The counter puzzle seems simple. It consists of six movable disks (the counters) in a wooden frame. It doesn’t seem much of a challenge—not at first, that is.

When you begin, the disks are arranged from 1 to 6 with a space in the middle, as pictured above. The object of the puzzle is to rearrange them so they read 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, in as few moves as possible. You can move a counter by sliding it into an empty square or by jumping one counter over another, as in checkers, but only one counter may be moved at a time. One solution to the puzzles is found by Clicking Here and takes 15 moves. Does yours take less?

In construction, the counter puzzle can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. A puzzle made of wood, with painted numbers and squares, will stand up to many a challenger. One that works just as well but is not so durable, handsome, or pleasurable to the touch, can be made from paper or cardboard with the numbers and squares indicated with a pen or felt-tipped marker. The instructions that follow are for making the wooden puzzle above.

Materials
To make this puzzle you will need: 3 feet of 1-by-1- or l-by-2-inch clear pine; a 7 7/8 -by- 1 1/8 inch piece of 1/4 -inch plywood; a 4- to 5-inch wooden dowel, 1 1/8 inches in diameter; a saw and miter box; and medium and fine sandpaper.

To finish the disks and frame you will need: pencil, ruler, tracing paper, large and small fine-tipped paintbrushes, enamel or acrylic paint in two contrasting colors, and wood glue.

Making the Puzzle

Using a miterbox, cut the pine strips for the puzzle frame, carefully mitering the ends on a 45-degree angle and following the dimensions given in Figure E.

These are the inside measurements of the frame. These figures will be the same whether you use 1-by-1-or 1-by-2-inch wood. Cut the dowel into six 1/2-inch thick disks. Sand a 1/8-inch sliver from the bottom rim of each disk so that it will fit upright but will not stick in the 1 1/2-inch-wide slot, as shown in the photograph. Sand all of the parts—the frame, the plywood bottom, and the counters—progressing from medium to fine sandpaper.

Trace the numbers given in Figure D onto a sheet of tracing paper. (click on the image for full size pattern)

Rub a soft lead pencil over the back of the tracing to deposit a layer of graphite which will act as carbon paper. Place each graphite-backed number on a disk, and go over the outline of the number with a sharp pencil to transfer it to the disk. Using a small, finepointed paintbrush, fill in the numbers with acrylic paint or enamel. Apply several coats if necessary, letting the paint dry between applications.

With pencil and ruler, divide the plywood that will form the bottom of the frame into seven 1 1/8-inch squares. Paint the squares, alternating the two colors.

To assemble the puzzle, refer to Figure E – miter four strips of pine on a 45-degree angle, and glue them together at the corners to form a frame that measures 1 1/8 by 7 7/8 inches on its inner perimeter. Let dry; then apply glue on all the edges of the plywood bottom, and insert it in the frame to get a flush bottom, with the painted plywood surface recessed.
(refer also to the directions on the glue package. Let the glue dry thoroughly before using the game board.)