Q1. Why can't I do this stupid puzzle?
Q2. Can you make me an easier / harder one please?
Q3. I can't cheat the online PatternCatch, but I think I can on the real thing. Is this a) possible and b) permissible?
Q4. I like the Golf design but I don't know a Phil Yapp.
Q5. Can you make a PatternCatch using my own photographs?
Q6. Why don't you make a PatternCatch with fruit / superheroes / pond-life?
Q7. Isn't the PatternCatch just another unnecessary plastic object?
Q1. Why can't I do this stupid puzzle?
You can! You may just be in a bad place at the moment. Push the red pins round to the Start position (see how here) and have another go. Best advice is to try to line up the wheels with the fewest pins first, that seems to help. And you have to expect to undo some progress as you work to get further.
If you want to learn the really neat and impressive way to do it, follow the method on the Solutions page, which is not hard, or better still, look for your puzzle on the Play page and click the Solutions buttons there. But you may as well enjoy going round the houses like the rest of us. The satisfaction will be all the greater when you arrive.
Q2. Can you make me an easier / harder one please?
The standard PatternCatch that we are producing comes with five rotating wheels (and one stationary reference wheel), and with 12 pins in the pattern 3,3,2,2,2. The gives a puzzle that is hard enough but not ridiculously so. A puzzle with fewer pins will be easier to solve, as you have more freedom of movement, and one with more pins will be harder to solve as the wheels interfere with one another. And of course the designs are all different, so if you have a PatternCatch with two sets of red stars for example, it is easier to get one of them to line up than the other.
We will make up a non-standard pattern as a Customised design at the higher price. There is a variety of pin patterns on the Playscreens, so you can test them out to find one which is hard enough for you, but don't overdo it.
This puzzle is already harder than it looks at first glance. The only other drawback with a non-standard pin arrangement is that we do not yet have solutions available for when you get stuck! We are working on that, but it will be some time before all variants are solved.
Other things we plan for the future are PatternCatches with more wheels (see Maths page), and a modular version where you will be able to add or remove pins and wheels yourself.
Q3. I can't cheat the online PatternCatch, but I think I can on the real thing. Is this a) possible and b) permissible?
Well, you would work hard to shake the wheels out of position, but it is possible to fiddle around so as to get in between the pins. Indeed it is sometimes a quicker way to get back to Start, in which case it is called a Sneaky Half-move and entirely reasonable. However it would not be approved for competition play, and would not be impressive in a demonstration. It's up to you and your conscience really.
Q4. I like the Golf design but I don't know a Phil Yapp.
We will change the wording on any personalised PatternCatch within the Standard price of £15, so long as it will still fit. Just tell us what you would like changed.
Q5. Can you make a PatternCatch using my own photographs?
Yes, we can produce customised puzzles for a small extra cost. You will need to send us the pictures (jpg or gif format or anything else we can manipulate in Photoshop). The proportions should be close to 3 high x 2 wide for the best result, otherwise we will have to choose who to leave out of the picture. Note that because the end result is really quite small pictures, you shouldn't expect High Definition, see Gallery for examples. A Customised PatternCatch will always require some dialogue after you place your order, so don't be deterred, we will come back to you.
Q6. Why don't you make a PatternCatch with fruit / superheroes / pond-life?
Please feel free to email us with new ideas for PatternCatch decorations. We are not graphic designers, just humble artisans, so all suggestions for new designs will be gratefully received. We will gladly give a credit in the Gallery to anyone whose design we take up, and links to your own site etc. However, even a large share of our profit wouldn't register on your bank statement, so any contribution would have to be made solely in the service of art.
Q7. Isn't the PatternCatch just another unnecessary plastic object?
It is certainly plastic, almost entirely made from solid acrylic, which is why it feels heavy in your hands. The first prototypes were made in wood but we moved to plastic to stop it being so easy to cheat. There is an environmental impact from the oil etc, but you will have the Patterncatch for ever, so it's not so big. Is it unnecessary? Well, clearly, but it's fun.
