ABSTRACT
All of the burr puzzles described in the previous chapters have been orthogonal, i.e. rectilinear, Cartesian, with right angles. They are the most familiar and the easiest to visualize, analyze, explain, and make (but not necessarily to solve!). The time has now come to venture beyond the comfortable world of right angles and explore the wondrous geometry of the diagonal burr . The diagonal burr can be regarded as a standard six-piece burr in which all of the sticks have been rotated 45 degrees, with the notches Vshaped rather than square. The six pieces shown in Figure 99 represent one version. The piece with no notches is of course the “key” which slides in last to complete the assembly. Two of the other pieces have an extra notch to accommodate it. The reader can probably solve the puzzle mentally by studying the drawings. It is also easy to whittle a rough model from square sticks of some soft wood.
