! And just HOPE the balls are magnetic. lol

[@cahafera]

I love this channel!! It's so wholesome and I know I will always get quality content. Love the gadgets and puzzles and this time we got to learn a little German. 😁

[@dsl145]

Did anyone else find themselves tilting their phone while watching this??

[@KhoiV]

No

[@emilemil1]

It looks rather simple. (without looking at the solution) For the first you've got to tilt it at an angle where one ball rolls left and the other right. I believe the same concept applies for the big balls, you want the small ball and one big ball to roll in one direction, and the other big ball in the opposite direction. The key to both is that you can't hold it flat against the table, you've got to hold it straight out in front of you so you can utilize the opposing slopes.

[@Mr.Puzzle]

Nope 🤗

[@robin111v]

I was guessing that the 2nd part should be a spin move, with the small one in between, puzzle standing up so the glass is vertical. The rotation will force both big balls to move to the outsides, while the small ball in the middle gets pulled down by gravity

[@Mr.Puzzle]

Spinning does not work. Tried it in all orientations.😅

[@markkaufman3170]

@@Mr.Puzzle I actually taped the puzzle to a lazy susan turntable with the center line between the two big balls exactly aligned with the rotational axis of the turntable. As Mr.Puzzle notes, that does not work even when perfectly set up.

[@oliverjd26]

Even I had a moment of excited disbelief when I seen the ball hit the other side channel.! That was awesome!

[@kevinmorford5032]

In most of his videos, Mr. Puzzle is careful not to show his face. But in this video, it is clearly visible as a reflection in both the budda ball, and in the balls of the main puzzle. Nice to see you Mr. Puzzle.

[@user-en9he5kf3o]

Gay

[@PMX]

I figured out the same solution for the second part based on inertia within seconds of seeing the puzzle in the video, even if it wasn't the intended solution, so this is probably the only puzzle so far that I'd rate lower on my personal difficulty scale than in Mr. Puzzle's

[@newb.justnewb.8762]

Lesson: Just use a magnet.

[@eyeofminati2653]

Wait, that outstanding move is illegal.

[@Laufbursche4u]

Aluminum balls.

[@newb.justnewb.8762]

@@Laufbursche4u legit move.

[@Laufbursche4u]

@@newb.justnewb.8762 But doesn't work with aluminum.

[@newb.justnewb.8762]

@@Laufbursche4u That's exactly why I said the line. Magnets don't work on aluminum

[@kevinlawrence6368]

Love the commentary, you are truly entertaining my friend.

[@sanahaskuranage8071]

Don’t get be books or t shirts for my birthday mom. Get me some puzzles!

[@wolfVFV]

thats such a smart solution. i would have never guessed that such a great simple puzzle

[@TrustNoOne88]

Wow cool puzzle I enjoyed that one!

[@waterfoker8558]

Figured it out just by looking at it and imaging a free falling small ball. The two big ones are being pushed up while the middle ball just free falls with nothing to push it up, gotta be a dynamic motion, that's why when he easily swipes the puzzle up and down, the ball just passes through

[@YellowOfTheTide]

Wow a Roger D puzzle!! How did you find this?

[@dollfacedotcult]

*aggressive banging* *pause* “if there’s really a clever elegant solution to this puzzle…”

[@coturbhuj]

Hello there my favorite KZbin channel.

[@petertrevena804]

I love your voice. And I get so much amusement watching you solve the puzzles. I got the first step correct.

[@matheushorstmann1816]

I imagine that a light tap from de bottom (the name face) while the puzzle is in same position as the first ball would work.

[@kenhaley4]

That's what I think

[@royalroses123]

I saw it at first glance. You have to realise that the puzzle can be plate and verticle. For the first part, you need to get the two balls together when he was demonstrating how it gets stuck and rotate to the left slightly, then lift the puzzle to face you when you are looking forward. The locking mechanism will fall down into its slot and because you are tilting it down on the left side the ball will also roll in the mechanism just flip it and the ball will be on the other side. Use a similar approach for the second lock.

[@dominicdelprincipe2583]

No fair using a magnet! 😁 What a unique design. Tolerances are mind-boggling. Love the vids as always... Keep on puzzling! PS: Maybe a polarized filter would reduce some of the 'flashing' from reflections off of the shiny glass. Just a thought.

[@saypsychrn]

Alternate video title: Man plays with balls of steel for 15 minutes

[@anonymanonym6641]

I think you should try rotational forces. If the axis is between two balls, you can make them move in different directions

[@janpokorny2454]

I also thought this might be the solution, but I wonder whether rotating the puzzle along this axis is even possible by hand -- you need it to rotate it pretty fast to have a substantial centrifugal force.

[@Fallenemiko]

I love that this is fancy speak for “spin real fast”, which is a common puzzle box solution component 😂😂 10/10

[@karstenlehmann13595]

Nice Video. Yes, I'd like to see the other one, too!

[@xuanchen3434]

Accelerate moving the box downwards so that two bigger balls stick to the top of the caves due to inertia, and the small ball between them rolls to the top of the horizontal tunnel. Then stop acceleration but still moving with the same speed to keep two bigger balls at the top and the small ball will bounce back. The critical part is you have to change acceleration after big balls hitting the top of their caves and before the small ball hitting the top of horizontal tunnel.

[@Marie-re6io]

I love when you laugh as you make me laugh too.😜

[@YouNameItGaming]

with the big balls part I was originally thinking the method would be to hold the puzzle upright and either tap it downwards against the table, or upwards beneath the table. in failing that I would have just used a magnet 🤣

[@toddmckissick2931]

Impact! Place the ball against the wall the desired path travels from with the blocking balls resting in their open position, then hit the wall with a small but rigid mass. The wall transmits the impact and only the small ball moves in that direction.

[@the_Acaman]

This feels like a mario maker troll cp 1 kinda situation

[@kallewirsch2263]

what could actually work for the second "obstacle" is a spin move. If you manage to spin t around a point slightly behind the small ball: * centrifugal force will try to move the big balls outwards, which means they will follow their groove and open up the gap. * at the same time, the small ball will be forced by centrifugal force will force the small ball through the gap. That much for the theory. The big question is: is it possible to spin the puzzle while controlling the spinning center at the same time to be just behind the small ball.