Porcupine Progression

Team puzzle challenge to develop engineering & logic skills.

Porcupine Progression

Team puzzle challenge to develop engineering & logic skills.

Team Puzzle Challenge

This brain teaser combines engineering principles with collaborative problem-solving to achieve a seemingly impossible balancing feat. Porcupine Progression is a complex team puzzle challenge that requires sustained focus and methodical experimentation over extended periods. The activity demonstrates how breakthrough solutions often emerge when teams combine structural design thinking to create innovative solutions.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

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In advance, hammer one nail partially (vertically) into the centre of the block of wood, ie approx 10mm.
Lay the other 12 nails next to the block of wood.
Challenge your group to balance all 12 nails on top of the vertical nail.
Announce that all nails (as a group) must be balanced on top of the nail at the same time.
None of the 12 nails is permitted to touch the wood (or any other apparatus.)
Allow up to 30+ minutes to solve the problem.
Encourage innovation, especially those ideas that reflect thoughts of engineering.

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