Four Corners - Interlocking puzzle by Stewart Coffin (STC #6)

thingiverse

Four Corners: A Classic Interlocking Puzzle by Stewart Coffin Assemble six expertly crafted pieces into a stunning polyhedral shape with color symmetry, just like the one on our cover photo. This iconic Stewart Coffin design forms the foundation for several of his later puzzles. While assembling the shape is relatively straightforward, the challenge lies in discovering all four different ways to do so with color symmetry. Can you find the other three unique configurations? Coffin himself described this puzzle: "The assembled shape falls between the first and second stellation of the rhombic dodecahedron, showcasing the symmetry of a tetrahedron. It serves as the skeleton for many more intricate puzzles." "The Four Corners Puzzle is an exemplary model of an interlocking structure with captivating geometry and an attractive appearance, but its simplicity in assembly makes it surprisingly easy to solve. To add another layer of complexity, we introduce the concept of color symmetry." "...to extract even more fun from this puzzle, discover the 24 ways to assemble it so that all four colors are identical but not symmetrical. Feel free to skip the 3,808 variations without either property." Printing Instructions: Print one base model `coffin.four-corners.bases.stl` and four tip models `coffin.four-corners.tips.stl`. Ideally, use five distinct filament colors, reserving a neutral color like white or grey for the bases. Assemble the pieces using "snap joints": simply snap the male and female connectors into place. If they feel too loose, you can reinforce them with a few drops of superglue. The joints are designed to be printed without supports. To achieve the desired color symmetries, attach the joints in the configuration shown in the second photo. To make this easier, label the male joints on the bases with letters "A" through "D." Then, match each tip color to its corresponding base connector: "Color A" tips go to base connectors labeled "A," and so on. Optional: Print a two-color version by printing twelve tips in the same color, ignoring the labels. However, we recommend using five colors for the best experience. Also, consider printing `coffin.four-corners.bases-larger.stl` and `coffin.four-corners.tips-larger.stl` for a grander version of the puzzle, which will use around 50% more material. The Printable Puzzle Project The [Printable Puzzle Project](https://www.puzzlehub.org/ppp) aims to provide high-quality open-source models of many puzzle designs. Our models are made available with the kind permission of their designers and come with a license for __non-commercial use only__. You can print copies for your personal use, but selling or monetizing them is not allowed. Our puzzles are created using the open-source [puzzlecad](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3198014) library. The `.scad` file is included with this model if you want to modify its design parameters; more information can be found in our PPP [Puzzle Modeling tutorial](https://www.puzzlehub.org/tutorials/puzzle-modeling). About the Designer Stewart Coffin has been hailed as "the most outstanding designer and maker of interlocking puzzles that the world has ever seen." He has created over four hundred designs, pioneered innovative puzzle forms, and written extensively about puzzle design and craftsmanship. Learn more about Coffin and his work on our [Stewart Coffin Puzzles](https://www.puzzlehub.org/puzzles/stewart-coffin) overview page. Happy puzzling!