Puzzles!
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This book in the ModelMetrics series shows you how to make all sorts of puzzles that you can share with your friends:
ModelMetricks Intermediate Series Book 3: Puzzles
This page will show you how to find these puzzles on the Google 3D Warehouse, and how to solve them.
Downloading the Puzzles
Click this link to open the website where you can find the puzzles (it will open in a new window):
You'll see a list of 10 puzzles to choose from. Most are 2D (flat), but there is one that's 3D (the "Spinning Words" puzzle).
If you want to download one straight from the main page of the collection, click one of the "Download" links:
If you want to see details about the puzzle before you download it, click its name, or click its thumbnail.
This opens a larger view of the puzzle, where you can also read a description. (And if you like the puzzle, feel free to give it a 5-star rating!). To download it, click the "Download Model" button.
If you're using Windows, you have the option to open the puzzle directly in SketchUp. If you're on the Mac, the download by default goes straight to your desktop.
This example uses Word Puzzle with Random Pieces. It looks like this:
The only tool you need to solve it is Move. Click the icon that has four red arrows.
Find two pieces you know will go together, like the two shown with arrows below.
It's helpful to move the pieces to some blank space, so click once on one of the pieces you want to move. Make sure you don't click on one of the red "plus" signs, since that will spin the piece around!
(If you ever make a mistake, you can use Undo to go back. In Windows, press Ctrl+Z, and on the Mac, press Cmd+Z.)
Move the mouse to place the piece somewhere away from the other pieces, and click.
Move the matching piece the same way, next to its matching piece.
The Move tool can now be used to stick these two pieces together. Click a corner point of one of the pieces.
Move it to the other corner, and click.
Attach the rest of the pieces the same way: move a piece close to the assembled pieces, and click corner points to move it to the exact spot. Here's the finished puzzle:
If you want to get rid of all those black edges, open the Styles window (choose Window / Styles). Open the Edit tab, and uncheck the box for Display Edges.
Now you can see the message clearly.
(If you want to put the edges back, check the Display Edges box again.)
If you want to cheat and see the finished puzzle, click the "Completed" scene tab at the top of the SketchUp window.
This is how you solve all of the 2D puzzles listed in the 3D Warehouse. For the "Spinning Words" puzzle, you need to use the Rotate tool to spin each section into place. Can you do it?
Want to know how to make these puzzles yourself? Get the book ModelMetricks Intermediate Series Book 3: Puzzles!