Cast Vortex

5 

I borrowed someone I know's puzzle, solved it, then had to look up a tutorial because i had NO IDEA how I got it apart, much less how to get it back on.

5 

Everything a puzzle should be. Great puzzle design and extremely well made. It took me several hours to get apart and put back together which is unusually long for me. Unlike most other reviewers, my reassembly time was comparable to my disassembly time though I can see why it might take a lot longer to put back together. I was able to recall two intermediate positions and it turned out that that was enough to enable me to get the pieces back together. If you don't remember any intermediate positions, then the puzzle would be next to impossible to put back together. I actually like this puzzle better than all of Hanayama level 6 puzzles with the exception of "Enigma" which is the true jewel of the level 6 puzzles.

5 

Vortex is a work of fine art. The disassembly steps are nigh on impossible to remember because of the similarity of the elements and the complexity of the movements, which makes reassembly the true challenge of this puzzle. The satisfaction of seeing the pieces finally slide back together is well worth the hours of tinkering. Be warned that it is essential to pay heed to certain combinations when taking it apart. My son had it in pieces and was well on the way to solving the assembly far faster than I managed, but he made an error that never becomes apparent. He shed tears over it. I almost did trying to figure out what he'd done wrong. Surely one of the most difficult Hanayama puzzles to master. Chain is logical simplicity in comparison. My only remaining question is how the hell did Akio Yamamoto create this? It's absolutely brilliant.

5 

A work of puzzle art. Extremely challenging and should definitely be rated at the highest difficulty. For comparison, Cast Elk is a Level 10 (Hanayama 6) and uses far fewer and less intricate movements in the solution, also has few possible dead ends. Vortex has several dead ends and very subtle intricacies. Elk should be a 9 and Vortex should be a 10. While solving, I had to resort to taking lots of pictures because I couldn't keep track of all the movements in my head. I probably had 50 or 60 shots on my phone, most of which were dead ends. But after repeating the solution a few times, it's easy to remember.

4 

This puzzle must be in Top 3 of the most difficult Cast puzzles! It is my first acquaitence with the Cast puzzles - several years ago, one roommate of mine got it for his birthday. I tried to separate it, but was not able to. He managed to do it and put it back together. And now, I bought it for myself and disassembled it by chance. Then, when putting it back together, I saw that I miss something, so I tried to apply logic by looking at the assembled version (its back side, as depicted on the picture above). Thus, I checked every two pieces how they should come together. After that, assembling was a matter of precision and slow movements. It is a beautiful puzzle, when assembled. Too bad the pieces look like "6" - I had an idea about a similar puzzle, but this one is enough for torturing (the best comment on this page is by "Scott" - I can say no more about the pain Vortex can cause).

5 

I got the Vortex for my birthday. This is a gift that keeps on giving. It took a month to solve and satisfied the challenge without becoming annoying. Great Puzzle!

5 

All I can say is, this is a fantastic nightmare of a puzzle. Beautiful, and extremely humbling. I suspect that over time it could cause brain damage. Be careful.

5 

This is a puzzle that will take you on a journey. Took me weeks, although I have to say the "think crest" hint was not at all helpful. Vortex is one of life's memorable treasures, and i would give it six stars if the ratings allowed it. An adventure, a challenge, and a work of rare art and beauty.

5 

Obviously my favourite this far. This puzzle has all I want from a puzzle: supercool design, no force needed, extrem difficulty (I solved about 15 Hanayama's this far, and I think Vortex beats any other by at least two level), one needs ideas to solve it, but logic helps a lot (especially when putting together). Simply love it.

5 

Defiantly one of my favorites. love the look. love the dimensions of this puzzle. A lot of fun to solve.

5 

Wonderful, it took me an hour to break it apart. Entangling this thing back was really the most fun part, I expected it to last for days, but surprisingly, it only took about 40 min, maybe because I made a note of the final key entanglement position, just before the complete breakup. It is really one of the best Hanayamas.

5 

I am usually pretty good at these sorts of puzzles, solving most in a a few minutes to an hour. This one has humbled me. Taking it apart was trivial, but getting it back together... OUCH! Day 2, still trying (and doing my best to avoid downloading the solution).

5 

VERY hard to get apart... was able to get it apart 8 days after I got it... BUT I did not spend a lot of time on it each day!

5 

This is the best hanayama puzzle i made till now. It took me a whole day to solve this... at the end of the day my hands were ready to explode but i felt better after solving this. And yeah this should get a difficulty rate of 10 compared with the others.

5 

What's the deal with the Vortex? You can take it apart, but good luck putting it back together! What's the deeeeal with that?

5 

This puzzle is exceedingly difficult. Unlike others, once I got it apart, putting it together was easier than pulling it apart for me. Probably because each time I got further along in the solution, I would backtrack to make sure I understood what I did. I really, really REALLY like this puzzle. But I did hate it for a day or two!

5 

I have to say, this is the most difficult Hanayama that i´ve seen. I thought that Enigma was difficult, but it was not.......

5 

This puzzle is absolutely beautiful! It took me a good while to figure how to take it apart, but since I spent so much time figuring out how to take it apart I was able to put it back together when I finally figured out the last step. I really enjoyed this one! FIVE STARS!!!

5 

Very hard puzzle. Even with the solution it took me a lot of practices to solve it smoothly. Very well designed. Hats off to anyone who can put it back together without peeping!

5 

Wasn't that hard getting them apart... but I'm stumped on how to get it back together!!!! Still won't ask for the solution but darn i'm tempted just in case it will give me a clue how to put it back together. Would love to show it to my Dad but it's a bit ridiculous giving it to him in it's current condition :D

5 

Pretty hard puzzle got it apart can't get it back together for the life of me though.

2 

This is a really hard puzzle i'm still working it i can't get it a part this thing is getting on my nerves.

5 

This is a really beautiful puzzle. Harder to get back together than it is to take it apart.

5 

I had to download solution for this. It was quite hard to solve this even with solution. Really hard puzzle.

5 

Still working with this. I got pieces separated, but no hope to put it back to the original shape. ( i have been close, (??) but still it feels impossible.)

5 

Oh my god, this really should be rated 10 ( or 6 stars in Hanayama). Really hard, i´ve been speding hours and hours with this. I got it "broken" but I don´t get pieces separated neither to the original position. Loosing my nerves :-( Wishes form Finland ;-)